<p>Howdy.</p>
<p>Just a curious question - In general, do you think top schools look for a certain image during auditions? I'm a 6'5" volleyball player - is this too tall for MT?? lol.. I know if there is an "ideal height" it would probably be 5'11"-6'? That sounds so short to me ;)</p>
<p>I know there's exceptions to everything, but any opinions on this??</p>
<p>Suppose someone were to say that yes, you are too tall for MT. What would you do then? Shrink? ;)</p>
<p>It's a non-issue if 1) you are tall and 2) you are interested in musical theatre. You can't change your height so you would be better served by using your time working on the best audition you can do. Good luck!</p>
<p>i would say the taller you are the better...tall men and women look really great on stage. and if you compare the actors performing in Branson, small regional theatres etc, to men and women on broadway...many times there is a difference in height.</p>
<p>I'm 6'3" so I can definitely relate to where you're coming from. I would just say to learn to love your height. Directors will definitely notice how tall you are, and if you give off the appearance that you love your height, you'll come off as a lot more confident than if you give off the appearance of wishing you were shorter. </p>
<p>Being tall can sometimes suck, because if you're in the chorus a lot of times you'll get moved to the back of the group, but it can also be really great because no one wants a really short leading man.</p>
<p>I love being tall >> Especially for volleyball... But yeah, always in the back for chorus... But I can always see above a big crowd ;) Just hoping it doesn't affect college decisions - I'm sure it won't be that big of a deal (no pun intended) lol</p>
<p>I agree with homeskulmom: you can't shrink, even if you wanted to. You're tall, and that's that.</p>
<p>I do think that a girl who stands 6'5" would be at a disadvantage in theater.</p>
<p>Think Tommy Tune!<br>
Remember that something that makes you not right for one role makes you perfect for another. Also, my son was recently told that Las Vegas casts tall.</p>
<p>i don't think there is a set height....kristin chenoweth is the tiniest person ever and she's made a pretty good career for herself.....yes, of course for some shows, they do say the women have to be at least 5'8, so i will be at a disadvantage since i'm only a couple of inches taller than kristin chenoweth!!</p>
<p>fyi when a friend of ours was raul (the boyfriend) in Phantom on Broadway, they made him wear heals. he's about 6'1" and it wasn't that the christine was taller than him, but i guess she wasn't short enough, so he had to wear slight heals in the show....apparently he would soak his feet every monday! so who knows about height!</p>
<p>BroadwayWannabe is right: how tall is too tall or not tall enough or just right depends on large part on lots of factors, including the height of the other people in the show! Kristin Chenoweth, who apparently stands 4'10" but can get her height to 5'1" using heels and hairspray :), is an extreme example. In fact, I would daresay that her stature is one of the factors that set her apart from others (that, and that amazing voice and comic timing!) in the first place.
I would think being a tall young man would end up, overall, being an advantage. (Unless Kristin Chenoweth is to be your co-star. In that case, they will need to have her wear VERY high heels! :))</p>
<p>Lisa</p>
<p>My short son (5' 4 1/2"), going on age 19, has not had trouble getting roles locally, but he knows there will be certain roles he would never play. Sometimes his shortness has worked to his advantage in casting, by being able to play younger than he is.</p>
<p>In his current show many of the adults are short, so he fits right in and doesn't even look that small. When we stand next to some of the other adults in the show, we can tell how short they are, but they don't look short on stage!</p>
<p>I think, for a guy, the taller you are, the better. Anything 5'10 or above is probably ideal but obviously if you're like 6'9 or something, well then you'll run into problems. I know a professional Broadway actor that was in the pre-Broadway tryout for a successful show. That show had a major lead recast and he was let go after the tryout because he was significantly shorter than the new actress cast. It's really tough for guys in the business cause it seems that the average girls' height is between 5'4-5'10 and they almost always are in heels; so guys that are under 5'10 are really feeling the effect of that I'm sure.</p>
<p>Obviously there are exceptions for shorter guys and girls, both still find work and are successful in the business. But being taller probably does give you a leg up, so to speak.</p>
<p>Height should never be a factor on one's acceptance into a MT program.</p>
<p>At OCU, we have 6'2" freshmen who get cast. We have short alumni (Chenoweth) who do well.</p>
<p>And...OCU has added volleyball this year as a one of the athletic teams (along with wrestling). OCU is planning on joining the NCAA in 2010.</p>
<p>kyle!! please do MT!! i'm 5'10" and need tall guys to be opposite!! hahahahaha.</p>
<p>maggie</p>
<p>Kyle,</p>
<p>In summer stock this season the guy that is playing Gaston to my Ss Beast in Beauty and the Beast is 6 7. My son is nearly 6 2, Belle is about 5 5 it should make an interesting visual. I do have to admit my son is praying that he is done growing, he has five cousins 64 6 9 who didnt reach there full height until early twenties and he turned 19 last week.</p>
<p>I also love hearing of taller young men in MT...my d is a dancer who is a "generous" 5'9" tall. It's difficult to partner with men who are not very tall! It was a pleasure for her to be in a show recently and get to dance with a talented partner who was actually taller than she is (though, when she put on heels, she was a bit taller...).</p>
<p>So, ;)</p>
<p>i'm 6'2". the perfect height for a male in musical theater.</p>
<p>BUT, it is also my belief that THAT does not matter. musical theater is such a wide field, and there are roles for person of all shapes and sizes. that is the truth, especially when it comes to height.</p>
<p>Let me think of all the roles that tall people could possibly have an advantage at when auditioning:</p>
<p>Javert in Les Miserables
Beast in Beauty and the Beast
Billy Flynn in Chicago
Thenardier in Les Miserables
Dr. Parker in Bat Boy
The Baker in Into the Woods
THE GIANT in Into the Woods
Many of the males in A Chorus Line
Sid in The Pajama Game
John Wilkes Booth in Assassins</p>
<p>Shorter People:
Connie (4 foot 10) in A Chorus Line
Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables
Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray
Eponine in Les Miserables
Any young character in any musical, pretty much.</p>
<p>So you see, it doesn't really matter what your height is. Don't worry about it so much. One less thing to worry about is one more thing that will make you more confident in an audition setting. You never know... especially for a new musical, when the directors and casting directors are auditioning people, they may see someone who could completely change their view of the character so they will cast an extremely tall or rather short person in the role.</p>
<p>My point is: colleges know this. Some schools might be nit-picky, yes. Others might not at all. Don't worry about it though... if you are tall, go into the audition and sell yourself... ALL of yourself. If you're short, show them that great things come in small packages. </p>
<p>Good luck everyone!</p>
<p>Quick, someone tell Tommy Tune that he is too tall to be so terrific! Seriously, I agree with the others that say that, if you are good, directors will remember you and also you will be needed to counterbalance those 5'10" girls out there! Good luck!</p>
<p>My experience, being a tall person, is that sometimes even though I am an "ideal" height, I am not cast because of it.</p>
<p>Casting has to do with relative height. Your height really doesn't matter except in the relation it has to other people being cast. being 5'11" is good for a medium height cast, you are not short at all. Don't worry about it, you height should definately not bar you from getting into any schools.</p>
<p>Bump for the Too Short for MT thread...</p>
<p>6'7" ?????!!!! sounds like an awesome Beast! lol</p>