[disneybeauty]

Okay, so a local thatre group that I have worked with in the past is doing "Fiddler". I am contemplating auditioning. Here are the reasons I don't want to:
1. They will cast family over good talent.
2. They have their favorites, and will cast them sight-unseen over someone who auditions.
3. I am too old for any of the daughters, and probably too young for Golde/Yente.
4. They do alot of pre-casting, claim that they don't, but the same people always get the same parts.

Here are the reason's to audition:
1. Getting back out on stage.
2. Performing a play I love (my parents took me to see this musical in San Francisco with Herschel Bernardi as Tevye)
3. The guy who will be playing Tevye is amazing (he is pre-cast).

Here is another factor; the asst director sees me as a very big threat. I have never done/said anything to him to make him think this. He has used his pull with the director before to make sure that I don't get a lead. (Especially when up against his girlfriend for a lead.)

Anyway . . . . Thoughts?

[Mark Walton]

Audition, audition.....audition! (does a tune suggest itself?) Blow them away, you never know what might happen.

[superdave]

This sounds so familair to my situation that I have with "Fiddler"
I auditoned and blew all my competition out of the water. I wanted to be Motel, and I did the best job by far. I wasnt the only one that thought so, everyone in the room applauded me every time and knew I did amazing. I was the only one that had Tevye's Opening Monolouge memorized word for word. This is probably my favorite musical, and I have memorized a lot of things from it.

Yet, I knew coming in--that I was the new guy. That if someone from the community theatre troupe came in--It would pretty much send me to the chorus. And that's exactly what happened. The show was not casted on talent, but rather who works well with who. I have a theory that the ones that were going to play Tevye's daughters were sent back in the room and were asked who worked well with them. I just didnt feel it with any of the girls. No chemistry. That's alright. So, I had a decision. Would I do the musical anyway--knowing that I am going to be in the ensemble--or can I play the male diva card and say, "I am not doing it because I dont have the lead!!!" -- I decided to do it, anyway.

I am going to shine no matter what. I may have the solo in "To Life" The Russian solo--and I am going to serious butt on it. And then I am going to come in to the next audition and steal the show again. I have found the only way to break "clicky" theatres--is never to leave them alone. I had to try out in one theatre at least 4 times, before they would even give me a role, but they gave me the lead! Presist, Presist... I see my "Fiddler" audition as a triumph--and soon, I will dominate the theatre scene in our area. That's my goal, anyway.

But best of luck, I hope you get a part you want!

[theatre_grl]

[disneybeauty]

I just have such a bad taste in my mouth from previous experiences with this particular group. I'll give you a brief run-down: I auditioned with them in 2005 and was cast as Rosie in Bye-Bye Birdie. I auditioned for the Summer Season, and was cast as Milly in 7Brides, and I was also the assistant choreographer. I auditioned in 2006 for The King and I, and nothing . . . they had hired one of the guys from the Summer Season to be asst director, and he wanted his girlfriend to be Anna. He convinced the director to cast her over me. It was so blatantly pre-cast, she didn't even try a British accent. Then, I thought, I'll try for the Summer again, because they had asked me to come back to at least choreograph. I auditioned for Hello Dolly and Scarlet Pimpernel. At call-backs, I was up against the girlfriend again. I had both the New York and French accents down. I was cast as Ernestina Simple in Dolly, and they wanted me to choreograph all of Dolly, but weren't going to give me a contract(they wanted me to work for free). Luckily, I had an out; a person at work left, and I had to pick up her hours, so I couldn't do any of the shows. THe other thing I haven't mentioned is that the theatre is 90 minutes from my house.
I just don't know that I want to get kicked in the teeth again so the girlfriend can have another lead. If she were better than me, I could handle that, but she's not.
Oy Vey

[LisaKitty]

My honest opinion is that this theatre sounds like something you should stay away from. You obviously have bad memories of doing shows with them (justifyably so), and I'm guessing this wouldn't be any different.

"Fiddler" is an amazing show, and can be loads of fun to be in, even for the ensemble. However, I've had the experience that the greatest show in the world can be ruined by a badly run company, which will forever color your experience. Better to wait until another company produces it. It's a very popular musical; someone is bound to do it in your area again some time soon!

[disneybeauty]

Little Update . . . I found out that the asst director and the girlfriend broke up, and she probabply won't be coming back to this group any time soon. Evidently, she also ticked off the director when she made some unkind remarks about certain cast-members and their gender persuasions(gay guys in the cast). It was totally untrue in this case and really upset the board as well.
So, maybe there is a small ray of hope that I won't get kicked in the teeth.

Thoughts . . . . Comments?

[Mark Walton]

There are internal politics and personalities in every group. Cut right through them with your best audition, and blow them away!

[theatre_grl]

[disneybeauty]

New info . . . I just found out that all of the daughters are pre-cast. Granted I am too old for any of those parts, I just wonder if the whole show isn't already pre-cast. Why do I get the feeling that if I do audition, I'll be dressed in drag doing the bottle-dance?