[MaryMag]

At what point in your career does rejection stop hurting? I audition pretty frequently. When I'm not in a show, I audition for SOMETHING at least once a week. So I've done it a lot and gotten rejected a lot. So it has got a little easier. But those "thank you for the great callback but we've gone another way with casting..." emails still kinda stick a nail in my heart.

So anyway. How do you guys deal with rejection? Is there a way to prevent it? Share your tips and what has worked for you.

[mezzo_soprano]

Chocolate. It solves everything!

[littlemisstheatregirl]

Ben and Jerry's. And something my voice teacher said a few years ago...

"You will go to hundreds of auditions in your life. Chances are, even if you suck (and you probably aren't terrible), you're going to be right for some role at some point."

[actor]

I work hard for every audition but I try not to get my hopes up or think about it too much. If I get rejected I don't dwell on it and look forward to the next audition.

[Luc]

[highkick49]

You will never get over rejection because rejection hurts, in life and in theatre. You want every role that you audition and it sucks when you don't get it and if you are a good theatre student you prepare your ass off and use a lot of energy to get prepared for an audition so it sucks to feel as if time is wasted. The easiest way to get over it is to find the next audition and start preparing for it even harder. You have to look at every audition, every small part or ensemble member in a show is a stepping stone to the next level that you want to be, because honestly it really is. You just can't let rejection get you down too much to where you start becoming negative and unproductive towards your craft because if you let it get to that much then you really are in the wrong business.

[Gwen]

I'm in agreement with highkick49.

[Chevstriss]

[ConverseSneaker]

It doesn't stopped hurting. Eventually, you'll let that particular audition go for newer and better, but you'll always feel the pain of rejection. Trust me, I've been trying to audition since December. Let's look at the results, shall we?

OUAM: Got a chorus part. The chorus part is basically the sucking part of this show for the first time in years due to all the younger than me new members. The new girl that they gave a part I could have handled well became the secret laughingstock of the older members and she showed up to about at one point 40% of pratices.

NYSSSA: My mother refused to let me go because she couldn't take me. Thanks for the support, Mother.

My Fair Lady: I went in, fell in love with how this new director(same company that I've worked with before, new director) did things. I really really wanted to work with him on this show even if it meant chorus. There were very few people there typical for this company so that cheered me up and I knew I had better experince than most of the kids my age except for the dancers. I did amazing for the dancing regardless of my non-training and kept up easily, did fine on my cold-read despite an error on their part(they gave everyone the monolouge to pratice, except me by accident....good thing I owned the script!) and learned and loved 'Show Me', another girl even said that I nailed that song. Go in, the piano starts, and I murdered the poor thing.

Two weeks later, still no phone call. They don't believe in rejection calls.

BATB: Once again, my mother interferes and says no because it's too far. It's actually not.

Robin Hood: the children's show of the year is open to 5-18, although the oldest kids are 13 and 14 usually. I decided on this as a last resort, so I go to fill out an application, open the website and it tells me they are no longer accepting applications.

Summer Job: My parents insisted that the day after my sixteenth birthday, I apply for a job. Living in my unpopulated town, there is a serious lack of jobs, so I applied for the only thing availble. I get a letter, telling me I didn't get the job, but if they need more people, I'm first on the list.

So due to a string of rejections, I'm spending my summer babysitting(without pay, i might add) for an annoying sister. Life sucks because it isn't fair.

[jazzygirlsings]

[Quique]

[Joshua]

[kozafluitmusique]

I don't know how I deal with it. I really don't know. From now on, I'm just going to go "oh...ok" and try to work behind the scenes of every show I get rejected on. I'm used to it by now ... I've had rejection even in middle school when I first auditioned, but ended up getting a role later. So, I'm just not going to give up again.

[nycbound]

Unfortunately, I think the answer is “never.” When you have such a passion for something and you feel like you’ve put everything you could into an audition, it’s almost impossible not to take it personally when you’re told you didn’t make it. It’s why weaker people drop out of this profession all the time. Because it’s too damn hard.

But, I try to console myself by remembering the shows in which I was cast. A director recognized my talent or saw potential there or just connected to what I was giving. There were other talented people at the audition, but they wanted me.

At every audition, there’s always that chance that it will happen again. And, I have to believe that it will…if I keep trying.

[jackissensational]

[jazzygirlsings]

[MaryMag]

I guess I am kind of spoiled by rejection emails. There are 3 or so really good houses here that will send you an email but only after you've made it through a few callbacks.

I think heard-it-through-the-grapevine rejection is worse cuz it usually comes at an unexpected time and you usually learn who got your role.

And Chev - I have the same calendar-clearing habit. I think what makes me so sad about rejection is that dreaming and planning I do in case of getting the role. Know what I mean? I have even been known to open up microsoft word and insert the role into my resume before getting it, just to see how it would look on there. So I think I can help lessen the pain of rejection by not dreaming so much about getting the part... cuz dreaming ain't gonna make me have a better callback or increase my chances of getting cast. Paying attention to my craft at my callback and being the right type (which is out of my control) are the only things that will increase my chances of getting cast.

I can say all this stuff to myself, but following it will be more difficult.

[disneybeauty]

MM,
At least you hear something, which is better than never knowing. The theatres around me all pre-cast their shows based on who the director knows and likes. It really sucks also because they cast an entire season at one audition, and if you can't do the entire season with them, they don't use you, consequently they don't know you or your talent level (one particular theatre will let you choose 1-2 shows, but good luck getting in, they'l take people who want to do the entire season over better performers).
Or you could also have the other problem with theatres in my area; they are obsessed with casting teen-agers in adult roles. Can they sing? Yes. Can they sing as the character? No, because they lack life experience to pull from.
I am finally at a place where I am fine with auditioning when I want, and accepting of the fact I will not get cast. Plus, I think the years of "you are an amazing dancer, but we can't use you because you need to lose ten more pounds" really helped me thicken my skin.

[wicked_boy]

I don't get too worked up about a show.

I just tell myself I wont get in. Then the "sorry" email isn't too bad as I saw it coming.

But the "thank you, you're in letter" letter in f*cking brilliant!