<p>Your daughter should go for it! We know very short people in very good college programs. I think your height could affect your casting in shows both in college and in the profession, but that is okay - they need people of all sizes. There may be certain roles you wouldn't be cast for, but that is okay, too. The point above about a short guy and a short girl playing opposite each other probably works, as well. </p>
<p>This topic has been discussed several times before. My son is on the short side and had some good success in acceptances in last year's auditions, so it did not seem to matter to many schools that he was short. Both at college already and in our city before, he has had the opportunity to play many young roles because of his height. This was also discussed above. </p>
<p>I find this thread extremely interesting, as we have the opposite problem in my house! My S is very tall and thin. Last year when he was auditioning, his stature was mentioned by the auditors several times at different schools. One person, who was the HEAD of the the MT dept. said to my S as he entered the room to audition, "What do you weigh, about 70 lbs.?" Can you believe that? I am sure he would not make a similar comment to an overweight person. Luckily my S is very used to comments like that and did not let it rattle him. He is constantly being told to gain weight! We always thought his height would be an advantage (6'3"), but now I am not so sure. I know he will fill out, as my husband was the same way when he was young. I guess none of us really know what the future holds so you just have to make the most out of what you've got!!</p>
<p>May I suggest that all of us try to think of theater as a business, because that is what it is. All theater is in the business of illusion to one degree or another. Sometimes, that illusion may be deliberately broken (see "Berthold Brecht") and at other times, the idea is to completely suck the audience in so that they feel they're seeing a slice of life through a transparent, fourth wall.</p>
<p>The issue of height and every other physical characteristic is an issue of probability (and I'm speaking of the business, now, not whether one can be admitted to a training program). Short people can play children until their faces get too old. And then what? Very tall women sometimes have difficulty getting cast in leading roles because most directors would feel a need to find a taller male to cast opposite them ... and one of sufficient skill isn't always available. If you are white in the US, you will not play Othello. If you are 5' 1" tall and skinny, you are EXTREMELY unlikely to play the Scottish king. If you are 18, it would be foolish to cast you as Lear. </p>
<p>This isn't to say that actors don't get cast against type or, in some cases, are perfect because of a sight gag. For instance, it's common to cast a very tall woman as Audrey and a short man as Seymour in "Little Shop" because of the visual look. Dustin Hoffman was cast in the movie "The Graduate" over Robert Redford because, in the audition, he brought something to the role that the director/producers liked.</p>
<p>It does happen, but theater is like sport in that certain body types tend to succeed more readily in certain areas. You don't see too many top mesomorph long-distance runners and you don't see too many ectomorph top sprinters.</p>
<p>So, all the examples above are useful in making the point that physical characteristics don't absolutely determine success in various roles, but I think it's also important to remember the odds.</p>
<p>How weird! I forgot to mention in my earlier post about the vertically challenged that one of my d's best friends is CT Mom's son, who is 6'3 and we often joke how they'll NEVER play against each other! Hey, CT Mom - Happy Holidays!!</p>
<p>If you're on stage, they'll make the pants ;-).</p>
<p>I was once at an audition for "Terra Nova." After a while, it became obvious which men were being read again and again for Scott. I was one of them. I read with one woman for the only female role in the show, which is Scott's wife. I"m about 6' 2", and she was probaby 6 feet tall wearing the heels she was wearing! As diplomatically as I possibly could, I suggested that she lose the heels since she had almost no chance of being cast if I wasn't cast, since I was the only man her height being read for the role.</p>
<p>She took off her heels. With any luck, she'll never audition in heels again unless she's auditioning for some role that requires a towering woman.</p>
<p>My D is 5'9 and she's opted for low heels and a knee length dress. Tall actresses will no doubt be challenged, but tall or small, stand up and be proud! A tall actress who carries herself with grace can command the stage. Julia Roberts & Nicole Kidman are both over 5'10. They both started out on the live stage and sometimes return to it.</p>
<p>It's pretty clear that the one thong we really can't alter is height (give of take a few inches with heels for the girls!), but has anyone else had their daughter told that she is "too tall"- when she is 5'6"? I'm not talking Children's Theatre either, but "regular" productions. I know that we do have several unusually short teenageed boys in this area (they run between 5'2" and 5'4") and they seem to be in everything as they are the ones that are constantly out there auditioning. I was just wondering if this "phenomenon" disappeared later on! (she is in 10th grade!)</p>
<pre><code> It's got to be the area. At my D's HS the male leads are almost always 6'0 and up. My D's height has not been a problem thus far, but if you look at the average male actor out there, they are not exactly towering men....
</code></pre>
<p>Defy, my S is also tall and broad, not as tall as you though, and he did play football, although he ended up leaving it to do more MT. Shuler Hensley, Tony winner, who is about your size, (my S got meet him and sing with him and he IS A BIG GUY) went to college on a baseball scholarship and look where he ended up! Think The Beast, Gaston, Jean Val Jean, Javert, etc!</p>
<p>I'm 5'8, and there have been times when, for particular shows at my HS, I have been cast in smaller roles because I'm tall and the particular guy they wanted for the lead wasn't tall enough. However, there aren't any guys taller than 5'11 in my department, so it's good to hear that there are plenty of taller male MT-ers out there! I also think that having an atypical height, tall or short, could be an advantage at BFA auditions since many departments look for a very diverse class.</p>
<p>My D is currently in a musical revue that is being directed by a choregrapher who has worked in LA and on Broadway. I asked him last night about the height thing. He told me not to give it another thought! He said "Sure, it would be a problem if she were auditioning for a munchin in oz, but for most roles in most places she'll be fine. He also said that it would depend on the "company" that the schools are trying to put together. If they already have four or five tall, dark haired females, it could be a problem. It's life in the business, but she's clearly fine with her height, so don't make a problem out of something if it's not!"</p>
<p>I don't quite understand their choosing the right "hair color"........besides hair coloring, don't we have wigs? Height as discussed may or may not be an issue for a role, but to the ajudicators.....please do not factor hair color in to such a major decision as this can be changed. We need one less thing to worry about. ;-)</p>
<p>How true! I think that he was just using this as an example that you never know what they are looking for, you just have to prepare your butt off and BE YOURSELF. If you are self aware and genuine you will be coachable and easy to work with. If you are hung up about things you can't change,well.... Adjudicators certainly know about wigs, but they don't want an entire cast of kids that look the same either, it's just life in the business and something to be realistic about.</p>
<p>or lifts for guys....i'm not that short of a guy (5'10'') but i had a tall leading lady when she had her character shoes on so i had to go get lifts to put in my shoes....worked just fine.</p>
<p>Leaning toward one extreme or another - vertically or horizontally - does, perhaps place you as a certian "type" in an auditioner's head - but it does not preclude you from being accepted into a program. If you are a legitimate triple threat you will have a choice of good programs to choose from at the end of your audition process. What you should be aware of is that being very short or very tall, or very whatever will tend to force you into certain type-cast roles in the real world, and to some degree even at the college level. Someone who is right for Peter Pan will not be right for Auntie Mame. </p>
<p>As I have said many times - if you can imagine yourself doing anything other than MT - do yourself a favor and do or become whatever else you can conceive yourself to be. If MT is your dream, and you have the tools and determination to follow that dream - then go for it.</p>