[katiebelle]

I'm planning on auditioning for OUAM in a few weeks with a local community theatre and aside from watching the movie, and reading several synopses I don't feel like I really know the show. I sort of have my eye on Larken. I was hoping that you may be able to offer some helpful hints on the character and songs that former Larkens have used to audition with. I, from what I've seen, feel like she is sweet and an oxymoronic ingenue, but that she also is not one to be pushed around and perhaps even a little manipulative. So please, any thoughts on approaching this character would be helpful and ever so appreciated.

[Beagle On Stage]

More important than the fact that she is the beautiful love interest is the fact that she represents the archetype opposite Fred. Sometimes it actually works better to cast a character actress in the role, to make sure this gets across.

[katiebelle]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind

[Apples2for10]

Our Larken was a classically trained opera singer and was easily the best part of the show. She auditioned with a song from the opera REGINA (based on "The Little Foxes"), so unless you're trained in opera, that may not be much help. But a HUGE no-no is "I Could Have Danced All Night"; 85% of the girls that auditioned for Larken at my college used that song and were ignored. If you must do a My Fair Lady song, "Show Me" would be fine, but do not under any circumstances use "Danced"!

Your theory about Larken being mainipulative is spot-on and an even bigger paradox to the fact that she's merely a lady-in-waiting. Sadly, the character is nothing more than a deconstructed archetype, which can be a bit of a turn-off, but if you trust yourself as an actress, I'm confident that you can bring something to the role that has never been seen before.

[Qaedon]

Your description of Larken was spot-on.

[Beagle On Stage]