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
Mon, 26 Mar 2001, 02:26 pmThey don't even have to be ALL female casts.
One production of a Shakespeare (even allowing for some cross casting) or a Pratchett or any of these predominantly male casts, creates a shortage of men across Perth for months, so all of those five men, two women shows (or 6 men, 3women etc) which everyone insists are "even" are suddenly short of men.
Perhaps if they look a little harder people might find more six women, 4 men shows and try to redress the balance.
One company (they know who they are) thinks that they are being fair, by encouraging directors to chose plays that are "roughly even" in terms of roles for each sex. Of course, when even a couple of those "roughly even" shows favour the men, this creates an actual imbalance that is far poorer for women.
Think of the good actors you know. How many talented women (especially older women) do you know, who spend a good deal of the time without a show, while younger male actors of less ability remain constantly busy ?
Sorry, I'll get off my high horse now. Leah, you know not to get me started.
One production of a Shakespeare (even allowing for some cross casting) or a Pratchett or any of these predominantly male casts, creates a shortage of men across Perth for months, so all of those five men, two women shows (or 6 men, 3women etc) which everyone insists are "even" are suddenly short of men.
Perhaps if they look a little harder people might find more six women, 4 men shows and try to redress the balance.
One company (they know who they are) thinks that they are being fair, by encouraging directors to chose plays that are "roughly even" in terms of roles for each sex. Of course, when even a couple of those "roughly even" shows favour the men, this creates an actual imbalance that is far poorer for women.
Think of the good actors you know. How many talented women (especially older women) do you know, who spend a good deal of the time without a show, while younger male actors of less ability remain constantly busy ?
Sorry, I'll get off my high horse now. Leah, you know not to get me started.
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