[SecondBestBet]

Please look at the following curtain call for Oliver!. Notice anything funny?

Rogues and Wenches

Vendors, Old Sally

Charley Bates and Orphans

Brownlow, Bedwin, Grimwig, Bow Street Runners, Noah, Charlotte, Sowerberrys

Bumble and Corney

Nancy and Bill

Dodger and Fagin

Oliver

Question: Do you see any named characters that are completely missing? Why that would be me. Only me.

Who am I?: I know in some productions this part is a very small part but in this production I am quite prominently featured. Until the curtain call. Where I disappear. It isn't an oversight. I was told to just "go in with the rogues and wenches". This is community, not professional (obviously)

Solution: I will not work with this director again (no not over this, this is just another mean thing towards me after others - why not just fire me or not cast me in the first place if she doesn't like me?)

Remaining Problem: I have to spend the next 5 weeks under these conditions and it's really hard! I nearly cried when I saw the curtain call list last night, but I'm trying to remain professional and "above it all". Our Nancy came up to me saying "WTF? Why are you back there, you've worked harder than most and you're featured a lot!" She felt I should speak up but trust me it's pointless. This isn't an oversight.

Who am I? And how do survive the next 5 weeks of disrespect and meanness under the added pressure of tech week, daily rehearsals, and performance stress? I'm scared I'm going to blow and I don't want the cast or performance to suffer because the director seems to derive pleasure from being rude to me.

[lizadoolittle]

What kinds of mean things is the director doing to you? Can you think of any reason why they might be singling you out?

[The Tink]

Who do you play? Perhaps I missed it, but I reread the post several times and didn't see you list that fact. That would help us have some sympathy and suggestions for you...

[SecondBestBet]

It's the way she speaks to me and my child. Ruder and more negative than the others. These are the only reasons I can think of:

1. My child and I are light natural blondes. Don't laugh, we've been treated ill for this reason quite a bit in our lives, including racial slurs (albino, ghost, whitie, etc). This really might be it, except for number 2 below.

2. Four years ago she asked me to be in another play and I had to turn her down due to time constraints. I was polite and had a good reason! If the abuse was due to number 1, why didn't she treat me bad back then?

3. Four years ago my child backtalked her once during a play. He was six. But this doesn't make sense because, while she shamelessly discriminated against him during casting, she has beefed up his small role quite a bit and is actually beginning to be nice to him lately, even featuring him better during the curtain call.

4. Last year, when it first became known that they were going to do Oliver, a great number of people at church had my child pegged as Oliver. In fact, it was heavily expected. He was experienced, highly talented, looked the part, and fit the role precisely. I believe this angered her for some reason. She immediately announced at auditions several times that there was no precasting (and looked at the two of us each time) and did not even consider him for a lead, despite his great audition. He was given the bit part Charley. However, since then, she has beefed up that part a lot and featured him quite a bit more. I am also quite featured. This has to be it, but why would we be so featured? And then I am cut from the bows?

I have to admit, I really can't figure it out and neither can anyone else. Whatever. I won't work with her again. I just need help getting through these last 5 weeks. Advice anyone?

[SecondBestBet]

I didn't list it. I was hoping someone would immediately notice who was left out.

Bet.

[mzredbox]

I actually did notice that and was about to ask if that was who you were!

When I was in it, the curtain calls went like this:

Ensemble

Who Will Buy Vendors

Old Sally and Old Lady

Noah and Charlotte

-Crew-

Grimwig, Bedwin, Brownlow

Charley and Bet

Sowerberrys

Bumble and Corney

Bill

Dodger

Nancy

Fagin

Oliver

[Salome]

I notice the order is f****d up.. brownlow should have a better call than dodger. and fagin and oliver should share the final call.

Mod Edit: Language

[The Tink]

When I directed the show the first time, I had Bet take curtain call with the other members of Fagin's urchins.

The second time, I had her bow with the bulk of ensemble. Where she takes curtain call is up to the directing team.

I don't believe it's a personal thing... My guess is you are being a little sensitive due to past miscommunications.

Isn't Bet usually a teen? The 2 times I've directed the show, I used a 13 year old and a 17 year old.

[The Tink]

[Theaterfan101]

My Oliver curtain call has the kids run out first, then the adults and the leads come on with them making little groups. Noah+Sowerryberrys to one side, Brownlow, Bedwin,Bumble,and Corney to the other, and Bill, Bet, Dodger and Fagin in the center. Then Oliver comes out to sing I'd do anything to Nancy, kisses her on the cheek and they go back to center. Everyone who is important to the story, with a name (meaning no Doctor, Old Sally, or Charlie) are noted, but not with a bow. The only bow is the cast bow.

[SecondBestBet]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the input! I seriously appreciate everyone's honesty.

Some clarification:

I agree with Salome that the whole curtain call setup is wrong but then there is The Tink's point that the director can do whatever she wants and therefore I'm stuck with the insult...and it is an obvious insult and I'll tell you why:

The curtain call does not even include Bet (read it!)! I am both Bet and "Chorus" for the consider yourself and oom pah pah scenes and I am clearly to come out with chorus. Bet has been left out completely - no other named character was. The other cast members have noticed and the audience will notice. I need to add that after Dodger and Fagin enter, Charley Bates leaves the orphans and goes to stand by Dodger. Which I am OK with because Charlie's part had been hugely beefed up like mine and is very prominent in this play as well. Plus, that's my son so a little bias there.

I swear, if this part was very small or background or minor, I would have no problem with the placement. That is my point. I'm prominently featured in the show and disappear in the curtain call and it's a public insult - people know this and they are pitying me, which I am not after at all. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me (what's the point, I can do that for myself and that doesn't solve anything), I want tips to gracefully and with poise handle a repeated public insult that's all. I did get some tips on how to handle the rude way I am spoken too but I am always looking for more. I know in the final stages of rehearsals, people get snappy, but that's to everyone not just one person, so I don't take that personally at all. I haven't ever been singled out before on any play and this is my first time.

Also to The Tink: This director casts weird. In The Christmas Carol a few years ago boy Ebeneezer was a girl, young adult Ebeneezer was an African American man, Middle age Ebeneezer was a very hairy middle aged man, Old Ebeneezer was a bald guy. In this play, Oliver is a little 8 year old girl, Dodger is a 15 year old girl (who can't sing but I can't sing either and I am Bet!), Nancy is nearly 50, Bill Sykes is early 20s, Brownlow is a woman Mrs Brownlow, and Bet (me) is in her 30s.

I'm not even listed. And no, it's not an oversight. I was quite clearly told, when I asked, to "just go on with the rogues and wenches".

Come on, hasn't anyone been publicly embarrased/insulted in a theater setting and handled it with grace and poise and come out looking like a better person? If so, how did you do it?

[music is my life!!!]

i often find that smiling covers up my mistakes. for example, i would never be in the dance break, simply because of my ability. the difference is, although i am a fairly lousy dancer, i still can move but if you focus on your arms and your facial expressions, you should be fine! go for it, girl!

[Melindaisy]

If you are that upset over this, why don't you go and speak to the director? Obviously the only person who can "fix" the situation is the director, and it would better for you to discuss this with them than to keep fuming about it. I would much rather a cast member come to me with an issue than to let me hear from another cast member that they are raving about something.
It could be an oversight, and Bet is a small role.
If you DON'T want to talk to the director and spend the next 5 weeks agonizing over the curtain call (which is more for the audience than the cast anyway) that's your choice..... or you can move on and perform your role to the best of your ability and accept you cutain call placement.....or you can quit...

[pish123c]

Why are Nancy and Fagin before Dodger?


I mean, Dodgers a pretty big part, but those two are like THE LEADS besides Oliver himself.

[Salome]

actually Dodger is a small role. He has 3 songs trhen disappears for most of Act II in fact he only has 5 lines in thw 2nd acy.

Mr. Brownow is largr and more significant than Dodger.

ohh and BTW..changing Brownlow to a woman?? unforgivable!

[SecondBestBet]

Hi everyone. I feel a little better having read everyone's posts. I am just going to be totally awesome in the role and come out for curtain call with the wenches smiling and waving like nothing is wrong, satisfied that the audience will be like "Huh?".

And, of course, this is the last time I will ever have to go through this as I will not be working with this director again. Believe me, if it were an option to just talk it over with the director, I would have already done so.

I'm going to give the audience a Bet worth paying for and focus on that.

[music is my life!!!]

i'm really sorry you didn't get what you wanted but you made a good decision in what you're gonna do about it. you'll shine thru whatever curtain call you get!

you go, girl!

x x x

[nycbound]

I've experienced some disappointment concerning a curtain call decision before so I understand how you feel. It's really frustrating. And, I absolutely think it was unnecessary for the director to leave your name off the curtain call entirely.

But, in the long run, it really isn't worth putting your energy into. It will only succeed in making YOU miserable. So, the attitude that you've now adopted really is the best choice. Focus on your part, have fun with the cast, and in the end, you can walk away as a professional.

Hope you have a great run!

[The Tink]

[Francois]

I did (after thinking about it) deduce that you must be Bet, but I'm curious--Bet is generally a YOUNG girl, yet you talk about "your son" who is also in the play?? How old are you, anyway?!

I bet there's not a one of us who hasn't felt screwed out of a curtain call before (I used to work with a director who lived by the ironclad rule that Men's Chorus *always* bowed before Women's Chorus, out of "chivalry" or whatever--never mind that we were in a production of "HMS Pinafore", where the Men have more than twice as many numbers as the ladies do!), but one thing you need to take comfort in--95% of the audience doesn't pay attention to these things the way we do. 15 minutes after the show, they wouldn't have been able to tell you whether you were lost in the chorus, or had a solo bow all to yourself! Lots of them are fumbling for their car keys or turning on their cell phones or whatever (rude though this may be) during the curtain call, anyway...

[SecondBestBet]

The Tink:

I have no concerns about that whatsoever. I have been accused of many things in my life, but being forgettable has never been one. I actually have to monitor myself a lot that I'm not overdoing it or upstaging anyone.
Bet is a reactionary character in this play - I lead the audience in how they should be feeling and help evoke those feelings. I add to the sarcasm and wryness of It's a Fine Life (plus I've got some funny dancing bits for laughs in it), I showcase Oliver's innocence and growing relationship with the thieves in I'd Do Anything (we've got a great dance together), I'm front and center teaming with Nancy in the hilarity and bawdiness (spelling?) of Oom Pah Pah, I feed the horror of Bill hitting Nancy and the scariness of Bill at the end of that scene, and I have a terrific bit in the horror, despair, and broken heart of Nancy's death - I really get the waterworks going and I've made my castmates cry with that one. Nothing forgettable about Bet in this show!

Francois:

I am an old thirtysomething fart. This director does not cast as expected and you never know what you'll get. That said, I look like I'm in my midtwenties and if I go out without my son with my hair in a ponytail, I get carded every time. I get quite a few bewildered looks when they see my age on the card. What's really funny is if I'm particularly young looking on a given day with my 10 year old son with me. That really gets looks! They can't figure out if he is dating a much older teen, has a sister, or is being babysat. What? You're his mom? You're kidding. Still, I do not resemble a young girl, but neither did the gal in the hit 60's movie musical either! I will be wearing a girly dress with pantaloons and petticoats, so that helps with the youthful look and I can act young as needed.

Thanks for the comfort! Silly sexist stuff, whoever does the most should be featured the most, period.

[Salome]

the bet in the film was 21 at the time. they played her slightly older..but Shani Wallis' Nancy was around 30 so it worked.

[music is my life!!!]

in the production i'm auditioning for, they want someone about my age who looks older! YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

[SecondBestBet]

Guess what! The choreographer, who directed last season's play, and who is a rather influential member of the church, whose mom (also very influential) is playing Mrs Brownlow, spoke with the director behind my back and my curtain call has been changed! I thanked her profusely and am really excited that she would go to bat for me! Yay!

The new call has Bet coming out alone after the long row of characters I mentioned in my first post and before Bumble and Corney. I don't like coming out alone, it feels too presumptuous, and I personally think that long line of characters should be split up into distinct groups with some before me and some after, but I'm just going to take it. I'm sort of over it at this point with the help of all of your advice and opinions.