kakoforever
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Weight-ConsciousI have a question for anyone who's worked professionally. How important is it for girls to be thin to get cast? Does it make a big difference?
I am of average build. I'm 5'2. My BMI is 23. So I'm healthy. I work out when I get a chance and eat as well as I can living on dorm food.
Does being a size two increase your chances of getting cast? I know there are roles, like Ula in The Producers, that are meant for skinny model types. There are roles specifically for bigger girls too. Is losing 10 pounds likely to increase my chances of getting cast? Or is being normal-sized good enough for the average musical?
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PappyCat
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I think being average works against you. I know I get cast often BECAUSE of my weight (but I'm quite overweight.) I think people are often looking for thin or for fat.
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mercurialasaka
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I have to agree with Pappycat. I'm big, and I have actually been told by directors its helped me get some of the roles I've had like Mme. Thenardier or Delilah Strict because they were looking for someone who could use her size to look intimidating and use it for comedic effect. If you're bigger and you're funny, you'll be ok. There will always be character roles for you (if you are happy with those). If you're big, have an ingenue face and a pretty high soprano and are not funny, then maybe you should look into weight loss. If you are a size 8-10, can belt your face off above most other girls, then I say you are fine. Now, it also matters what you mean by average. From what you said, I definately think that you losing ten pounds isn't really going to matter much. I'm not good with BMI's so I cant' tell exactly what that means, but I don't think you fit anywhere near the ' heavy' category. However, like pappy said, a lot of directors are looking for thin or heavy for certain roles. But I do believe, that if you are 'average' and are an extrodinary talent you have a damn good fighting chance.
If you are not happy with your type/look and the results its getting you, I would say change it. And for everyone's reference, in my expereince, there are pluses and minuses to whatever 'type' you fit in. Ingenues/leading ladies might be able to be up for a role on Broadway NOW but they have to compete with thousands upon thousands of girls who look just like they do and sound just like they do, so to stand out is near impossible. Character women will always have less competion (less of us around which makes it easier to stand out) and at least one role that they will be perfect for in each show (steady work especially when you get a rep for being good at those roles). However, you have to be at LEAST 25-30 to have a chance at those so it becomes an at times very frustrating waiting game (only five years to go for me!). Whatever you do, do what makes YOU happy. You cannot sell yourself to a director if you are not happy with who you are and what you see in the mirror each day regardless if that's a thin girl or a heavier girl. Ok rant over 
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Annie
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I'm somehow reminded of a 30 Rock quote.
re: Jenna, the actress (Jane Krakowski) who gained weight over hiatus from the show
Jack: Jenna needs to either lose 30 pounds or gain 60. Anywhere in the middle has no place on television.
Yeah, I don't know. I'm average as well, a little on the chunky side, but in really good athletic shape. (wtf?) I'm not exactly a raven beauty either, so I don't expect to be stopped in a mall any time soon by a guy who's gonna put me on a disney channel series. I figure it'd be best for me to go with what makes me original and run with it. (took 3 years of theatre school for me to learn that) Just put out there - WHO CARES?? That's the philosophy I'm going with. I can't be bothered to care anymore, I spent way too much time in my life wishing to be thinner and prettier. Screw it. Be you!
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LaurelDP
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In most professional shows I've seen it's been acceptable for leading ladies to be not stick thin -- but we're talking size 10, tops. And if you are that size, you better bring it, because you're either getting a real role or you're getting nothing. Don't expect to get in the chorus unless its a show with a vocal ensemble.
And it all depends on your type, I'd assume. The ingenue will almost always be cast petite. Leading lady, best friend, vamp roles can vary.
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kakoforever
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thanks guys! this has been really insightful so far. For me specifically, when I say average, I mean average. I am a comfortable size 6 (or 7, depending on the store). If you're still curious, click the link in my sig, it's a video of me singing. But I definitely am closer to the "slim" side than the big side. In other words, I'm highly unlikely to be a Lady Thernadier, but more likely to be an Eponine.
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jesuiscommejesuis
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You definitely do not have to worry about your weight for most roles.
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JIJane
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Speaking for the UK - weight and build are definitely an issue. You will NOT get cast as an ingenue lead if you are overweight. Period. So if you have an ingenue face but are overweight - you will have issues. If you are of a certain age and have a character face and the build and weight to go with it - fine. Also your voice has to match your face and build. It's about the whole package. But I have yet to see someone overweight plya Juliet in the West End or Raoul in Phantom.
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music4me3111
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What about height? I'm 5'10 and an average build. I'm not an ingenue in ANY way. I always wonder if it will work against me, or in my favor. Being tall is good because a lot of people aren't and it sets me apart. But on the other hand, will I ever be able to play opposite of anyone? Am I too tall for theatre? LOL!
Opinions?
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JIJane
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I am 5ft11 and slim and have been turned away countless times from West End ingenue roles as I am simply too tall. There are always exceptions but most tall girls are dancers/play dancing roles (dancing is not my main strength) or are large character part type women. Sorry to sound negative but that is the truth.
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DontDoSadnessxx
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Just try to be positive!
another problem is the people around you. there was a girl who wanted to be Hope in our production of anything goes, and when I got it over her she went around the school saying "I though Hope was supposed to be skinny and pretty." There are people out there who are going to want to make you worry about your weight. Dont let it get to you.
The sad thing is that it actually does come into play but like pappy and others said, sometimes it can be to your benefit!
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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Oy. This has always been an issue for me ... I'm tall (5'9") and a size 6 with curves, with an extremely ingenue voice, face, and style. The roles that I could sing and act best in always seem to go to smaller, thinner girls. Mais ... c'est la vie.
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Quique
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Damn, you're all giants (I'm 5'4").
*Scurries off*
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actor
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O/T.
For a 16 year old boy do you think 5"10 is small, average or tall?
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Cake_in_Song
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I get the opposite. I'm quite thin (I get at least one comment a week regarding my weight), and it hasn't helped me so far. It may help in the future when I go for a particular roles in straight theatre, but it's only hurt me so far, because I look too young or frail for the roles I want to play. I even remember being asked in an audition for a school last year if I thought I had enough stamina to endure brutal training six days a week, considering my weight. And it doesn't help that I can't play an ingenue. Acting-wise, I like to play hardcore, and singing wise, I've got a big, dark voice. It does no good to weigh 107 pounds and sing like a hippopotamus.
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ILoveToSing2010
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Well I am on the big side and I have gotten role of Jan from Grease, Miss. Hannigan(she can be played by someone skinny too I guess), and Sarah's Friend in Ragtime. I do think my weight keeps me from getting the bigger roles, cause I know I'm good enough. But honestly I had a blast at all 3 of those roles. I love comic roles which Jan and Miss. Hannigan were perfect for that.
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broadwayxdoll
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i think it can go either way for me right now. im not an ingenue so that works to my advantage.
im big enough to play martha in high school musical
but im small enough to play mayzie in seussical
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MaryMag
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| Cake_in_Song wrote: | | ...It does no good to weigh 107 pounds and sing like a hippopotamus. |
My issue as well. To look like a 16 year old engenue, then open my mouth and out comes Aretha Franklin... it's funny.
Looking young SUCKED for a long time for me too, Heather. Then I realized I needed to market myself to professional companies that needed 15 year old characters but didn't want to hire 15 year olds. The only time the prestigious theaters in my area call me back are when they need someone to play a high schooler.
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Beagle On Stage
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| actor wrote: | | For a 16 year old boy do you think 5"10 is small, average or tall? |
5'10" is pretty much average height, particularly in theatre. I don't think age comes into play so much here since at sixteen you're pretty much as short or tall as you're ever going to be.
Note that if anyone is young enough to be playing teenagers or twenty-somethings, tall=older and short=younger. This is because the audience will make a psychological connection with young characters as "children." Even though it doesn't apply in real life, body type communicates age, and is essential to creating a picture that makes sense visually (have you EVER seen a Juliet taller than Lady Capulet?). Also, heavier people often can play older more successfully than their thinner counterparts. Again, more mass means more age. Think of your high school theatre department - did you have resident fat people who could ALWAYS get the mom or dad role effortlessly?
The famous example is "Fiddler on the Roof." Nine times out of ten, Tsietel is tall and Chava is short even though the characters are old enough to be fully-grown, and even though height has nothing to do with the order adult siblings were born in (and, for that matter, even though both actresses are likely to be a good ten years older than their characters). I'd even venture to say that if you cast Chava as the tallest one, most of the audience would walk away feeling sure that she was supposed to be the oldest, completely changing how the show came across to them.
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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| Beagle On Stage wrote: | | Note that if anyone is young enough to be playing teenagers or twenty-somethings, tall=older and short=younger. |
Exactly. Which is why I have a really hard time getting cast. My face looks extremely young and doesn't really age when you try to make me up "old." But I'm really tall. ... Meh.
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wicked_diva
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I know that in general, my appearance has stopped me from getting roles. However, I actually think my height has done more harm for me than my weight. I'm 5'10" and a good 50lbs overweight. But as Pappy said, there are plenty of roles out there for overweight people. But usually, they want these to go to shorter overweight people.
The only time I know both my height and weight worked together to help me was for Christmas Carol, where I played Mrs. Fezziwig, and the director wanted me to be in 3" heels, too (though I wound up only wearing 2.5"). It also may have helped me in Duet for Bear and Dog, too, but I don't know for sure.
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EponineMNFF
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I've found that being bigger has helped me snag a lot of roles, even though they're usually not the roles I originally wanted.
Once I gave up trying to be the ingenue (I'm def not. Way too big. Way too tall. Speaking voice is too low.), I've gotten more roles that I've wanted.
I'm rockin' it.
Even though sometimes, I audition for something in my type and I end up getting cast COMPLETELY differently. That's always confusing. Like when I auditioned for Prospero in The Tempest and ended up getting one of the lords, who the director let me turn into a complete ingenue. I guess she didn't care since nobody really KNEW she was an ingenue. I did though. 
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Roger's Chica
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I said this in the other thread, but:
I am an ingenue and a seductress. This is my acting range based on what my voice sounds like right now.
I need to lose about 10 pounds in order to continue getting cast in this acting range. Any more than that, and I will loose my boobs, which will also result in my not getting cast.
It's a very delicate balance.
Sacred Heart diet, here I come.
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Cake_in_Song
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Yeah, that's another problem of mine. No boobs. Comes with my weight.
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