[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear Musicals.Net Posters,

Welcome to the great debate...do you think that the world of theatre is the appropriate place for children who just can't get onto the stage fast enough? Do you think that when your young, aspiring musical star child begs to be allowed to audition for a production of [insert title], they should be allowed to audition away, no holds barred, or do you think that there's a right age at which to introduce young actors to the sometimes seedy world of musical theatre (Ie: The world of alternate lifestyles, drugs, alcohol, nudity, adult topics, catty stage parents, little bratty wannabes who make people want to scream, tough auditions, fakeness as a means of ascending the theatrical ladder, snobbishness, etc.)?

I know that I'll automatically offend many people, but the aforementioned elements are indeed the realities of many theatre companies which present musical theatre. I'm not saying that any of those elements (especially the "alternate lifestyles" element) are 100% bad, but I am saying that each of those elements WILL offend SOME parents enough that they won't want their kids to audition for ANY musical theatre production, no matter how persistantly those kids beg to be allowed to audition for their favorite kid roles.

What's your opinion about the subject?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[fjays]

i think the world of theatre is a brilliant and appropriate place for a child to star in. they learn alot.

but screen acting? i don't think so.

[ActingDude17]

[jackissensational]

I know a five year-old who rehearses from 12pm-3am some nights. Crazy, I know. What's more, her mother is basically living her dreams through her daughter. She has to drug her with Benadril so the little girl will sleep during the afternoon so she can rehearse. The little girl doesn't even want to do it anymore. She worked with this company last year, but her mother had to bribe her into auditioning again.

[Set_Buildin_Dad]

[Brock07]

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Eh. Force your child to watch 2 Girls 1 Cup, Kids In A Sandbox, and Mr. Hands, and they're ready for any debauchery theater can throw at them.

And feel free to throw it.

[~GertrudeMcFuzz~]

Personally, I feel like children shouldn't be pushed into theatre by their parents at a young age. As much as I wanted so badly to be in professional theatre at the age of five, I wouldn't have had the same kind of childhood. I did community theatre and school shows from age 7 until now, and I feel that those shows prepared me to be professional and prepared in theatre while at the same time allowed me to be a kid. I think that as much as I am passionate about Broadway, I'm glad I wasn't there when I was in elementary or middle school. I'm prepared now to audition for college theatre programs and pursue it as a career, but I personally am glad that I was not professional as a child.

[musictheatre00]

I think when it comes to any aspiring actor, you need to learn to be humble, and always understand that there are SO MANY talented kids out there besides you. A school program might be best to nurture that in my opinion. Because you are encouraged to be confident in yourself but not praised like a phenomenon,unfortunately, this formula flubs up a good amount and any kid who gets a big enough break during their school years could have an ego that's sky rocketing through the roof.

[kozafluitmusique]

I have been wanting to be on stage since I was five-seven, don't remember exactly when...

But as much as I wish i could when I was that little and now regret it because I'm not that far, I'm glad I didn't for the sheer fact that I would honestly be burned out from theatre if I started that young.

But again, maybe not.

Who knows...

[LisaKitty]

I think school theatre, youth theatre, and community theatre opportunities are great for young kids. But only if they really want it. I've known several children who really gained self confidence by doing shows with adults, as they learned to interact on a whole new level. But again, it's all about what the child wants, not what the parent wants. Same thing as with sports. Great when the kid really loves it; not so great when it's a parent trying to re-live his/her glory days on the field through the child.

[IndigoMedusa]

I do believe that young children should get into theatre as much as possible, but to a limit.

I think enrolling kids in theatre classes and participating in youth programs is a great thing for them to do, so long as they can have a normal childhood and gain beneficial things. I also believe that the kids should be made to stick with it until they've had enough experience to decide for themselves whether they want to pursue it or not. My parents made me take singing when I was seven, and for several years I absolutely loathed it. But my parents didn't allow me to quit, I stuck with it and now it's the only thing I like doing (next to acting, of course). It just goes to show that you do have to give something a chance before deciding whether it's something you want to do.


But I agree, pushing 'youngins into the commercial world if they don't want it is just wrong. I can't think of anything worse for a young kid than to be exposed to a world of fakeness, the casting couch and Mama Roses, especially if they have nothing to fall back on.

However, there are kids who get into the commercial world who do manage to have normal lives. Look at Dakota Fanning. If the kid is going to break through in the industry, great caution needs to be exercised to ensure that the kid doesn't get too swept up in it all.

[mezzo_soprano]

I think if a child wants to do theatre let them do theatre. BUT only as long as they want to, and the parent should know what the theatre is like and make sure the child is safe and happy.