Dual Casting - 2007/02/19 00:39Okay, so this is sort of a performing topic! lol. My old high school just held Beauty and the Beast auditions, and the results were a little crazy. The usually AMAZING director double cast the role of Belle, saying that they will split the performances, each doing half.
I found this a little wonky. Particularly because one of these Belles is his Pet that he has given many many leads to throughout her high school career. She is an excellent actress and a mediocre singer, but she does NOT fit the part at all. She doesn't physically fit the part, does not sing well enough, and is a bit too much of an over-actor to play Belle. The other girl is a mediocre actor, but a much better singer than the Pet. She has only been in a few plays, but I think she can pull of the role. Anyway, what this long story comes down to is that I have suspicsions he only double cast the role so that the Pet wouldn't be upset (She is a senior...This is her last play..)
Does anyone else feel that he should have just made a decision...that this is not fair to either of the girls OR the other people in the play? Let me know what you think!*Stephanie*
Favorite roles: Petey Fisk in Greater Tuna The Cat in The Hat in Seussical Dainty June in Gypsy
Next Audition...High School Musical
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umm, i honestly dont see anything bad with double casting as long as the rest of the cast is prepared for that challenge, are they?
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AmandaC
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/02/19 00:55It does sdeem as if he did it to make his "pet" happy, but since it at school directors don't want anyone to be upset. I personally don't think leads should be double cast. Most directors do it for equally opportunity but this seems like he just thought "Oh no, she;s better, but she wants it...they both get it!" I think for that he should have made a decision.The opposite of Rent is Oklahoma!!! Why didn't I think of that?
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ConverseSneaker
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/02/20 08:13I personally think he should have made his pet the understudy, and maybe for some pratices, have the cast work with her instead in case something happens to Belle and she has to go on.To go into acting is like asking for admission to an insane asylum. Anyone may apply, but only the certifiably insane are admitted.
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aliauthor
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/04/17 20:13wow, I think its a gargantuan mistake for a director to double cast the lead roles. They are in most scenes, ya know, and you have to spend twice as much time blcoking, etc. with both lead parts. Couldn't she have been the understudy? (shakes head). Double casting should be reserved for small supporting roles (in BATB, Cogsworth for example).-Ali
Currently: -Sheila; Boys Next Door (postshow depression mode) -acceptance to acting ensemble -Bye Bye Birdie (audition- didn't get a callback)
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ConverseSneaker
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/04/18 15:24I think double casting actually should be only for children. So in this, show, Chip should be the only character double-casted.To go into acting is like asking for admission to an insane asylum. Anyone may apply, but only the certifiably insane are admitted.
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HasBeen
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/04/18 22:49My high school director always double cast all of the major roles (even some more minor parts, like Harry Beaton in Brigadoon). I thought it was very nice, because it gave that many more people the opportunity to play a speaking/singing role.
Every year there was one person who was basically inevitable for one of the two casts. The second person was usually somewhat of a surprise, and I'm glad those people had their chance as well. I think it could have created some resentment if the same people got all of the roles over and over.
[Full disclosure note: I'm saying this as one of the people who always got the lead tenor role. At the risk of sounding conceited, I was generally the better singer/dancer of the two tenors, but the other person was inevitably a far better actor, which was/is definitely not my strong point.) At any rate, I never felt threatened by double casting.]
Of course you want to produce a quality show (and I've seen some high school productions that were amazingly professional--my school was definitely not one of them). However, I think in high school it's more about the experience and being as inclusive as possible. The ones who continue in the theater will have plenty of opportunities, but for many of the kids in high school this might be the only time they will get a role in a musical.
Henrik
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Sneffy03
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/04/23 00:18So the show that this post was about was this weekend...and I have to say both of the Belles did an Amazing job! The one Belle sang it perfectly, she could have been the belle from Disney. The other one was a little weaker on the songs, but her connections with the other characters was so much better. She acted the part to a T. I can see now why the director cast them both...but it was a challenge for the cast. Maybe that's a good thing?
Oh yeah...and maybe he double cast the wrong role!! After the second show (there were 4) The guy playing Maurice got into an accident where he broke his foot. He had to be in the hospital during the whole third show and is now in a wheel chair. To fill his part they brought in...his big brother! He graduated last year, and is one of the best actors I know. Most people probably think they should have brought in someone from the ensemble, but trust me...no one else could have learned this part this fast. The first night, after only 3 hours of learning blocking and dialogue...he went on he had to use cue cards. but he was really slick about it...it actually looked like he was supposed to be using them! By today's matinee he had the whole part memorized, and did an amazing job. Everyone was so proud of him...I can't imagine going on stage having only started looking at the part 3 hours before the show!!
Well that's my little follow up...The show was great, so maybe I should have put more trust in the director's decision...*Stephanie*
Favorite roles: Petey Fisk in Greater Tuna The Cat in The Hat in Seussical Dainty June in Gypsy
Next Audition...High School Musical
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Eranke
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/07/26 13:40At my school we double cast every role...so I don't really think that it's that big of a deal.-Eric Favorite Role: Jean Valjean Currently: Parchester, the Family Solicitor in Me and My Girl and getting ready for college auditions
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OnStage56
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Re:Dual Casting - 2007/07/26 17:09My high school does that with the dramas. We have two separte casts. One is for grades 7-9 and the other is for grades 10-12. It's very silly. One cast always gets left out to work on their own thing. I remember the first this happened I was in the younger cast, and we had to do EVERYTHING ourselves. The senior cast had the director, but they didn't do anything, they didn't know their lines or direction, and their lead was forced to drop out. When I stepped in for them, I knew more than the entire cast, and they were juniors and seniors, and I was only in 9th grade. Funny how that works!
We've never had that with musicals though. Very ridiculously stupid understudies are assigned. Our female roles are the only ones with real understudies that actually make sense or if we have someone that may or may not be able to do it. Our director seems to think we're famous for that, because our female lead in Molly Brown made All-State Chorus and couldn't do the show. This was like a month and a half before the show, and the understudy stepped in and did a great job. Apparently that makes us famous for that...We all lead such elaborate lives Favorite Shows: AIDA, Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, Jekyll and Hyde, Sweeney Todd, City of Angels, Les Miserables
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