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Is is usual/common/expected that a theater company would hold an audition for a show but then cast someone who was not part of the original audition process in a role?

 

 

Very common in professional theatre. Usually those are actors chosen and pre-contracted for the part. Those roles would usually not be up for audition, though.

 

In non-prof theatre, there could be any number of reasons, including the above.

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Very common. One of two things may have happened:

 

1) they picked the show and had an actor lined up for the part already. The peraon was cast before the show was put on the schedule, or at least before auditions happened. This happened with guest performers and popular local performers.

 

2) the actor was unable to attend auditions, they submitted a tape or scheduled a private audition.

 

It happens all the time.

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Many times around here someone cannot make it to an audition for one reason or another and the directors will allow them to audition early.

 

Yes, sometimes specific roles are pre-cast. Sometimes, the director just doesn't fall in love with the people who showed up to audition and will call someone he or she knows could do the part well.

 

And sometimes, what littlebug mentions happens, too. Each of my kids has been that person, the one who can't make it to the regular audition time and auditions privately either before or after the scheduled auditions.

 

There's very little that's "fair" about theatre. Directors have a lot of wiggle room to cast a show they way they see it in their minds.

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Okay, thank you all! This just happened to my DS. The director for an upcoming show came up to him after curtain call for his current show and asked him if he would like to play this certain part in his show. The auditions happened about a week ago and DS did not audition. He wanted to but I said we needed a break. The show he was just in just ended a 6 week run. :eek: We let him accept the part.

 

I was not intending for this to sound like a brag. I just felt a little bad for those that auditioned and I didn't know if it was "ok" KWIM? We are new to the theater world.

Edited by Miss Peregrine
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Yes, our director will allow a private audition if an actor cannot attend the regular audition time, so long as arrangements are made prior to auditions.

 

Also, my son was invited to join a cast at another theater when they did not have enough boys show up to auditions to fill all the male roles.

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Yes, sometimes specific roles are pre-cast. Sometimes, the director just doesn't fall in love with the people who showed up to audition and will call someone he or she knows could do the part well.

 

And sometimes, what littlebug mentions happens, too. Each of my kids has been that person, the one who can't make it to the regular audition time and auditions privately either before or after the scheduled auditions.

 

There's very little that's "fair" about theatre. Directors have a lot of wiggle room to cast a show they way they see it in their minds.

 

:iagree:

 

And on a side note, I miss the theatre. *sigh*

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The director of my son's theater company likes to tell the kids "You are auditioning all the time" so your son's work in the play was his audition.

 

Boys can be hard to come by in the expressive arts world, and they get stalked. I was sitting in the audience of a show in which my son was performing as part of the chorus. It was Oklahoma and he played "boy". A director of a well known audition only, semi-professional children's singing group asked me if my son could please be in the group. Now, my son is an ok singer, but not to the level of those kids. The director has never even heard my kid sing. The director was very clear that he NEEDS boys, and he is willing to train. I passed because we just don't have the time for one more commitment, but it was weird. I told him maybe next year.

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