<p>I am reposting this question I asked a few days ago (likely in the wrong forum). I am worried I may have inadvertently offended someone with the question, but I did promise my daughter who is a current junior that I would ask all of you -- the experts!</p>
<p>My daughter, who happens to be Caucasian - an ingenue type, is quite taken with the song "Waiting for Life to Begin" from Once on this Island. The song is sung in the show by Ti Moune, a dark-skinned peasant girl. </p>
<p>She was told by one casting director that she could never sing the song in an audition because she doesn't look like the character!!
Thoughts?</p>
<p>I disagree. I think this song could be sung by a Caucasian girl. My daughter is Caucasian and she played TiMoune in Once On This Island and she also played Little TiMoune in another production of this musical. As well, the musical production notes indicate that the show can be staged without dark skinned actors and the story line kept the same in the sense of it being about the different social classes. I know that many white girls have sung this song for auditions. There are SOME songs from SOME shows where race is integral to the roles/songs and in those cases, it is best to stick with songs for roles your D can conceivably play. But again, she could play TiMoune as my kid and many other white girls I know have played the part.</p>
<p>Thank you so much!! My daughter will be thrilled. She is working hard to get her material ready before the mad crush of audition season her senior year.</p>
<p>I have heard that song dozens of times successfully sung by by Caucasians females with no debilitating effect. Ahrens & Flaherty actually provide an alternate script for performance groups that do not have access to a culturally diverse population. In this case, you are fine - it is true that generally it is better to sing a song for which you might be cast. It is a great audition song - best of luck.</p>
<p>I love this site!! Thank you also for your information and words of encouragement. D is now a nonstop record of the song. (and still only a junior!)</p>
<p>That particular musical is not done that often professionally so I do not necessarily associate any of the roles or songs with any particular people. I think you can get away with it for college, for pro-theatre its iffy. Just be sure to have another piece in case they don’t like it and have a good reason for singing it, something that dramatically appeals to you.</p>
<p>I’ve used it for a college audition and I’m half Causcasian and half Filipino, and look more white than islander. I’ve also seen a Caucasian girl play Ti Moune in a youth production at a professional theatre. In most cases songs should be ok unless it’s very ethnically specific like from “The Color Purple.”</p>
<p>My D and I have a running list of “roles you [she] will never play.”
Since she has a pretty set type that is unlikely to change for many years, it is actually easy to narrow down songs that are appropriate for her to sing.</p>