I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of talented kids. I have been a performance coach for Notre Dame High School theatre department. I worked for CYT (Christian Youth Theatre) teaching Reader's Theatre, Characterization, and Acting. I've written and directed short plays for kids at church. I've privately coached kids on acting, scene study, singing, and audition techniques. I have acted in several productions with tons of kids over the years, both professionally and in community theatre. I've judged youth theatre competitions, and sat on audition committee's.
Here's my point.
Having been a kid actor myself; I made a lot of mistakes. I have a great desire to teach kids not to make the same mistakes I did.
I will now share some of my mistakes;
First and foremost; I complained. I wasn't happy with the parts I was getting and I went out of my way to make it known. One time, in high school, I went so far as to call the director and cry like a baby. I was up for a part in an original musical. I was up against a cute, popular, cheerleader. We both sang the song well. Of course, I thought I had the part in the bag because I had taken choir for 3 years and she had just joined. She got the part. I ended up playing an old lady, and hating cheerleaders forever. Looking back, I can see why they gave her the part. She fit the role better than me. Sometimes, directors have to make tough decisions knowing fully well that some feelings are going to get hurt in the process.
I also remember complaining about a costume in one of my first college productions. I was mad because even though it was a pretty dress, mine wasn't rented from the costume company like so many of my friends were. Mine was taken from the dusty costume loft at the college and kind of pieced together. I came to the next rehearsal and they had rented me something different. It was hideous. Luckily it didn't fit. I remember the costume lady saying kind of sarcastically "Well, we were just trying to make you happy." Point taken. I'm pretty sure they hand picked the ugliest dress just to teach me a lesson. I never complained to the director about a costume again. I look back at the pictures of myself in that show and I can't believe I complained because my dress was one of the prettiest ones. I have since worn some ugly, unflattering and stinky costumes with a smile on my face.
The second mistake I made was not doing any research on the shows I was auditioning for. This can lead to missed opportunities. I recall auditioning for OLIVER in college. I didn't know the show at all. The music director handed out songs and I just grabbed one. It was not in a key that I could sing but I did my best (which was not very good) and I wasn't cast. Later on, I went to see the show and was utterly disappointed to find out that the role of Nancy was a perfect fit for me, and I could have sung the heck out of "As Long as He Needs Me". Had I researched the musical before the audition, I would have known and would have had a really good chance at getting the role.
No research can also backfire on you when you ARE cast as I have been cast in some shows that I wish I had never auditioned for in the first place.
The third big mistake I made was resisting direction. Directors sometimes tell you to do things that you think are totally stupid. Do them anyway. NEVER tell a director that you think their suggestion is stupid. Just try it. If you don't you will get the reputation of being a diva, and unless you are an opera star, that's not a good thing.
The last thing, and a very important thing I learned is that you need to embrace who you are. You may never get to play the lead. You may never get the parts you REALLY want because you have the wrong impression of yourself. Take a look at yourself. For example, I would LOVE to play Glinda in Wicked, heck I would love to play Annie in Annie; but it ain't gonna happen. EVER. Accept it, and move on. Get to know your strengths and abilities and play them up! Being a character actor is WAY more fun than you may think it is and there are WAY more opportunities to be cast if you just know that about yourself. Start reading plays and musicals and research, research, research! Your parts are out there and when you find them they are like little jewels. That's part of the fun for me. Don't turn down parts that you think you are not right for just because you're mad. When you become an adult, the opportunities come less easily. The competition becomes stiffer and you will be cast less and less. That's just the reality of it.
I am very pleased that I am going to be on the production team for Riverside Youth Theatre's production of SHREK! We are the very first youth theatre to EVER get to do this show. That's exciting! I was sitting watching the kids at the dance auditions yesterday and I was yearning to be a kid again. I would LOVE to be in this show someday. In any part, in any costume, in any capacity! We had a great turnout and saw a lot of new and VERY talented faces. I'm looking forward to this one! :-)
