Acting and Live Theatre.

[juzuma loves lucy]

When I was 6, our school had to present "Cinderella" on TV. I was a fairy. I wanted to play Lucy in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" when I was younger but until I'll turn 13, acting is dead.

[CharlotteRose]

Aw thats a shame juzuma loves lucy, why can't you act untill you're 13, if you don't mind me asking? but Cinderella on TV, excellent
Like you, I deamt of playing Lucy but at the time I had no agent to tell me about auditions and our family didn't have the internet so we were pretty cut off acting wise
I'm in a school production of 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' at the moment, playing Hippolyta! Which is fun! I'm also singing in the show as well. No real audition oppertunities untill after the holls (for that reason...bring on the holls!) but after that let panto season begin!!!!

[Lu_valient]

Its sad, the last production I was in was last fall, Aida.

[juzuma loves lucy]

CharlotteRose, that's cause all are making films now in the web and it's required to be 13...

[CharlotteRose]

Aw...do you mean because of licencing? I have the same problem as I am 15 and to be above the licencing age is 16... Never mind though...you don't have to get into film etc straight away, theatre is equally as fun and in some ways it is more rewarding!

[Princess Anna]

Just thought I'd let you all know this thread is back!
Sorry I never told you how "School House Rock Live Jr." went...

Its sad, the last production I was in was last fall, Aida.

Ohh, I've seen that show before! What part did you have?

I haven't really been in any shows in awhile. I miss it.
However, I'm looking forward to helping out with the summer kid's show. (which shan't be too far off now... just a matter of months!) This year, it's going to be "Annie".

I'm excited about that, because it's like bringing my family's theatre experience full circle. See, my dad was in that show with a community theatre group when I was a toddler. (He played the radio guy and a cop) So, if I end up helping out with it... well, you get the picture.

What have you all been up to lately?

[Lu_valient]

Princess Anna, I was in the ensemble
Last thing I was in lately was oklahoma

[Princess Anna]

Lu_valient, ensemble members are important too. (also, I totally get it... I'm always in the ensemble) Was it tons of fun?

And Oklahoma? Awesome! What part? the ensemble again?

[CharlotteRose]

Oh Oklahoma, thats exciting! I hope it was good fun!
I'm currently doing a short film where I play a zombie and I'm also auditioning for a radio drama and 'Scarlet Hood and the desperately wicked witches!'

Hope everyones performances are going well!! !

[georgiefan1]

my school just finished its musical this year which was Legally Blonde: The Musical! it was so so so much fun! I was one of the soroiety girls and had a couple lines and I was also a dancer so in all of the dancing scenes! Absolutely amazing experience(:

[Lu_valient]

CharlotteRose, Princess Anna
I was in the ensemble again. It was fun.

About to start rehearsals for my school's fine arts festival: Miranda in "The Tempest" and The Cook/The Ant in "Riddle of the Tambourine"

[King_Erlian]

I belong to a couple of local (north-west England) amateur operatic companies, performing mostly Gilbert & Sullivan operas. Since 1986, when I was 22, I've been in about 80 separate productions of G&S shows, sometimes in the chorus and sometimes as a principal baritone. Tomorrow I've an audition for a production of "Ruddigore", to be performed this coming October.

When I was an undergraduate in 1985, I wrote and produced a rock opera called "Locusts And Honey", based on the life of John the Baptist as described in the Gospels. It had about 3 performances, and then in 1990 I recorded a CD of it in a studio. Since then it's just been gathering dust.

[Princess Anna]

Thanks for bumping up this thread, King_Erlian!
I was planning to come in here soon, but now I don't have to go digging for it!

Anyway, welcome to the thread. And I hope that you break a leg at your audition!

Lu_valient, sounds fun! Be sure to let us know how rehearsals and such are going.

As for me, I was just back at the playhouse on Saturday for the first time in a long time! Yep, it was for "Annie" auditions that I was there! We had about... 59 (?) younger kids show up in the morning. And quite a few older kids show up in the afternoon (not sure how many, though). They all did really well, and I was cracking up a lot! I can't wait to see who got which role, because I was already forming ideas in my mind on how it would go if I was in charge.

The rehearsals will start May 14th, though I'm not sure if I'll be starting when they do. The director still has to figure out when he needs my help, and with what. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to it, and I promise to keep you updated!

[Lu_valient]

This past weekend I was in my school's fine arts festival! VERY FUN!

[SilverChair]

Hey everyone -

Just checking in after a long time lurking. Performing has been a big hobby of mine for most of my life. I started when I was nine and am now twenty-three. Grew up performing in school shows and around the community, but upon graduating college, I have now started performing professionally around Cleveland, Ohio. This has been a really fun step! It's great getting paid to perform, haha!

I'm currently in the regional professional premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. It's a blast! A very cool rock score with an equally hilarious yet moving script. An equity actor is playing Andrew Jackson, and the rest of the cast (there are 15 of us) play all of the other roles. I have to play 16 different characters through out the show! Constantly moving and stuff. A really great time.

Hope all of your performance endeavors are going well!

[Princess Anna]

SilverChair, you get paid for it?! Wish I was that lucky. How did the show go?

Guys, sorry I didn't post in here. Since my last post, this is the update:
1) I didn't end up helping with "Annie"... they didn't need me or something. (did you know there has been another kids show in between that and now? I didn't help with it either, though. But it was called "Dear Edwina")
2) The only thing I had done til now, was the annual production of "A Christmas Carol". (months ago, in the beginning of December) I'm in something else now... but I'll talk about that in my next post.
..........
Ok, so... I had mentioned the new one in the Square, and someone had questions about how to get started. So, I figured I'd answer that here, rather than there... that it fit better. Besides, someone else might need to know the same stuff, and be too shy to ask!

But as that's my only experience, will any acting group actually take me? I have a good baritone singing voice, so could I be in a musical? I just don't know the answers to these questions...

First things first... we all start somewhere! Nobody gains that experience overnight... so yes, groups will take you.

I have to admit, seeing how cool you thought it kind of threw me... but that might be because of how many I've done/how long I've been doing them. So, yeah... thanks for the reminder that it really is a cool thing.

As for your questions... it really depends a lot on what sort of options are open to you. Of course no professional place would take a newbie. But I was wondering... are there local community theatre groups around you? Do you go to school? If so, you might be able to start out at school. (what I did)

About community theatres...
It really depends on the place, and the people in charge. They all accept anyone that does well at the auditions. Though, most places put new people (to the group, usually. but sometimes new in general) in the chorus... sometimes called the ensemble. The theatre I do most of my stuff with has been pretty good about putting anyone in lead roles... as long as they are what the director is looking for. So, it all depends on what the local places are like.

Just be aware, that you have to do more than sing. For musicals, at least at all auditions I've gone to, you need to:
1) Have about 16 measures of a song prepared. (showtunes... always use showtunes. but try to use a song that you know well, and that is similar to the style of the show you're auditioning for)
2) Realize that they will make you read for the role(s) you want to be considered for. This you can't practice in advance. Just do the best you can when you see what they give you.
3) Be prepared to learn a short dance... they will give you time to learn it/go over it. After that however, you have to do it for them in groups.

If you don't get picked for the role you want... it's not always a reflection on you. There are a lot of things that go into casting a show. They have a lot to consider, so keep that in mind. Also, being put in the chorus isn't the end of the world. I mean, everyone wants to have their time to shine as a lead. But the chorus is immensely important too. So don't feel bad or decline the show just because you get put in the chorus. (I've known people to do that. or that quit because they didn't get "their" part) Umm...

I really don't know what else to say. Sonny, if you (or if others!) have any more questions, feel free to let me know! If it's something I know the answer to, I'll let you know... and if it isn't, I'm sure I could get the answer for you. (or someone else could)

Break a leg! and let me know what you find out, and how it goes!