<p>My son is in his HS musical and needs to grow a beard for his part - so he cannot shave for his auditions. Am I correct in assuming it would be better for him to mention when he first starts his audition why he didn't shave - rather than have them just think he couldn't be bothered, or that he always walks around scruffy looking.</p>
<p>How does he look in his head shot picture? My son had to shave his head completely bald for a part but that was in his sophomore year. I can’t even imagine if he had to audition for college with a bald head. Actors are always having to change their appearance and I guess if the adjudicator has a confused look on their face when they look at the head shot and then your son, I guess he could be upfront about why he looks a little different from his head shot. Hopefully, someone with more experience could answer this. Heck, if my son didn’t shave for a couple of days, he would have a beard. How long does it take your son to grow one and how soon after college auditions will he need the beard? Good luck!</p>
<p>I would explain. During most of audition season last year, my blonde son was a brunette because we had colored his hair with a semi-permanent dye for a play he was doing, and the color took a long time to wash out. At auditions they did sometimes ask about it, as his headshots were blonde. It didn’t seem to be a big cause for concern. People often have to alter their appearance for a role.</p>
<p>Like supportive’s son, my son can grow a beard in a matter of days, but I would be sure that he trims under his chin and around the edges so he doesn’t look too shaggy. If he needs that look for the show, they can dapple in some stubble with makeup. Be sure the show that needs the beard is on his resume.</p>
<p>Also, his audition material and clothes should support this bearded look. Break a leg!!!</p>
<p>You know, this just may be one of my all time favorite threads in the 3 years or so I’ve been reading this forum. I hope it goes viral and becomes one of the ones stuck at the top. :)</p>
<p>Devil’s advocate: take a tip from Nancy Reagan and just say NO! Come on? Probably 50-60% of the HS senior boys can’t really grow a beard. What if your son was one of them? Would they not cast him because he was folically challenged? </p>
<p>The boys in my son’s school did “Movember” (no shave) and from that sample I know there were some that had full beards about 10 minutes in and those like my son who you’d need a magnifying glass to understand he was even trying.</p>
<p>I would never let this interfere with his looking like his fresh face best during college auditions. It is not worth the risk nor should anyone ever start an audition with an explanation similar to “sorry… I’m sick”. They don’t want to hear excuses they just want you to do your thing. Besides, it is also nothing that a good fake and spirit gum can’t solve. JUST SAY NO. You have the perfect excuse this year. My 2 cents but again, I think this is my all time favorite question. :)</p>
<p>I don’t know much about beards, having 4 daughters and a husband who doesn’t have much facial hair, but do they have artificial beards, like wigs for the chin? I mean, that he could wear in the school production?</p>
<p>He can grow a beard - but it takes awhile. He had gone 2 months before the HS audition growing it, because he wanted it for the audition for the part - since he was auditioning for a specific role and new it would fit the part better. He shaved it off for Christmas - but has started regrowing it back at the request of the costume ladies. They also asked him not to cut his hair (he has lots of curls that grow really fast and was due for a cut). The last 2 years, he had to get his hair cut short for the shows.</p>
<p>I have to ask: “can he pull it off?” Because if he looks good with the beard (even better with the beard?) and it fits his “type”, then I say, go ahead!</p>
<p>Come on, whether or not he has a scruffy beard is not going to affect whether he is accepted to a theater program. Theater staff members are certainly aware that certain shows/directors may require facial hair. If he feels uncomfortable about it, he could mention it in a positive or humorous way during the audition – not as an apology.</p>
<p>I have to say, after reading the subsequent comments, I’m having second thoughts… </p>
<p>College auditions are so competitive now, even for boys; is having his own hard-to-come-by-beard for 1-2 weekends of a show really worth it? How important is it now? How important will it be on April 1st?</p>
<p>I don’t know the answers for him, but just some things to consider…</p>
<p>OK - we went with the beard yesterday at DeSales. He pulled it off. Other guys there had beards and some where in jeans. He sang “Falcon in the Dive” from the Scarlet Pimpernel - and the partial beard and what he wore actually worked well for the song we thought. He came out very excited about how the audition and interview went. Love when they come out confident!</p>
<p>Hi - This not as complicated as it is coming across. At your audition, simply explain that you are growing the beard for a role in a show. Your auditor will, beyond understanding, respect that you have dedication to the process. To those of you who have asked “is it worth it” - there is nothing to be lost - only respect to be gained for understanding about creating credible characters. I would hope that you would have a good headshot sans beard.</p>
<p>I’m just thinking aloud here, but girls are always cautioned not to have hair on their faces. My daughter has bangs, but she pins them back securely for an audition. I would think that the auditors would want to see his face. Having a clean shaven headshot will help (but even though her bangs are pulled back in her headshot, she always pulls back the bangs.) A beard is certainly more difficult to replace than a few hairpins, but I wonder if it is to his disadvantage if the auditors cannot see the lines of his face.</p>
<p>njmissy13 - just curious, what is the role?</p>
<p>glassharmonica - I don’t want to hijack the thread, but to your query: The reason for wanting to keep hair out of the face is we want to be able to see a persons eyes. “The eyes are the window to the soul”. The eyes do much to inform the emotions - if they a covered by bangs - maybe not a great idea. The same could be said of wearing a broad brim hat. Regarding a beard/mustache - not really a concern.</p>