nellebelle

Jackie auditioned for a play last night. It was her third audition with the same theater and she felt really good about it. We just found out that she didn't get a part. She is SO disappointed. She didn't get a part the last two times either, but didn't mind so much then.

I can't think of what to say or do to comfort her. We usually help at the concessions during the plays. She says she doesn't want to work for concessions or even see this play.

Any ideas?

Mary Ellen





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Paula Sjogerman

On Jan 11, 2006, at 3:30 PM, [email protected]
wrote:

> Jackie auditioned for a play last night. It was her third audition
> with the same theater and she felt really good about it. We just
> found out that she didn't get a part. She is SO disappointed. She
> didn't get a part the last two times either, but didn't mind so
> much then.
>
> I can't think of what to say or do to comfort her. We usually help
> at the concessions during the plays. She says she doesn't want to
> work for concessions or even see this play.
>
> Any ideas?

Call the director and ask for feedback about her auditions and what
they are looking for in actors. Be super nice and let them know
you're not complaining, that you just want to know how to do better
next time. Does the theater also give classes? That might be a good
way for your daughter to gain skills and let the theater folk get to
know her better.

Paula

"We worry about what a child will be tomorrow, yet we forget that the
child is already someone today."

Heather Woodward

Sometimes, it has nothing to do with the quality of acting, but rather how
the director views the characters.

My daughter and I did Ramona Quimby at a local theater - and the lead role
for Ramona was not at all what I pictured Ramona to be like when I read the
books. However, the girl was really good and it worked out great....but
often it is just perception on the part of the director - or whoever is
doing the casting. I do think the suggestion of calling the director is good
as well - but I would venture to guess that it is not that your daughter did
a poor audition - but just that there was someone else who the director
thought fit the role....

When we did audition for Ramona - my daughter was not offered a major part
but was in the children's ensemble. I thought she would be really
disappointed but overall was just happy being part of the play. I imagine
that if she tried three times and didn't get a major part she would be
disappointed - just like your daughter. When I was in high school this
happened to me because I had a major role, and then the next play didn't get
one. I just assumed it was me - and I never auditioned again - until Ramona.
I think the perspective I have of the whole process as an adult is not the
same as I had when I was a teen. I totally internalized at that time, but
now I can see that it wasn't me per se - but that I didn't fit the roles.

I hope your daughter will try again - or try with another theater!! And tell
her to make sure she doesn't wait 20 years like I did! I missed a lot of
fun!

Heather



----- Original Message -----
From: "Paula Sjogerman" <sjogy@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 4:39 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Re: Disappointment


>
> On Jan 11, 2006, at 3:30 PM, [email protected]
> wrote:
>
> > Jackie auditioned for a play last night. It was her third audition
> > with the same theater and she felt really good about it. We just
> > found out that she didn't get a part. She is SO disappointed. She
> > didn't get a part the last two times either, but didn't mind so
> > much then.
> >
> > I can't think of what to say or do to comfort her. We usually help
> > at the concessions during the plays. She says she doesn't want to
> > work for concessions or even see this play.
> >
> > Any ideas?
>
> Call the director and ask for feedback about her auditions and what
> they are looking for in actors. Be super nice and let them know
> you're not complaining, that you just want to know how to do better
> next time. Does the theater also give classes? That might be a good
> way for your daughter to gain skills and let the theater folk get to
> know her better.
>
> Paula
>
> "We worry about what a child will be tomorrow, yet we forget that the
> child is already someone today."
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
<http://www.unschooling.info>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Sandra Dodd

On Jan 11, 2006, at 1:47 PM, nellebelle wrote:

> I can't think of what to say or do to comfort her. We usually help
> at the concessions during the plays. She says she doesn't want to
> work for concessions or even see this play.
>
> Any ideas?

I wouldn't make her work concessions, if she thinks that would make
her feel better. Find another cool thing to do with that time and
energy if she wants to do that. But it might help for you to look
up some actors' biographies to find stories of how many times
professionals had been turned down in the past, or when they were new
(or even now).

Sandra

nellebelle

>>>>>>>>>>But it might help for you to look
up some actors' biographies to find stories of how many times
professionals had been turned down>>>>>>>>>>>>>

That's a good idea. Thanks.

I will talk to the director too, to find out if Jackie needs to work on something or if it was just a case of someone else being better suited for the role. We did discuss that about 4 times the number of people needed tried out. LOTS of people did not get a part.

We are going tonight to work concessions for the current play. She wants to go. She said that maybe she will work at the one she didn't get a part in too.

When her dad found out on Wednesday that she didn't get the part, he took a little time off work and took her out for lunch. She came home from that quite a bit cheered up.

We've also been able to think of some things that will work out better because she didn't get a part. Lisa has a dance competition in Idaho the second weekend of the play. Now Jackie will be able to come with us to that.

Mary Ellen

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]