<p>Excellent list for any actor, Tarhunt. I don't think it's only children's theater that encourages indicating, mugging, overacting, playing the issue, upstaging, not listening and not reacting in a realistic manner, and so on. Unfortunately, these bad habits are not confined to children's theater. They abound in many community theater productions, too. In fact, I daresay that they are <em>rewarded</em> in most garden variety community and children's productions.</p>
<p>Another way to "round out" your daughter's experience is to encourage her to audition for straight plays. On-camera work will most definitely be heplful, but my daughter found that participating in straight plays increased her understanding as an actor. She eventually landed lead roles in plays her last three years in high school and learned so much, which she took back to the musical stage with her. She did not give up MT during this time. Makes for a much better rounded actor, even though lots of MT kids seem to turn their noses up at straight plays, opting to do a 2 dimensional MT part they have already secured in their stockpile of abilities. My two cents.</p>
<p>ttmom, yes, yes, YES! I am not one of those who think MT requires no acting skills (quite the contrary), but I do think straight plays require the cultivation of a deeper set of acting skills that an MTer can then take back with her or him to that genre. But it's not only MT kids who turn their noses up at plays; the reverse is true, as well. (Witness the post above that notes that non musicals are referred to as the "legitimate theater." :)) Any person who plans to make his or her living on the stage would be advised to have as many tools in his or her performance arsenal as possible. My D does both plays and musicals and loves them equally.</p>
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(Witness the post above that notes that non musicals are referred to as the "legitimate theater."
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<p>Well, this is ... actually ... true. And it is what it is. </p>
<p>If you haven't seen "Slings and Arrows" yet, I highly recommend all three seasons. The third season has an especially wonderful (and comic) look at the schism between MT and "legitimate" actors ;-).</p>
<p>But Tarhunt, don't you think that, in a way, that (referring to straight plays as "legitimate" theater, which only makes us conclude that there is something, um, illegitimate about musicals!) is a bit of snobbery and what's more, undeserved snobbery? Musicals are not plays, and plays are not musicals. They are different animals/genres. Why measure one against the other when each has so much to offer, both to the performers involved and (even more) to the audience?</p>
<p>NotMama:</p>
<p>I don't think what I think is very important. In the original message, I simply reported what is. And I know so many kids in MT who are simply amazed by the fact that they are not considered "legitimate" actors by non-MT performers.</p>
<p>It is what it is.</p>
<p>It may be what is, but it doesn't have to be, if you read my meaning. It's silly stuff, in my opinion. Thanks for telling us about Slings & Arrows. I need to get my hands on season one ...</p>
<p>That's a long list of bad habits. That will be useful to review now and then.</p>
<p>Thankfully D had a director for The Children's Hour (now there's a serious play) who impressed upon her the importance of always being natural. As far as I can tell she has taken that with her in her MT work. </p>
<p>More than once in her teen and community theatre shows, D has been required to write out the history of her character and really rip into why she is doing what. She also was required to read the book or original straight play from whence the musicals came. So there is some positive acting training happening in the world of musicals!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the good ideas.</p>
<p>Aw, shoot. Give me some time, and I'm sure I can come up with a lot MORE bad habits ;-).</p>
<p>Can someone give me some examples of their or their child's resumes I am curious as to what others not in our area have done. thanks!</p>
<p>IBeelieve, I was told by the Dean of a top performing arts department that the resume doesn't matter. They judge potential & talent from the audition. Just have your son take part in what he really enjoys & wants to do & can handle without letting his grades slide. If he's a weak dancer, for example, get some training. If he's always wanted to try some opera but was too busy with musicals, then help him find an opera fest or some other outlet. As long as he's active & involved, the resume doesn't have to have specific numbers of shows/camps/etc.</p>
<p>IBEElieveINU - I think there is way too much emphasis on these threads of people worrying about the resume. If it shows an interest in theatre and some amount of training, I would totally not worry about it. From our auditions, I felt that the resume truly did not matter. People come from a wide range of training and experience and get into good programs.</p>
<p>Ericsmom is right. It's not about the piece of paper. </p>
<p>Look, the performing arts are different. In music and theatre and dance, we have auditions. They are a remarkably democratic job screening device. In law, a resume that says you graduated summa cum laude from Harvard may in fact give you an edge in getting hired by a prestigious firm in NYC. But that's only because the firm has no other way to discriminate between the Harvard graduate and the one from Capital University. Believe me, they wish they had auditions. They take big chances based on resumes and interviews.</p>
<p>But in the theatre, the resume by itself is interesting for the ten seconds between "Hello, what are you going to do for us today?" and the first sound out of the actor's mouth. I may have somewhat higher expectations for the young actor who's done five shows a year for ten years, and has an Equity card, than I will for the actor who did a play for the first time in his junior year. But I'm absolutely willing to be surprised and delighted by either one. Kat and All4FSU and all the rest of the faculty reps who post on this board will, I am confident, say exactly the same thing.</p>
<p>The question you should be asking yourself as a parent is not, "What will this look like on my kid's resume?" but rather, "Is this a helpful and growing experience for my kid right now?" Being in yet another play with the same company and the same directors and the same actors may not be. Or it may be fine, if your kid is the kind who thrives on working all the time and starts to lose focus and whose grades start to slip when he's not in a play. You're the best judge of that.</p>
<p>But please, you don't need to worry about what's on the resume. Worry instead about whether your kid is happy and learning and growing as a human being. The rest will follow.</p>
<p>"Is this a helpful and growing experience for my kid right now?" I'm going to post that question around my house to remind me of what really matters.
I think I should post it in my car, too! :)</p>
<p>Excellent advice from doctorjohn. And yes, advice that all of us (even those of us who are all grown up!) might want to use when deciding what to say "yes" to and what to say "no" to. (I have to say that I am saddened by the trend that has kids -- and not just theater kids, all kids -- living their lives in high school trying to create a resume that will look good to colleges. I feel fortunate that I grew up in a time when it would never have occurred to me or my parents to do that. I just joined the clubs and did the activities I felt like doing, and those included hanging with friends, reading for hours and just doing nothing. I sometimes feel sorry for our kids' generation ....)</p>
<p>Thank-you so much to everyone for their input. I guess I am just curious as to what he may be up against....not for his resume....for us...We just want to know what shows other kids have done ie parts,songs,and did they like or dislike the show. My s high school is doing BRIGADOON my s is disappointed because he thought they were doing CAROUSEL, he saw it over the summer and really wanted to do it..he said he is not into the kilt lol. Did anyone do it and what part did they play and did they like it?</p>
<p>Believe me he loves being on stage he is a bear on Mon after show week I'm just the ride. I would get him lessons if I could afford it. We are not trying to "create" a resume , we are just as to what shows his peers have done that's all. Maybe we are on the wrong board for that.</p>
<p>IBEElieveINU, to be honest, even if everyone on this board posted an extensive list of what roles/shows they have been in, it wouldn't really help your son measure what "he may be up against" in college admissions. The quality of shows done by high schools and community and kids' groups varies wildly, so much so that a kid who has a lead in one production could be getting less-great experience and training than a kid who was in the ensemble in another, or who has never been in shows but is taking voice and dance lessons. Some kids go into college auditions with long resumes filled with leads, and others have only done a few things. Some have done professional shows in Equity venues, and others have only been in two or three things put on by their church or synagogue performing arts troupe. What matters most, as everyone has already pointed out, is what the adjudicators see in your son the day of his audition. They are quite skilled not only at being able to assess where his skill level is on that day, but also his potential. (By the way, I think your son may end up loving Brigadoon, though Carousel is also a wonderful show.) Best of luck to your son!</p>
<p>Thank-you for the luck NotMamaRose!</p>
<p>Hey, we all need all the good wishes we can get! Break a leg, everybody! ;)</p>