falling levels of enthusiasm
Sun, 25 Mar 2001, 01:43 amWalter Plinge61 posts in thread
falling levels of enthusiasm
Sun, 25 Mar 2001, 01:43 amIs it just me, or is our theatre community in general suffering from an acute lack of enthusiasm?
I'm not talking about the audiences (although depending on where you go, this can be a problem), but rather among the practitioners.
Maybe it's my breath, but every show I've directed since returning to Perth has suffered from a disorder I call ADS, or Auditionee Deficiency Syndome.
I had to ring around and _beg_ people to be involved in "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll". We were recruiting passing skateboarders to play roles in "Romeo & Juliet".
Now, after weeks of negotiations, I have finally put together an outstanding professional pianist and five exceptional professional opera singers to appear in "After Aida". Unfortunately, I have only _two_ of the five actors needed.
This is going to make today's planned first read-through a wee bit difficult.
Granted, one of the three remaining roles is reserved for a certain GDS kahuna who is currently gliding through the snow on two pieces of lacquered wood, and who is gleefully oblivious to the fact that I have cast him behind his back. I had always anticipated stunt-reading this role at the first read-through.
But the two remaining roles (both doozies), are going begging.
It's especially frustrating since one prominent local actor has turned me down at the last minute (last night) citing financial woes, and another won't even return my calls.
Is it so hard to find two male actors in their early forties to play terrific roles in a funny, clever, utterly entertaining play?
It appears to be an endemic problem in our theatre community. Lots of teenagers and twenty-somethings, and lots of retirees anxious for action, but where the hell are all the middle-aged actors? Even the rare few are getting hard to pin down.
My mobile number is 0417 789 845. The reading's at 1pm today (Sunday 25th). G.I. Joe, if you're out there, frickin' well call me! The role is yours if you want it.
David Meadows.
FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!
www.freemumia.org
www.MumiaBook.com
I'm not talking about the audiences (although depending on where you go, this can be a problem), but rather among the practitioners.
Maybe it's my breath, but every show I've directed since returning to Perth has suffered from a disorder I call ADS, or Auditionee Deficiency Syndome.
I had to ring around and _beg_ people to be involved in "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll". We were recruiting passing skateboarders to play roles in "Romeo & Juliet".
Now, after weeks of negotiations, I have finally put together an outstanding professional pianist and five exceptional professional opera singers to appear in "After Aida". Unfortunately, I have only _two_ of the five actors needed.
This is going to make today's planned first read-through a wee bit difficult.
Granted, one of the three remaining roles is reserved for a certain GDS kahuna who is currently gliding through the snow on two pieces of lacquered wood, and who is gleefully oblivious to the fact that I have cast him behind his back. I had always anticipated stunt-reading this role at the first read-through.
But the two remaining roles (both doozies), are going begging.
It's especially frustrating since one prominent local actor has turned me down at the last minute (last night) citing financial woes, and another won't even return my calls.
Is it so hard to find two male actors in their early forties to play terrific roles in a funny, clever, utterly entertaining play?
It appears to be an endemic problem in our theatre community. Lots of teenagers and twenty-somethings, and lots of retirees anxious for action, but where the hell are all the middle-aged actors? Even the rare few are getting hard to pin down.
My mobile number is 0417 789 845. The reading's at 1pm today (Sunday 25th). G.I. Joe, if you're out there, frickin' well call me! The role is yours if you want it.
David Meadows.
FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!
www.freemumia.org
www.MumiaBook.com
RE: falling levels of enthusiasm
Wed, 4 Apr 2001, 07:47 pmWalter Plinge
In response to your email on "Falling levels of enthusiasm", it seems pretty remarkable that that should worry you. I had one particular experience in auditioning for a part in a play and actually got knocked back because of a big name actor within the amateur theatre circuit. That experience actually lead to my "falling level of enthusiasm". Let me relate it to you.
I auditioned for a role in "Oleanna" and was knocked back because of a popular and no doubt talented actor named David Meadows. Fair enough. Maybe I wasn't right for the part. But did this David Meadows actually audition for the part, or did he get it because he was David Meadows?
Ordinarily, this would not be any cause for complaint. However you have made the decision to pull out of "Oleanna" no doubt leaving Blak Yak Theatre in the lurch so to speak. They're going to have some trouble finding another actor in a short space of time and I'm not going to waste my time auditioning for that part again.
I can relate another incident of an actor who had scored a lead part in a drama (which I will leave nameless at this point) despite the fact that he has no acting experience at all. This is the opposite extreme, and the first time director may have shot himself in the foot with this one. Maybe it's a friend his. Hmmm....
Stories like this seems to confirm the belief that there is a culture of "not what you know but who you know" within the amateur theatre circuit. I encountered something like this at the Garrick Theatre some years ago. For actors with a considerable amount talent and experience, but no real exposure within the industry this is daunting and off putting. Auditioning becomes a waste of time, no doubt contributing to that "falling level of enthusiasm."
I agree with you David. ADS is alive and well in Perth. However I would suggest that it is symptomatic to a disease thats endemic within the Perth Theatre scene itself. As for your predicament, I suggest you start rounding up some middle aged friends.
Yours etc.
Cary
I auditioned for a role in "Oleanna" and was knocked back because of a popular and no doubt talented actor named David Meadows. Fair enough. Maybe I wasn't right for the part. But did this David Meadows actually audition for the part, or did he get it because he was David Meadows?
Ordinarily, this would not be any cause for complaint. However you have made the decision to pull out of "Oleanna" no doubt leaving Blak Yak Theatre in the lurch so to speak. They're going to have some trouble finding another actor in a short space of time and I'm not going to waste my time auditioning for that part again.
I can relate another incident of an actor who had scored a lead part in a drama (which I will leave nameless at this point) despite the fact that he has no acting experience at all. This is the opposite extreme, and the first time director may have shot himself in the foot with this one. Maybe it's a friend his. Hmmm....
Stories like this seems to confirm the belief that there is a culture of "not what you know but who you know" within the amateur theatre circuit. I encountered something like this at the Garrick Theatre some years ago. For actors with a considerable amount talent and experience, but no real exposure within the industry this is daunting and off putting. Auditioning becomes a waste of time, no doubt contributing to that "falling level of enthusiasm."
I agree with you David. ADS is alive and well in Perth. However I would suggest that it is symptomatic to a disease thats endemic within the Perth Theatre scene itself. As for your predicament, I suggest you start rounding up some middle aged friends.
Yours etc.
Cary
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