Of All The Stupid Ideas!!!
Mon, 26 Apr 2004, 04:57 pmAHarwood8 posts in thread
Of All The Stupid Ideas!!!
Mon, 26 Apr 2004, 04:57 pmLadies and Gentlemen - and the rest of you (you know who you are).
Over the last few months I have received paperwork from a certain group disucssing plans for a new theatre sturcture in Perth. There have also been discussions about whether to place an already established company or develop a new company to take up residence in this theatre. I may not be fully informed on the current situation or the details but I have my soap box and its about time it got some airing.
I believe in a vote held at a meeting the majority of the attendents believed we should migrate an already established company into the new building. I am here to say "I TELL YOU NO!"
I have just finished working on what might be my 64th or something near that production. Some of you may have seen it - no one really wrote a review on it - and some of you might not. But those that did would have seen the talent in this company.
They were - in my opinion - absolutely brilliant.
I am well aware that every show in Perth, even the world, requires dedication, commitment and effort. And I know it has been there in almost every show I have been involved in. But never so much as in this group of fine people.
They put their hearts, time and lives into this show as so many people around Perth do.
But the thing that stood out in this show was the lack of back biting, bitchiness, competition, hate and malice. There was none of this usually obligatory rubbish going on behind the scenes. They got together and worked, became friends and it rocked my world. And I think it goes without saying - but I will - that it has been one of the most gratifying experiences in my theatrical life. I will genuinely miss th cast, the show and the experience.
And the funny thing.. despite all the shows I've done and seen, I had never met over half the cast before. And yet they have so many talents and strengths.
Why should a group of actors who have already established a company and most of the professional companies in perth have a venue already - be moved into a new venue when there are so many damned talented actors, singers and dancers out there with only the odd community theatre show to get involved in?
I am sick and tired of all the shows coming from the east or over seas and thinking we could do a hell of a lot better than that. (with exception of Maggie Smith and Margaret Tyzack). So why not give the people out there who are not permanent members of a company a go and have a company in the venue that is open to auditions to the whole public much like community theatre is and advertised on a wide scale as that. There is a hell of a lot of untapped talent in this state and its about time it got seen.
I am only going to be in Perth for a few more months but I am only leaving because there are too few opportunities here. But I WILL BE BACK TO HELP MAKE PERTH BETTER FOR THE THEATRE PEOPLE! Its just getting stupid now so I will stop. But I wish everyone in perth luck with theatre cos we're better than that imported crap we've been getting of late. Maybe we SHOULD start touring over there and show we are better than them. But that will have to wait till we have the money and the balls to do it:)
Take care everyone!!
Anthony
[%sig%]
Over the last few months I have received paperwork from a certain group disucssing plans for a new theatre sturcture in Perth. There have also been discussions about whether to place an already established company or develop a new company to take up residence in this theatre. I may not be fully informed on the current situation or the details but I have my soap box and its about time it got some airing.
I believe in a vote held at a meeting the majority of the attendents believed we should migrate an already established company into the new building. I am here to say "I TELL YOU NO!"
I have just finished working on what might be my 64th or something near that production. Some of you may have seen it - no one really wrote a review on it - and some of you might not. But those that did would have seen the talent in this company.
They were - in my opinion - absolutely brilliant.
I am well aware that every show in Perth, even the world, requires dedication, commitment and effort. And I know it has been there in almost every show I have been involved in. But never so much as in this group of fine people.
They put their hearts, time and lives into this show as so many people around Perth do.
But the thing that stood out in this show was the lack of back biting, bitchiness, competition, hate and malice. There was none of this usually obligatory rubbish going on behind the scenes. They got together and worked, became friends and it rocked my world. And I think it goes without saying - but I will - that it has been one of the most gratifying experiences in my theatrical life. I will genuinely miss th cast, the show and the experience.
And the funny thing.. despite all the shows I've done and seen, I had never met over half the cast before. And yet they have so many talents and strengths.
Why should a group of actors who have already established a company and most of the professional companies in perth have a venue already - be moved into a new venue when there are so many damned talented actors, singers and dancers out there with only the odd community theatre show to get involved in?
I am sick and tired of all the shows coming from the east or over seas and thinking we could do a hell of a lot better than that. (with exception of Maggie Smith and Margaret Tyzack). So why not give the people out there who are not permanent members of a company a go and have a company in the venue that is open to auditions to the whole public much like community theatre is and advertised on a wide scale as that. There is a hell of a lot of untapped talent in this state and its about time it got seen.
I am only going to be in Perth for a few more months but I am only leaving because there are too few opportunities here. But I WILL BE BACK TO HELP MAKE PERTH BETTER FOR THE THEATRE PEOPLE! Its just getting stupid now so I will stop. But I wish everyone in perth luck with theatre cos we're better than that imported crap we've been getting of late. Maybe we SHOULD start touring over there and show we are better than them. But that will have to wait till we have the money and the balls to do it:)
Take care everyone!!
Anthony
[%sig%]
Re: Mis-interpreted or not. Probably still Stupid
Sat, 1 May 2004, 09:06 pmA couple of replies
> My premise in not wrong. I must admit I was under the
> misconception of moving the entire company along but even if
> it is the artistic directors, management and technicians.
> They will already have a devised ensemble company to work
> from as they do now. How would this be any different to how
> things are run now?
No company in perth has an ensemble but every director does have actors they like working with on a repeated basis. Why? Because in an audition you can only learn so much about an actor - compatibilty, work rate, professionilsim and depth of talent (to name a few areas) Thus if you find someone who works for you, you go back to them!
Productions are a big investment for any company and a big risk, so it is no surprise to see companies minimizing the risks associated with it. But no company just casts people they've worked with before!
I'm unsure what you mean by open auditions, as evry company does work through the agents. Are you suggesting advertising on this site or in newspapers?
Im my opinion actors who are with agents aren't necessarily going to be the only actors around but they do demonstrate a level of professionalism which is a good starting point in considering them (but then again when they come in without learning their audition pieces...)
But i do believe most companies will let you audtion during an audition round.
I take it you missed the excellent Casting couch night last year, an equity organised forum that saw actors getting a chance to question artistic directors, casting agents and the like. Was advertised on this site
> Case in point. After I wrote my last reply I received
> advertising from one PROFESSIONAL company with the same actor
> advertised in two plays soon to be showing.
In reference to this, and I am assuming we are talking about the same thing...one show the actor auditioned for at auditions organised through the agents, which all companies do pretty much for all shows unless they are a show developed with an actor in mind. The second show the actor actually developed in association with the company.
. Again – why don’t the professional
> companies do bigger shows like the good ole musicals using
> more talent in perth than the two or three man shows they
> do? They will make the money.
>
$$$$ Take the budget of the last show you were in and pay everyone on stage, equity rates (oh and super and possibly holiday pay too).
Good to ask questions though and not accept the status quo but you can be asking these in a lot of other places and you may be getting more fulfilling answers. Try Arts WA or ring the companies and discuss their audition and programming policy.
Cheers
Dave R
> My premise in not wrong. I must admit I was under the
> misconception of moving the entire company along but even if
> it is the artistic directors, management and technicians.
> They will already have a devised ensemble company to work
> from as they do now. How would this be any different to how
> things are run now?
No company in perth has an ensemble but every director does have actors they like working with on a repeated basis. Why? Because in an audition you can only learn so much about an actor - compatibilty, work rate, professionilsim and depth of talent (to name a few areas) Thus if you find someone who works for you, you go back to them!
Productions are a big investment for any company and a big risk, so it is no surprise to see companies minimizing the risks associated with it. But no company just casts people they've worked with before!
I'm unsure what you mean by open auditions, as evry company does work through the agents. Are you suggesting advertising on this site or in newspapers?
Im my opinion actors who are with agents aren't necessarily going to be the only actors around but they do demonstrate a level of professionalism which is a good starting point in considering them (but then again when they come in without learning their audition pieces...)
But i do believe most companies will let you audtion during an audition round.
I take it you missed the excellent Casting couch night last year, an equity organised forum that saw actors getting a chance to question artistic directors, casting agents and the like. Was advertised on this site
> Case in point. After I wrote my last reply I received
> advertising from one PROFESSIONAL company with the same actor
> advertised in two plays soon to be showing.
In reference to this, and I am assuming we are talking about the same thing...one show the actor auditioned for at auditions organised through the agents, which all companies do pretty much for all shows unless they are a show developed with an actor in mind. The second show the actor actually developed in association with the company.
. Again – why don’t the professional
> companies do bigger shows like the good ole musicals using
> more talent in perth than the two or three man shows they
> do? They will make the money.
>
$$$$ Take the budget of the last show you were in and pay everyone on stage, equity rates (oh and super and possibly holiday pay too).
Good to ask questions though and not accept the status quo but you can be asking these in a lot of other places and you may be getting more fulfilling answers. Try Arts WA or ring the companies and discuss their audition and programming policy.
Cheers
Dave R
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