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
Thu, 5 Apr 2001, 07:43 pmWalter Plinge
Thanks Leah for your email. You probably thought my email was written with bitterness. It wasn't, I was merely being sardonic, although to be frank I don't quite know which is worse. My response to sending the email was the fact that I was amused by two emails which I shall relate to you.
The first email from Amanda described how they were in desperate need of an actor to play John in "Oleanna". Apparently the original actor decided to bailed out, leaving them in the lurch. I seemed much amused by this, but not amused enough to respond to green room gossip. However when I saw David Meadows email on "falling levels of enthusiasm", I detected an unintentional irony that he couldn't see with 20 vision.
In reference to "Oleanna" there was a friend of mine at the same audition who was far better suited to the part then I was. What would he have done to in order to secure a part from that audition? Sweat his balls off with a one hour monologue, while David Meadows might just as well had walked in and say "Hi I'm David Meadows I'd like the part." He can call a bluff hand with his reputation while the rest of us strives hard to get nowhere. That "falling level of enthusiasm" is the result of would be actors not bothering in wasting their time. It was a comment, not a criticism. But as I said in my last email, "fair enough."
What I think is sad is that Mr Meadows went for part he probably shouldn't have gone for, then for a perfectly valid reason (saving his own ailing production) "dropped the bundle" leaving the others to pick up the pieces. What kind of message would that give to actors aspiring to professional careers in the theatre. In professional theatre where parts in theatre are negotiated by contract you can expect to be put on a blacklist for pulling a stunt like that. Not in amateur theatre. You just get a pat on the back. Its a question of standards I guess.
However, on a lighter note in keeping with the light and sanguine mood of this website, I would wish Grant Malcolm success in finding an actor to play "Oleanna." I also wish David Meadows the best of luck with his play as he may find it more difficult finding two actors, especially in this day and age. I remember Nigel Rideout the former head of WAAPA saying that there is no theatre in Perth. I suppose he meant no theatrical standard. Wilson McCaskill was even more succinct in stating that theatre is a dying art form, especially within the context of the electronic age. I don't know about you Leah, but I think I can see the writing on the wall.
Yours etc.
C. H.
The first email from Amanda described how they were in desperate need of an actor to play John in "Oleanna". Apparently the original actor decided to bailed out, leaving them in the lurch. I seemed much amused by this, but not amused enough to respond to green room gossip. However when I saw David Meadows email on "falling levels of enthusiasm", I detected an unintentional irony that he couldn't see with 20 vision.
In reference to "Oleanna" there was a friend of mine at the same audition who was far better suited to the part then I was. What would he have done to in order to secure a part from that audition? Sweat his balls off with a one hour monologue, while David Meadows might just as well had walked in and say "Hi I'm David Meadows I'd like the part." He can call a bluff hand with his reputation while the rest of us strives hard to get nowhere. That "falling level of enthusiasm" is the result of would be actors not bothering in wasting their time. It was a comment, not a criticism. But as I said in my last email, "fair enough."
What I think is sad is that Mr Meadows went for part he probably shouldn't have gone for, then for a perfectly valid reason (saving his own ailing production) "dropped the bundle" leaving the others to pick up the pieces. What kind of message would that give to actors aspiring to professional careers in the theatre. In professional theatre where parts in theatre are negotiated by contract you can expect to be put on a blacklist for pulling a stunt like that. Not in amateur theatre. You just get a pat on the back. Its a question of standards I guess.
However, on a lighter note in keeping with the light and sanguine mood of this website, I would wish Grant Malcolm success in finding an actor to play "Oleanna." I also wish David Meadows the best of luck with his play as he may find it more difficult finding two actors, especially in this day and age. I remember Nigel Rideout the former head of WAAPA saying that there is no theatre in Perth. I suppose he meant no theatrical standard. Wilson McCaskill was even more succinct in stating that theatre is a dying art form, especially within the context of the electronic age. I don't know about you Leah, but I think I can see the writing on the wall.
Yours etc.
C. H.
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