Things you just wont do

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

<p>In theater, people are often asked to do things outside of their comfort zone. Sometimes we may have misgivings about them, but we still do what is asked of us. However, many people have a line they wont cross and things they just wont do. What are some things, if any you have refused to do or would refuse to do if asked. Do you think refusing to do certain things could have a really bid negetive effect on your career?</p>

<p>What I would refuse to do is:</p>

<li><p>Appear nude, honestly I don’t care how artistic it may be I will not appear nude on stage.</p></li>
<li><p>Say or do anything insulting to the United States or to the military, unless I am the shows villian. I know it might be unpopular in the theatrical world to feel this way today, but I just couldn’t do that.</p></li>
<li><p>I could never do anything homosexual, now I don’t mean this as a slight on homosexuals but I am just not good enough of an actor to have, say, a makeout scene with another man and be convincing.</p></li>
</ol>

2

<p>I don't know if this is the policy across the board, but generally auditioners will inform you at the audition that a specific role requires nudity. If an actor isn't comfortable with that they simply do not audition for the show/that role. I don't think that's particularly limiting to one's career because the vast majority of plays (in my experience, anyway) do not have nudity.</p>

<p>The other points you mentioned, though, raise an interesting question. So much of American theatre is written because playwrights feel the need to speak out against a "norm," be that heterosexuality or a government they feel is unfair/acting poorly, etc. (I'm thinking of the theatre lineups of the various shows this year in my area, and I can think of few that don't fall into either category-- just at my theatre company, four of the five shows this season deal with one of these two themes.) Again, speaking strictly from my experience, I think this might limit you, simply because of the nature of much of the material that's being written now. </p>

<p>just my $0.02! I'd love to hear what everyone else has to say, it's an intriguing thing to think about. My personal feeling is that as long as the profanity/controversial thing/whatever is not gratuitous, and is absolutely necessary to the play, I would be willing to do it. Completely hypothetically speaking, of course, I'm sure there would be exceptions.</p>

3

<p>I personally also wouldn't do nudity on stage, (unless it is that tiny bit that is in spring awakening since that isn't really all that much). however, i don't swear much in normal life, and i tend to avoid monologues and shows that contain swearing (that i would be saying) just because i realize that when i do swear it comes off a little bit stronger than i mean it to. and it also sounds too forced. i'm not saying i would never do a show in which i had to swear. i would just prefer not to have to swear excessively. i'm going to try and work on sounding more normal swearing while i'm at college (away from my parents... my mother teaches preschool)</p>

4

<p>The first I can understand, but it's the LAST that really gets me! I can't ever imagine an actor flat out refusing to do homosexual roles because they don't think they'd make it believable. Won't that fact CHALLENGE you to do it? Excite you even? It's little things like that that MAKE me an actor. All those little challenges. Stepping into other's shoes. Walking in another skin. </p>

<p>Additionally, I would say the same about your second point. While you may not agree with what the playwright, isn't it a fun challenge to make it appear as if you do? I'm not saying you should give up your moral standards, such as a play that critiques a religious sect or something. But, overall, there aren't many things I won't do if I'm challenge to experience something new in my acting.</p>

<p>I'm even okay with nudity. I'm just not sure the audience necessarily would. ha ha.</p>

5

<p>This thread reminds me of another thread this fall that got pretty controversial but it is really an important issue if you are going to be an actor. </p>

<p>I will give my own opinion here. I think that acting and plays provoke thought about issues. As an actor, I don't think you need to agree with the issues, actions, words, etc. imbedded in the theatrical piece. You are interpretting the art of the play. You yourself are not agreeing or making statements, but rather portraying a piece of theater. You are not promoting or indoctrinating. You are acting out a work of art that will envoke emotion and thinking and the audience may be challenged by it, disagree with the issues conveyed, be enlightened, joyful, angry, sad, etc. </p>

<p>Very recently, I was working with a student who does musical theater. Her own political stance is very conservative. She adheres to certain values of her religion as well. However, she wrote an application essay about how she has to leave those at the door when she is onstage and portrays other values or political ideas she personally doesn't agree with but that is what acting is about. I learned today she got into her first choice college. :D </p>

<p>I'm not an actor. My child is. It so happens the musical my daughter is currently rehearsing, a premiere of a new work, Only Children, the Tisch Mainstage musical this season, involves very intense issues including sexuality. Actually, while a modern day tale, it has a basis on Wedekind's Spring Awakening. My daughter plays Wendy (if you have seen the musical of Spring Awakening, this character is Wendla) and her character will be nude at times in the show and is involved in sexual situations. I have no problem with it and by the way, those who auditioned and were called back were fully informed as to the subject matter and what was involved in this show as actors and could decide for themselves if they wanted to be considered for roles. </p>

<p>It is my opinion that if you are going into acting (plays, musicals), that you will be called upon to portray characters and situations and beliefs that you don't personally hold. That is what acting is. You need not agree with the material. You are acting it. Your personal values, morals, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and political ideals are not being challenged. You still hold those in your personal life but can act characters and situations on stage that differ from one's you uphold when off stage.</p>

6

<p>In my second paragraph above, I meant to type: "evoke" emotion. In my last sentence, I meant to write "ones" and not "one's." Oops, didn't proofread carefully.</p>

7

<p>I don't know how I feel about nudity. I think it'd be alright if I just showed by rear-end, but I dunno about frontal nudity. I also, for some reason, wouldn't want to go around bare-chested. I need to get over this because there are a lot of guys roles that need to take their shirt off every once in a while. I guess I'll just need to tone up my abs a little more :D</p>

<p>Otherwise I'd do anything. Everyone has to see that theater is strictly that- theater. It's not you saying or doing these things, its the characters. I was watching the movie Hate Crime today and this ultra-conservative religious extremist did a lot of gay-bashing and said really bad things and I was thinking whether or not I could do that for the movie, but then I remembered that those wouldn't be my words or my oppinion. You gotta do what you gotta do, whether it's kiss someone you really don't want to or say something that's really not something you'd say.</p>

8

<p>The issues raised by this thread and the points made by soozievt are important ones to be considered not only once one is out in the "real world" pursuing their careers but by students alike. As soozie's comments about her daughter reflect, these are issues for contemplation by students currently in theatre programs and those who are contemplating applying for a theatre program. Many schools stage shows with content and roles that could be considered controversial or at odds with one's personal set of values and personal life. My daughter, who is a freshman in an MT program, recently auditioned for her school's spring shows and was called back for roles including, among others, a prostitute and a lesbian lover (which included scenes where kissing occurred.) And in some ways I think a student may feel more pressure than an actor out in the "real world" when confronted with choices to be made about roles to pursue because of the "cloistered" and more limited environment of an academic setting and the student's more limited experience and frame of reference.</p>

<p>And for parents, this presents some great opportunities to have dialogue with our students about life values, artistic values and. the choices they will be making in their intended careers. It also presents a challenge to us to "let go" and trust in our kids' judgement.</p>

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<p>I agree with what you wrote, Michael, and those entering these college programs should have food for thought here. </p>

<p>Congrats to your D on her callbacks as a freshman! Come to think of it, the role my D is playing involves her turning tricks as a 12 year old with adults and so there seems to be prostitution roles both our D's are involved in.:D Actually, my D was a prostitute when she played Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde when she was 16. She hasn't portrayed a lesbian yet but I'm positive she would as part of a role. </p>

<p>College is not high school where they tend to put on "safer" shows. Like you said, many colleges put on shows with content and roles that go way beyond HS and may be controversial or deal with situations either beyond their personal beliefs or grapple with intense issues. It is challenging work. I personally think it is great as it lets the young person shed some inhibitions and try out characters, issues, beliefs that differ from their typical comfort zone and really stretch in their acting and in their portrayal of theatrical works beyond the typical safe happy musical that they may have done in high school (which are fun too).</p>

10

<p>At this present moment in time, I would pretty much do anything on stage. The exception being nudity, but that's because I am not comfortable with my body in its present physical condition, but when I am, nudity wouldn't bother me either. </p>

<p>As others have said, an actor has to step out of their comfort zones because they're not being themselves onstage, they're the character.</p>

11

<p>I very much agree with soozievt. From the point of view of British drama schools - you NEED to be willing to challenge yourself. If you are against nudity, playing a homosexual and speaking about anything against your home country, swearing, the military, etc - don't both applying to a UK drama school This does not mean everyone has to be nude at some point in their training and swear their head off insulting the US but you will certainly be dealing with scenes of a sexual nature, very probably also with the opposite sex, kissing (the stage/screen kind), political issues in plays/of characters you may not agree with and possibly removing clothing depending on your training/the show/etc. And you will definitely be swearing at some point. It does NOT mean that in the casting world you MUST do nudity to be accepted and respected. You can refuse to do it. But drama school training is all about exploring, breaking down barriers and discovering new avenues. You can only become a great actor if you commit yourself fully to whatever part you are cast in. I am not saying all great actors are those who do a nude scene. But all great actors are those who COMMIT and are willing to step out of their comfort zone as a person and as an actor.</p>

<p>I don't understand the homosexual bit either. Philip Quast, a wonderful MT performer who is married with two children has very convingly been portraying the gay lead in Cage aux Folles in London - including kissing his male stage partner in the final scene. Noone even blinks an eye lid here, least of all Quast. It's ACTING. Playing this part is a challenge he is probably currently embracing, usually being cast as the very straight, sexually attractive leading man in shows like Evita, South Pacific, Forum, etc. it's something new and different for him to explore as an actor - nothing more.</p>

<p>"I am just not good enough of an actor to have, say, a makeout scene with another man and be convincing." - Who told you that? I would let others decide whether you are good or not at acting, your job is just to act. Let critics and casting directors worry whether you are suitable and any good at it. I had to do a love scene with a girl at drama school in my second year and was VERY nervous because I thought everyone would laugh at me. It turned out to be a great experience and not scary at all. It was just another acting performance.</p>

12

<p>I can't think of anything I would REFUSE to do on stage or in acting class. I don't think I would LIKE doing some things. However, I think that those things will help me become a better actor. The line I won't cross is that I will not do nude on camera. I would hate having the biggest moment in my acting career involve being nude or crossing and uncrossing my legs in a short skirt minus underwear etc.</p>

13

<p>The professional performers I know are willing to do what they are asked to do by those they trust, i.e. those with artistic integrity and purpose, but not for gratuitous shock value. It will get easier to consider performance demands and issues for what they are as you mature as a person and as an artist. Absolutely hold your own personal standards of behavior and values, but consider the nature of your chosen profession, and understand that "acting" is acting, not being.</p>

14

<p>Remember that Diane Keaton, as a young performer, refused to appear nude in the finale of Hair and that didn't seem to hurt <em>her</em>:
Diane</a> Keaton: She wears the trousers - Independent Online Edition > Features
<<she spent="" her="" new="" york="" nights="" singing="" for="" supper="" in="" nightclubs.="" 1968="" she="" performed="" as="" an="" understudy="" the="" broadway="" musical="" hair="" and="" caused="" something="" of="" a="" ruckus="" by="" refusing="" to="" get="" naked="" (despite="" offer="" $50="" bonus="" if="" did).="" then="" got="" job="" which="" changed="" life,="" theatre="" production="" play="" it="" again,="" sam="" opposite="" its="" writer="" star,="" woody="" allen.="">></she></p>

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<p>I generally have never had a problem with any material I've been asked to perform. It's not me up there, it's the character, so I'm rather uninhibited.</p>

<p>The two things I would not want to do are nudity as I'm not comfortable enough with my body at this point and having something drastic done to my hair. Those two hangups alone did make me question whether I was too inhibited to work in theatre. :(</p>

16

<p>See, I'd be fine with anything already mentioned in this thread. Even nudity. </p>

<p>Though, come to think of it, I'd definitely be hesitant to accept a role that requires me to stop shaving my legs. I've done that once and it was not pretty.</p>

17

<p>haha i personally would hate to have to have hairy armpits for a show.... awkward and itchy. but that doesn't mean i wouldn't do it if the job required me to. i just wouldn't find it pleasant.</p>