How does anyone get a break?
Thu, 15 Mar 2001, 10:42 amWalter Plinge9 posts in thread
How does anyone get a break?
Thu, 15 Mar 2001, 10:42 amI have a 14 year old daughter who is a great actress, has a fine singing voice, dances and loves theatre so much its her chosen career! The problem; there seems to be nothing in the way of amateur theatre for her to get any experience. All audition lisitings ask for older people or if they are looking for younsters it usually say over 16 years. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks.
RE: How does anyone get a break?
Fri, 16 Mar 2001, 07:09 pmRhoda -
Picking up on Grant and Jarrod's threads - youth is no obstacle for gaining experience.
I did my first amateur theatre production when I was 15 (thank-you Mr Malcom!) and it wasn't at school, and wasn't a child's part. I'm reasonably sure Grant isn't a paedophile, and it had something to do with the fact that he thought a younger performer could hold her own with 18 plusses, but then I could be horribly, horribly deceived.
Anyhow, I've been a community theatre junkie ever since and have found incredible opportunities through the confidence I've gained as performer through these shows. She needs to go out on a limb and try for everything - she may be pleasantly surprised with what happens, and she's young enough to have the attitude, 'Oh well, they turned me down just because I was too young' not because 'I was too crap and I'm a bad person'. I'm getting into my own disturbed psyche now...
Tell her to keep up the singing and dancing and do all the acting classes she can, but to also pursue an alternative career path at the same time. Being a checkout chick sucks, and she'll probably spend more time doing that as a professional actor with no other qualifications, than doing anything else. I did occupational therapy and not only do I find part-time work easily, I play a really good cripple (that was a bit tasteless, Amanda).
All the best, good luck, and most importantly, have fun!
Amanda Chesterton
Picking up on Grant and Jarrod's threads - youth is no obstacle for gaining experience.
I did my first amateur theatre production when I was 15 (thank-you Mr Malcom!) and it wasn't at school, and wasn't a child's part. I'm reasonably sure Grant isn't a paedophile, and it had something to do with the fact that he thought a younger performer could hold her own with 18 plusses, but then I could be horribly, horribly deceived.
Anyhow, I've been a community theatre junkie ever since and have found incredible opportunities through the confidence I've gained as performer through these shows. She needs to go out on a limb and try for everything - she may be pleasantly surprised with what happens, and she's young enough to have the attitude, 'Oh well, they turned me down just because I was too young' not because 'I was too crap and I'm a bad person'. I'm getting into my own disturbed psyche now...
Tell her to keep up the singing and dancing and do all the acting classes she can, but to also pursue an alternative career path at the same time. Being a checkout chick sucks, and she'll probably spend more time doing that as a professional actor with no other qualifications, than doing anything else. I did occupational therapy and not only do I find part-time work easily, I play a really good cripple (that was a bit tasteless, Amanda).
All the best, good luck, and most importantly, have fun!
Amanda Chesterton