[Previous entry: "Theater"] [Next entry: "The Secret"]
05/01/2007: "Theater"
I never thought I'd see the day when I'd turn down a role. But Roselle is a long way off. A lot of people I know wouldn't drive half as far to be in a show. I shouldn't have been in the position of turning them down. On the audition form, I listed 5 roles of interest and selected "no" on the "will you accept other roles" question. But they went ahead and offered me another role anyway, McNair, which is fine in its own right and which I would have taken if the theater was in, let's say, Antioch, but my thinking was that the long distance would be justified by at least a larger supporting role (such as Dickinson or Lee), and not a "cameo". So it was with some discomfort that I said, thanks, but no thanks. Besides making me available for upcoming closer shows, there is one other good thing to come of this: the occasional reminder that my value lies more in my willingness and availability to participate and less in my potential as the next Lionel Barrymore.
Replies: 8 Comments
on Wednesday, May 2nd, Liz said
I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't get a part, Dan...when do you think your next audition will be?
on Thursday, May 3rd, Dan said
No big deal. Half the fun of auditioning is in the auditioning. Anyway, let's look at the old calendar, or at least what's on my potential calendar that I'm aware of. May 6 I see Theatre In The Woods has auditions for the female version of The Odd Couple -- but I have conflicts with the performance dates. May 10 there's West Side Story in Elgin -- but that's really for a more youthful dance-oriented version of me, which never really existed. May 19 is Mame in Lake Forest -- oops, conflicts for me with performance dates. Again. That takes us to May 21, Charlotte's Web in Round Lake. Pending word on what characters there actually are in this children's musical, it looks like this is my next opportunity. Let the good times roll.
on Friday, May 4th, Liz said
Charlotte's Web, huh? Maybe I'll see you at the audition. 
on Monday, May 21st, Bob said
I turned down Hopkins, and I live in Roselle! I too put down four different roles I would accept (including Hancock, a non-singing role) and they didn't consider me for any of them, even though I have been acting and directing community theater for over 35 years. I wonder if the production ever got off the ground...
on Monday, May 21st, Dan said
Hi, Bob. I guess I was a little annoyed to be offered a different part when I said no to the "accept any roles" question, but I can understand the difficulty in casting such a show. (I'm the secretary for Waukegan Community Players. We have difficulty casting *every* show.) I couldn't find anything on Trinity's website about the show, so I guess I don't know what really happened. Since they offered me a small part, I assumed they had all the major ones covered which would mean they were going ahead, but I've got nothing to base that on. My drive from Round Lake the night of the audition -- a Sunday night with no traffic -- seemed to take forever, so I think I made the right choice, even though now I find myself still auditioning for something to be in this summer.
on Monday, May 21st, Bob said
Plus the price of gasoline... yes, you made the right choice. I feel especially burned because this is a show I always wanted to do and it is right in my backyard. Plus, I went out of my way to help them get more men to audition. I would hate to think that some roles were precast. Oh, well, sometimes it just isn't in the cards.
on Monday, May 21st, Liz said
Well, there were only two guys over 12 at the Charlotte's Web audition tonight, Keith (from Bye Bye Birdie) and then some other teenage kid who I've never seen before, so if you were to audition there would be a pretty good chance of you getting a good part. Just thought you might like to know.
on Tuesday, May 22nd, Dan said
Well, just for completeness, I'll add that at the 2nd night of "Charlotte's Web" auditions, the category of "guys high school age and up" grew by one. That would be me.
