<p>This question has brought out so many interesting points and feelings. I totally agree with all who have said that when you make a committment to audition you need to accept whatever you are given, and also that the ensemble is very important. However, I also agree with all those who have said that it depends on the school, the director, the talent of the other kids, the talent of your kid, the level of committment all are putting out for the musical. My d is a senior in a HS which has an arts program, she has always gotten leads except in 9th grade where it was school policy to not give leads to 9th graders but even here she got a featured ensemble part. This is her senior year, last school musical, and we are in the mist of college auditions. She just got Rose in "Bye Bye Birdie", she will be able to sing, dance and act and everyone in the neighborhood is excited about seeing this large ensemble play. She will play this part well, in some ways it was made for her, she didn't really have any competition for this part although all the other leads are talented, however, I have been hearing quite a bit about unfair school politics and how seniors at times who should have had the leads were put in an emsemble part because a director wanted someone in for their own reasons. I personally am so grateful that my d got the part she deserved during this stressful time of her life and can graduate with pride being the MT kid that she is. My heart goes out to those parents who's kids got thown a wammy just before pursuing their MT college dreams. I am also grateful that she doesn't have to watch someone with little talent play this part while she watches heart broken from the sidelines.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your obviously very talented and hardworking daughter, shellipearl. It will, indeed, be lovely for your D to play the lead in "Birdie" as her last "hurrah" before graduating hs this spring.
Re: politics playing a part in casting in high school and community theater. Perhaps this is cynical (OK, it <em>is</em>) but my guess is that politics of some kind will always play a role in casting. I guess what I am trying to say is that casting (whether it is a high school, college, community or professional production) will never be completely fair. It can't be. Bias of some kind is always involved, simply because casting a musical or a play is, in many ways, very subjective and influenced by, for lack of a better word, the individual taste and judgment of the people doing the casting. I think that the sooner our kids (and we!) understand this, the better we all will be able to cope with what seem to be the vagaries of casting and life as a musical theater actor.</p>
<p>I agree, it's a hard and competitive life these kids are in for so they really need to love it whole heartedly, take the bumps and keep going. I know we will always worry for them because they are our kids, but somehow we'll probably worry a little bit differently as they are musical theater kids and its a rewarding but difficult and unpredictible life, and as you say casting will always be the great unknown mixed it with unfairness and of course who you know, and bottom line alot of luck. And furthermore as they get older we take on more of a role as being supportive and lending a good listening ear.</p>
<p>I have been away for a bit during the holidays, but I wanted to weigh in on the original poster's question.</p>
<p>Many schools will not place a great deal of weight on the resume. The reason why is quite simple: we see students from all over the country with an incredibly wide range of experiences and opportunities. Some students come from high schools with very active theatre programs in areas that have a vibrant community theatre scene. Those students have the opportunity to develop a lengthy resume during their formative years while another student, equally talented, may not have the same opportunity due to geographical limitations. Additionally, we see students who have had the benefit of (often expensive) top-notch training, while the next student in the room may have had only the prospect of participation in high school chorus.
Potential can take many forms.</p>
<p>That said, if there is a glaring incongruity with the resume, it is usually noted (positive or negative.) I also agree with several previous posters that experience usually yields a more polished audition. Every audition; every role; every experience becomes part of the actor's toolbox that they carry with them.</p>