This time around, being a part of production for 'TheWho'sT' aka TWOT - I'm really getting to see how the other side works. How many decisions are made, some based on seemingly arbitrary yet instinctual reasoning. Like casting. And auditions in general. One of the things I've been getting used to is trying to make unbiased and objective decisions. It's not easy. And also, a completely idealized situation - in that it's FICTIONAL. An actor can always make the entire audition process easier on themselves by repeating over and over, "It's just the business...it's just the business." And, I'm learning as associate producer - how much of that is true and how much it isn't. New faces can have such a hard time breaking into the business based on the fact that producers often pick people they know and like over untested talent - it's the reason they started a theater company in the first place! So that their friends who weren't getting cast could finally get cast. Remember, Steppenwolf and Berkeley Rep and the Actors Gang were once fledgling companies full of new talent too; they made their mistakes, built reputations and evolved. It's completely unfair of course, but the best thing for actors to do is just get over it and move on. You will always have greater and better opportunities come along. Or it could be a wake up call to get your ass to class or to make that financial sacrifice for a greater artistic/career return later on.On the production side, we have to get over the feeling that we're hurting people's feelings for the greater good of the show. There were definitely some decisions made in this process that I did not agree with; I'm only hoping that our director and musical director are making decisions that will make a better show. (We can often lose sight of the greater goal in light of keeping our current relationships intact.) I HATED having to tell my friend who was up for a lead that we were only giving her a smaller female soloist part, esp. since she rocked the audition. But in the grander scheme of things - you have to look at the big picture. She was able to get good feedback from me and the reassurance that it wasn't her talent at all, but her biological age, which is literally nothing she can do about.
It's also learning how to be a bottom liner and a hard ass. I get that people are upset when they don't get cast in the part that they want, but it doesn't mean that we're bad people. We're putting on a show with the cast that makes the best sense. Ian McKellen and Selena Gomez might be fine, fiscally sound decisions for each of their distinct genres - but does that mean we put them into a film together? Mymymy was complaining all through breakfast this morning about Josh Groban's wooden acting in 'Chess'. I'm waiting to see it for myself, but part of me poo-poos her opinion - when did SHE last take an acting class? And at the same time, it IS her opinion, as the unschooled and uneducated audience layperson as it were, that matters to the funders and producers of something as widely televised as a concert version of an Abba musical on PBS. Not every person who goes to see your show is going to be an aficionado. So general appeal is something you always have to be aware of as well as artistic/critical acclaim.
There's also things like chemistry between actors, addictions or diva attitudes any of them might have, other time commitments, commitment level in general, visual appeal or appropriateness, willingness to work/flexibility, blend-chorale voice vs. unusual, union status...all sorts of things go into a casting session.
It's just the business...
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Hiked 6 miles of Muir Wood beauty with Bagel yesterday. Didn't leave the city til 1:30 and got caught up in touristy traffic; but still ended up with an amazing parking spot. We had driven all the way down the hill looking for parking, turned around and decided to head back to one of the larger lots, where we staked out an opening. Bagel started to get antsy, "We're never going to get a spot, there are five people ahead of us." Sometimes, the simple phrase, "Have faith," while said in a moment of jest, means more to one person than another. We got an awesome space when someone behind us left. high-five!
Ironically, he wore a Stanford t-shirt and I was wearing a Cal windbreaker - on purpose. I don't know if we did that to ourselves, but it's weird to have the same sort of brain as somebody else.
Dipsea Trail was a whole lot of up on the way, but offered an amazingly beautiful and often shaded trail. The redwood grove main trail while paved, looked swamped with people - while the one we were on was incredibly serene (probably helped that we were hiking around 3pm) and gave us time to catch up, hike at our own pace and relax. On the way back we ran into three women, foraging, who asked us, "Can we eat these berries?" Uhm...isn't one of the main rules of hiking is that you never eat anything you find on the trail? We were joking later, "Headlines; three women hospitalized after eating poisoned trail berries. Stanford and Cal student sought for questioning."
Tons of darkly moist glens, a good workout and an astounding view of the Bay up at the top while spending more time with a new friend is always a good way to spend your Saturday.
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later: Father's Day @ MBC and some more good acting news!
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