My tip: Bring extra water bottles! Theatre kids will marry you if you give them a water bottle. I usually pack 3-4 for this reason, and if none of my friends need some, I have extra for next time. Basically: water will you save you in your time of need.
I do that too! Literally there was this one kid that would have a coughing attack every nite session so much so that I would always have extra water for them
I thought I did really good at my last audition, but didn't even get a callback. I did get an ensemble part but was wondering what I did wrong... turns out the casting directors weren't even watching or listening to me while I was auditioning... 😒 Oh, yeah, and the girl who got the part I auditioned for didn't even know what song she was singing until she got the audition, she was literally as unprepared as it gets. Not only that, but our show opens TOMORROW and she still doesn't have all her lines memorized. Heck, I know her part better that she does. I have a slight feeling there was a little favoritism
I was in a community theatre production once. I thought I nailed my audition, but I only got the understudy. Turns out the girl who got the lead (who was very underprepared) got the part because she was the casting directors cousin. 😑
that’s exactly what happened to me! Turns out that our directors had been casting based on seniority and not talent. No matter how good your audition was, if you were in middle school, you were automatically placed in ensemble. I was in the 8th grade at the time and the girl who got the part was in the 9th. Although the girl is my good friend, I personally believe that her voice did not fit the role and that she was not as dedicated to it as she should have been. Hope this helps make you feel less alone!
Something I did which built up my directors confidence in my ability to take on roles is to pick up other peoples slack. Are they absent a lot? Ask if you can play their character so things run smoothly during rehearsal, be open minded and ready to help. In first show at that theatre, I got cast as one of the hyenas in Lion King, but the people playing Pumbaa and Scar were absent alot. I ended up playing Pumbaa in the show even though it wasnt who i was cast as. My directors have continued to give me challenging, large roles or having me jump in for people who had to leave for one reason or another. It proved I was ready to take on more.
Wow. Watching this made me realize how incredibly lucky I was to get a lead role for my first theater show (Mrs. Potts, Beauty and the Beast Jr.) when I had never worked with the theater before. I proved how hard I work in a way that I couldn't have in the ensemble. Thanks, you made me so much more grateful for that opportunity!
In my lead role, I was 16. But my Chip, a minor lead, was 9. A friend of mine who's 12 year old has had multiple leads in the children's theater. I say, go ahead and audition! Whats the worst that could happen? You don't get cast, and then you're exactly where you are right now, but with more audition experience. Or they could cast you in an ensemble role. Or, you could get that lead role!
Thank you for saying the thing about favouritism! Literally my high school musical theatre director ALWAYS picks favorites and it’s no fair. There’s roles that I’ve gotten called back for that literally everybody I’ve talked with has told me that I would be perfect for the role or that one of my friends would be perfect for the role and everybody has agreed. But then the director has chosen her favorite girl because she “is like her when she was younger” and its gone to that main actresses head.
In literally every production I’ve been in, the leads and bigger parts get *all* the attention. I mean, if you’re totally new and no one knows you, and you get a lead, then you’re probably making friends with the entire cast.
TIP: People will love you during tech week and show days if you bring a gallon of water and cups. I probably got married ten times because of this while I was in Legally Blonde.
I was doing a audition and they had everyone sing, and then do a cold read.. like normal. But when it was my turn... They DISMISSED me without a cold read! I tried my best when I was singing and they never gave me a chance to show how good I was at that character I had to speak for! I got a ensemble role and the lead had no idea what she was doing until tech week! It was pretty sad..
And don't forget, the bully doesn't have to be another kid. My niece and another girl in a Broadway show had an adult wrangler who was bullying them a bit. I think she didn't want to be working with kids and was taking her frustrations out on them (ignoring them, snapping/yelling at them when she was paying attention), and these are two very well-behaved girls. My niece immediately brought it to the attention of my sister and brother-in-law who spoke with the director. Problem solved. If you or other cast mates are truly being treated badly, let someone know.
Than you so much for this video! I'm starting high school next year and the theater program at the school I'm going to go to is REALLY good!! But I have to take the classes with high schoolers in every grade. I'm really nervous but I think these tips will help!
My first lead role was in Alice in Wonderland. I was Alice, and it was so cool. It was, however, in a super small group. There were 5 of us. That was interesting. One of our people was playing the White queen and rabbit. Right near the end of the tea party scene, the white rabbit runs off. I then have to get really annoyed and storm off, and the white queen has to come on just before and lead me to to the next square. Basically, she had 5 lines to change, the longest one being 2 sentences. Great. We spoke as slow as absolutely possibly so it sounded really weird. Also, we were in a theatre that we didn't own and we weren't allowed to use the wings. We had to change behind mats that were rolled up in the corner. Also, they decided to give me the costume. They gave me a women's Alice costume, which was just plain slutty. I was 11. Yeah, that show was a mess.
I'm literally binge-watching all of your videos for our summer break. 😭 We're doing a musical play pretty soon and your videos are big help! I definitely love yer personality! Yer like a fierce marshmallow. Love lots. 🖤
In my experience commitment gives u a crazy bonus in the eyes of the director (yeah it might not get u the part necessarily buttt), if you are super committed and always attend every rehearsal you're required for, and if you're just a nice, polite person towards the director and whoever is around you in the company, it can really give you a boost. And even if you don't get a huge part, the director knows you're reliable and you want to help out, which can definitely benefit you if not now but later on in your career😉x
Hey Katherine, I'm currently in a teen theatre group where I am the oldest and the tallest. I also have professional vocal training but I've been cast in a really small role because the directing picks and casts favourites and this is my first year in the program. The director also doesn't give us sheet music but expects me to teach everyone the songs because of my background. The show is in a month and the cast is too busy goofing off that we haven't even got to the second act. How would you recommend dealing with role jealousy and a cast that doesn't seem to care about the show?
@@gingie_gingie i just pushed through the production and never went back lol. told my family it was going to be a bad show so they didn’t have to come lol
I love your videos and I just had a callback yesterday and I always get small supporting roles but I think I might get the lead this year because your videos made me work even harder this year. Thanks so much!
Hack: be yourself, be funny, be weird, I did this for one of my shows and everyone would just randomly come up and talk to me because they knew I wouldn’t judge them.
Favoritism does happen, so I just made sure to get to know my director/teacher so that he knows I’m trustworthy and now I’m a supporting role and in theatre 3 (advanced/competitive and audition only) after being part of crew less than a year ago and only ensemble for one show.
I went to a audition once and there was girls as young as 7 auditioning (it was for Annie tour) the director was so rude and when he cut people he simply said “if u r in this group u have been cut... u wanna know why.. ur not good enough” but he said it in such a sour way the small girls all started crying immediately bearing in mind it was probs there first audition,
alright, i was the new girl this year and i came in with an understudy role and two supporting roles (apparently i made an older girl cry because i got a better part than her, sorry!!) and everyone was so nice to me! they gave me hugs, told me i was great, and i made so many good friends from the performance.
Hey there, I'm so sorry to hear that. Have you told a parent or teacher about what happened? Abuse is really serious and it's not okay that he did that ❤️
Katherine Steele I told my friend about it because I was really upset about it one day and he is in the cast so he said he would look out for me. Luckily the show is over
ummmmmmm i'd throw a happy fit if i made my school musical where 20/100 kids make it and half of them are pre professional. for real tho im sure ur great dont think u r bad ensemble is goooooooood
Hey Katherine! I don't know if you remember me, but I commented about last minute auditions for Ursula at my school play. And, well.... I GOT THE PART! Thank you so so much for these videos. They truly do help. Do you have recommendations for acting colleges? I'm trying to find one for a school project. It's quite hard.
Thank you for your great advice. I'm a mom of a high school junior who hopes to pursue a BFA in musical theatre. We enjoy your videos. Especially the ones dealing with college auditions. Keep up the good work.
i second the fact that even if people in the cast already have friends, the may be looking for more. i was one of the only new people in a group of theatre kids who all knew each other from being in the program the year before (this year is its second year of running). i still managed to make some really great friends and fit in just by showing up early, being myself, and being an overall positive person.
My school musical this year is one of the first times i havent been the youngest for a musical so im really hoping for a bigger part tysm for this vid :)
My school's director always does ensembles because as a kid she never got parts. She says she does it so everyone gets parts but the same kids always get all the songs. Nobody even auditions she just chooses.
I was with my last theatre company for 7 years from the day they opened and no matter what I did the new kids go the main parts, which I would understand if they were any good but the whole show they'd stumble and most of them couldn't sing and would say look I can't sing. I'd offer to audition, but the teacher always hated me. It was awful, I'm very glad I left!
I met one of my best friends in a youth theatre week long program thing when I was around 5-8 and me and my friend are STILL talking about and are mad about the person who got the lead every time. This place didn’t even have auditions; we just showed up, they saw us, we told them who we were and showed them if we could do a trick, and they casted from there, which as children we were none-the-wiser of. I would get YELLED at if I stepped off of the stairs one step too early, but this girl could be dancing behind a set price and have it fall over during the performance (yes this did happen) and she got 0 repercussions. Not to mention, the leads I was able to see her do were totally different types of roles, so she couldn’t have just looked that close to the part for them both. My friend convinced me she payed a bit extra and that’s why she got in from just a glance and never got yelled at, which I know is a stretch, but at this point it’s just funny. Greta, I still have a gripe with you. -the third maid and seventh wood chopper.
In an hour, I am auditioning for musical theatre and theatre arts at an arts high school and I'm so nervous but I have been binge watching your videos and it's making me feel so much better (than before)!
my old theatre was horribly biased casting. the director would cast her daughters as the main roles and their friends as other leads. she also taught at her daughter's school and casted almost the entire cast out of her students from that school. overall, it was just such an unfair system. i left that theatre and i am so glad i did. i really felt like it was my fault and now that i did i am getting better roles and having a better time. thanks for making this video! it was so helpful!
I’m so glad I found this because my daughter just had a terrible with the cast of a local show. It wasn’t directed at her but the female,lead was double cast. One of the girls was gracious and professional. The other sulked when she wasn’t onstage, she laid on the couch of the green room talking teach LOUDLY about the rest of the cast especially the ensemble which is just mean and unnecessary. As a parent if this was my daughter’s first show I’d never let her audition again, it was so toxic that it literally made me sick. I heard other parent about her temper tantrum and prima Donna behavior say that their kid wouldn’t be back. That really sucks when it pay to play. The director and stage crew shouldn’t be feeding her ego
So I am a HUGE theatre nerd, but 190% can't sing, dance or act, but I still am OBSESSED with your youtube channel and learning the behind the scenes! I would loveeee to see some acting/singing videos!!! Also, HAVE YOU sEEN THE DEAR EVAN HANsEN ALBUM?!?!??! I saw it a few months ago and I'm seeing it again in may- its probably my FAV show (and Ive seen A LOT HAHA!!)
+Rachel Julie RACHEL!!!!! 💖💕 you are seriously too sweet, thanks!! I have one super old video of me singing, but I def plan on doing some covers or something in the future! (And IVE BEEN MEANING TO. EVERYONE SAYS ITS INCREDIBLE AND IVE ONLY HEARD A COUPLE SONGS SO FAR BUT I REALLY LOVED WHAT I HEARD!!)
My high school theatre director was shameless when it came to playing favorites. He would cast students he liked in lead roles, regardless of their talent or acting ability. (He would also bend the rules regarding academic probation in order to cast students he liked in productions, while at the same time using the probation rules to keep students he didn't like out of his shows.)
This helps a lot because I am always getting the small roles and never get the main roles and my my theatre class is doing going the reveal the summer show soon and I need this to help me get a main role
Arty Fartsy hi, I really want to join a community theatre, but I have no experience. Do you have any tips for me and is there anything I need to do/know? Thank you!
We had a cast member in our show that was really negative and would harass all the girls. I had to play his wife and it was agony but my director was proud of me for not bringing that negativity on stage even when he did at times. Best lesson i got from that experience is tell the director when there’s an issue that is getting out of hand. I took it into my own hands at one point and it was bad but at least i got something from that experience
Hey Katherine! Loved your video as always! I will definitely use these tips. Hey I was just wondering what editing tool do you use for your videos? Thanks a lot! I’m binge watching right now 😃
My voice has really grown over quarantine and I just had an audition for a show and I did really good and called back for the lead. But my voice tends to crack when I’m singing unless I cough to clear my throat before I start but at the callback I didn’t cough because one of the directors was pregnant and I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. So I didn’t couch and my voice cracked so badly that they made me sing the song a second time and now I have a part in the ensemble. And for the cast list, everyone who got a leading or supporting role has been a leading or supporting role in literally every other show that we have done. I’ve been with the company from their very first show and I’ve still never gotten a leading role. What can I do to fix this for next time?
Hey Kat, do you think you could do a video on your tips on getting better at acting? I love theatre but I’m an extremely mediocre actor, and taking lessons is not practical for me.
Thanks Katherine! I just got cast in a very very very small role in Meet Me In St. Louis and I'm "kind of" upset bc everyone was telling me how great I did and they predicted me in Rose or Esther (I got Eve...) and I am aware that because I'm new to the program, I'm not going to get a larger role, and plan to work extremely hard to show them what's up
when i auditioned for seussical I did really good at my audition and got a callback, but of course I was sick that week so i had to do my callback while slowly losing my voice. i ended up getting the role of gertrude because the director already knew i could sing the song because i sang the same song for both auditions. it's definitely important that you do your best at your audition, but don't beat yourself up if you're sick during a callback😃
Great video! I just had my school's audition for Little Shop of Horrors this Monday. It was an audition with set material and recall announcements are next week. Wish me luck! 😊
For a while, I didn't think there was favoritism in my theatre. Then I realized that the director's favorite girl to cast in leads was the one who took her out for pedicures, gave her expensive gifts, and saw shows with her. I recently found out it even happens amongst the adults, my older brother is working incredibly hard, but is always second fiddle to another adult male actor, who he is much better than. My director now terrifies me and gives me major anxiety, even though people reassure me that she loves me. I want and need to leave, but I only have a few months before high school and am hoping to stick the rest of my share of the season out.
I am a very low person but instead of bullying I make everyone happy or laugh , I don’t get it if you are sad then why would you others to feel that way if you hate it, I found I really like theater it helps me get away from my and it’s fun!
I did a play with my town's "big name" theater company, and the owner's son, who doesn't even know what song they sing until that get into the audition, gets the lead role, EVERY TIME!!!!!!!
There's a rumour at my theatre group that someones (who tbh isn't very good) dad is really rich and donated a lot of money for props/set etc. and that's why he always gets the main roles
At my theater i am the favorite of the children ( im 12 almost 13) because alot of the cast is small children and are forced to go so theor parents can be alone, and while they are busy screaming and literally trying to choke me YES THAT HAPPENED. I am studying lines and getting good roles :) i started theater in 2017 have done 4 almost 5 shows and got 2 leads so far :D i would say i am doing good! We are doing a spotlight show (random songs from a musical writer/producer/orchastrator.) And this year we will be singing stuff from mean girls, legally blonde, hoping Heathers...? And this summer mostlikely doing a production of legally blonde (personally thats what i am hoping for c: Cause you cant get the rights to mean girls yet ;) ) sorry for the long comment i am just excited :)).
Unfortunately I haven't had a lead due to favoritism in high school, but last year (first year of college) I was ensemble in The Magic Flute, and this year I'm auditioning for Lucy in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown!! I didn't get her in high school because of favoritism, but I'm hoping to this year!! The music director knows and likes me from Magic Flute so I'm really hoping I get it!!
how do i make friends w the leads and ''popular'' theatre kids? if u hadnt noticed, im in middle school. but i have my own little group of friends and i love them but i really want to make friends with some of the more popular ppl to build a reputation and step outside my comfort zone
I recently did We Will Rock You at school for Christmas. I auditioned for Scaramouche but I got Khasgoggi instead. I was naturally really upset about it (mainly because I didn't want to be playing a man), but eventually came to accept it and warm up to the role I was given- but then my teachers did something that I'm STILL not over. The show was double casted so there were two separate casts performing on different nights- my teachers were stupid enough to triple cast Khasgoggi so there were three people playing him instead of two like all the other roles. So what did they do you ask? They literally split Khasgoggi's lines between me and the guy I was sharing the role with- only he got at least 80% of the lines, he got two out of the three songs Khasgoggi has (It's a Kind of Magic and Another One Bites the Dust) and all the scenes with Killer Queen- as well as the better costume. Me? There was really no point in me being Khasgoggi. My teachers even had the nerve to call me "Khasgoggi's assistant" huh? They just made that up so I wouldn't be left out. Although the show is over, I'm STILL not over it because this HAPPENS ALL THE TIME! Literally every time I get casted in a role, I have to share that role with someone else- and they get the majority of the role. This has happened since primary school and I am SICK and TIRED of it. Is it so much to ask that I just play a role by MYSELF WITHOUT you shoving someone else in? I love my teachers but I am still REALLY angry at them for what they did and that's not likely to change. I also don't hate the guy I shared the role with- he's a friend but even he kind of agreed with me that me being Khasgoggi was practically pointless at that point. When I looked at the cast list, I was cast as KHASHOGGI- as such I expect to play that role- not his fucking made up "assistant." What's worse is that the SAME people keep getting the lead roles- especially the third one who played Khasgoggi in the other cast. She's a dancer mainly. Unlike me and the guy (his name is Romario) she got to do the role all by herself and I don't mean to be rude but dear god, she cannot sing to save her life. Me and Romario are MUCH better singers yet SHE got to solo? Look, some of the people who got the lead roles deserved it fully- others I feel just because my teacher likes them regardless. Hopefully my performance made them realise they made a BIG mistake and they'll think about what they've done in the next showcase this July
I've been super fortunate on the roles I've been cast in. (Lucy in Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown (first ever show I did, the female lead!), Lion King Jr. as Shenzi, and The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 as Nikki (lead).) I do know that in the community theatre (the one doing LKjr.) I'm definitely among some really talented people but I know that even if I get ensemble I'd be super hype. I just love being involved.
