opheliarose
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Too good? I don't get it.I just found out the reason I wasn't cast as Mabel- an inside source (a buddy in the pit) brought my name up to the music director- the response was "She was too good, we needed a Mabel who wouldn't blow Frederick out of the water." 
Whatever. I don't really mind that much, but I'd rather lose a role because someones better than me, or suits the directors vision better, and not just because they have to cast down to someone elses level! (And it's not a volume issue, I'm a LIGHT coloratura!) 
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MsDivaKate
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I've had that happen to me before-I've also been asked to tone things down a bit because I was outshining other people. I absolutely hate directors who make those sorts of choices, but I guess its a part of theatre/politics.
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LHSTrombone
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In their defence...I was in a show where I was a lead and the chorus was absolutely horrific...so I pushed really hard on the ensemble scenes with the 2 or 3 other leads and went to a level of 10 to make up for the chorus and I look back at it now on video and we, especially me, stick out way too much and it looks a little rediculous.
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Chevstriss
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Re: Too good? I don't get it. | opheliarose wrote: | I just found out the reason I wasn't cast as Mabel- an inside source (a buddy in the pit) brought my name up to the music director- the response was "She was too good, we needed a Mabel who wouldn't blow Frederick out of the water."
Whatever. I don't really mind that much, but I'd rather lose a role because someones better than me, or suits the directors vision better, and not just because they have to cast down to someone elses level! (And it's not a volume issue, I'm a LIGHT coloratura!) |
get used to it, the 70s movement aside, its still a man's world, and women are NOT PERMITTED to look more talented.
I'm not trying to be funny. It's true.
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what_the_heck013
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I've always noticed that although Frederick is supposed to be the main character in PoP, Mabel is always the really talented one, or the audience favorite, or... I can't describe it. She's just always the big, featured role. And I think a lot of people want to break away from that...
Did any of that make sense?
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Cake_in_Song
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I've been rejected for so many roles because my voice was too "well-trained" for the part. Like, I couldn't play Hodel in Fiddler because I sounded too old. Sometimes it worked for the director's advantage, such as when I amazed the crowd as Fruma Sarah, and the typical pretty girl mezzo belter won everyone's heart as Hodel. However, it sort of back fired on him once, when, vocally, I blew our Eliza out of the water as Mrs. Pearce. But she was way more popular than me, so it didn't end up mattering. But I was grinning inside every time another actor asked me, "Why didn't you audition for Eliza? You would have been perfect." I never told them that I did, and made it to the final round of call backs.
It does seem like a really stupid reason to reject a person, especially considering this is a G&S show. However, you have to trust that the director either knows what he's doing, and can see something you can't, or is a complete and utter crackhead that you wouldn't want to work with anyways. It sucks, but there will be more chances in the future, with directors who appreciate your talent.
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Jenko
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It's happened to my friends at college auditioning for the Joseph programme....
They're missing out on jobs because they want someone to improve over the program!
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The Tink
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Re: Too good? I don't get it. | Chevstriss wrote: |
get used to it, the 70s movement aside, its still a man's world, and women are NOT PERMITTED to look more talented.
I'm not trying to be funny. It's true. |
I wouldn't say that women aren't permitted to look more talented... It's more a question numbers.
The sad fact is that there are more good women out there than men in most theater communities. Directors often have to cast men that they don't want to, only because they have no other choice. Women, however, are often a dime a dozen. It's sad, but true.
What we need are more talented writers who write really good women's roles. Men often don't know how to write a good female role... Although you could make the same argument for women writing men's roles... 
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opheliarose
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| Cake_in_Song wrote: |
It does seem like a really stupid reason to reject a person, especially considering this is a G&S show. However, you have to trust that the director either knows what he's doing, and can see something you can't, or is a complete and utter crackhead that you wouldn't want to work with anyways. It sucks, but there will be more chances in the future, with directors who appreciate your talent. |
Yeah, from what I've been hearing about the show, I'm getting more the crackhead.
Just not getting cast for that particular reason irritates me- otherwise I really wouldn't care!
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opheliarose
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Re: Too good? I don't get it. | The Tink wrote: |
The sad fact is that there are more good women out there than men in most theater communities. Directors often have to cast men that they don't want to, only because they have no other choice. Women, however, are often a dime a dozen. It's sad, but true.
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And that's the reason I usually don't really overanalyze things- there are always SO many good women to choose from. It's just hearing what the musical director said that's irking me!
And yes, apparently the Frederick was the only one who showed up to auditions
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jazzygirlsings
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I can't tell you how many times I've auditioned and had people say, "That was absolutely perfect!"...and then no callback...LOL!
It's really too bad about that show, but perhaps it's time to take your game to a whole new level...
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what_the_heck013
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It could also be director BS. Like when they're trying to be nice so they make up some fake problem. That has happened to me a lot.
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opheliarose
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Right- but it wasn't me the comment was made to!
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LisaKitty
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That has happened to me before. And it sucks!
Unfortunately, tenors are always short in supply, while sopranos are a dime a dozen (I should know, I am one!). And the director has to think of the show as a whole, especially when pairing romantic leads. So if there is only one tenor to choose from, he/she has to pick the lead soprano that will best fit with that particular tenor. Even if she was not the obvious best at auditions.
Does that make more sense?
And don't stress about it too much. You'll have plenty of other chances to sing Mabel. Theatre companies are always producing "Pirates".
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Angel-of-Music*
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theres loads of reasons not to pick the best, i was told the only reason i wasnt cast in a school show was my height. now that sucks.
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opheliarose
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Oh, I don't even assume I was the best
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MaryMag
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There's so many ridiculous reasons for why we don't get cast. I'm SURE being TOO good is one of them. It's just as ridiculous as the rest of them.
[sigh]... I wish I were a lyric coloratura...
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QueenElizabeth
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It makes sense to me to have a cast that fits together as one unit. If a lead actor (or supporting one) is so much more talented than the others that it makes the audience question the capabilities of the other performers, it may not be the best choice to cast the most talented performer in the role. It's certainly a flattering reason not to be cast!
Last year a friend of mine who teaches at another school had to put an amazingly talented singer in his chorus for Guys and Dolls because she was not an Adelaide and making her Sarah would have made Sky look like he couldn't sing at all. This year, knowing he had this girl in his program, he went out of his way to pick a show with standout female roles... and now this girl is Dolly (for whom it's no problem to vocally overshadow Vandergelder).
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The Tink
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| Angel-of-Music* wrote: | | theres loads of reasons not to pick the best, i was told the only reason i wasnt cast in a school show was my height. now that sucks. |
Not to the director. The director has to be aware of the entire production. Your height is a part of that.
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SuperKabob
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I hate this too... At the past three auditions I've been to, the auditionees watching me have told me that I was great. Different people, at different places. I was either not cast or put in ensemble for all of the shows.
I know there are other factors into it, and I was most likely the victim of those, but its nice to have a place to grumble about it.
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