#103: Dear Julie… role I don’t want?
Wednesday 11/20/24
DEAR JULIE: My school auditions are coming up for our musical and my teacher called be back for 2 roles, 1 of which is my dream role. I really do not want to be in the show if they case me in the other one. I don’t know whats going to happen yet, but what would you do?
Oh, I’ve been here, although it wasn’t in high school. In 2013, a theatre company near me announced auditions for Les Miserables. There was a 1 year window where the rights for Les Miz were released when the show closed on Broadway and hadn’t gone back on tour. I knew, having been in this business for so long, that this was kind of a “now or in 10 years” situation. I did a character-y role for this company about 6 months prior and knew they thought i was “funny”. I did not have the ability in that other show to flex my other muscles.
Les Miz had been my favorite show for 20 years at that point and Fantine was my absolute dream role. I auditioned in a Fantine style song and wrote down Fantine or nothing. After my initial audition, they called me back for Fantine and also Madame T which i KNEW would happen. I understood why and didn’t decline it. I did both my callbacks at the same intensity and with the same energy and work ethic. After the callbacks for both roles was over, the MD came out to find me and asked “hey we just want to make sure you really mean Fantine or nothing and would turn Madame T down”. I said, “yes, this is probably my only real shot to play the role as the show will start a tour up again in a year (and i was right, it’s been touring again since 2015 with no signs of stopping). I can play Madame T for 30 more years.”. That coulda been it… perhaps they’d think i’m not a team player, or that i’m full of myself, or whatever. But i knew that i did not want to sit around at rehearsals watching someone else play the role. That would’ve really wrecked me. This was not a high end professional show, this was with peers and people my own age and level. I knew where I was ranking and knew that I could do it and be stronger than their other options. I wasn’t up against people with broadway shows, you know, and being delusional.
But, that night, I got the email offering me Fantine.
That hasn’t always happened though. I have another dream role (won’t share it in case people see this) and was cast in the ensemble. The other actor who got the role was fine but not great and I really believed the only reason they got it was because they were smaller and more conventional looking. I hope I’m wrong, but it wasn’t because they sang better than I did. I sucked it up and did hte show anyway. I had a good time, but it didn’t feel good.
So, my advice - yes, it’s high school so i’d encourage you to participate, build a thick skin, hang with your friends, etc. We don’t always get what we want blahblahblah. But, if you really think it will wreck your mental health if playing another role, then sit it out knowing that you are sacrificing an experience you can’t even get back. When you graduate there will be all kinds of shows to participate in, but in high school you only get a handful. When you are young I always encourage students to do all the shows you can. The only thing you can do is do your audition for BOTH roles at the same intensity. Do not “blow” the CB for the role you don’t want. That makes you look unprofessional.
Also, who knows… maybe the other role IS better for you! Give it a try and see how it all plays out. Don’t assume you know the ending.
Dreams Don’t Die
Julie