<p>I got into this huge argument with my mom, partially because she told me that no college is going to want me in any of their theatre programs because of my size, i'm 300 pounds and 6'5. But even though I'm not the best dancer, I can wow them with my acting and singing, and she says that it doesn't matter if i'm the best singer, because of my size.</p>
<p>Is there any hope for me getting into any MT schools?</p>
<p>I've had 3 rejections so far and only one audition left.</p>
<p>We know a young man in a similar situation and it similarly has on more than one occasion caused conflict within the family. </p>
<p>I can’t remember which one of the “wiz girls” it was, either Thesbohemian or Fishbowl who said, nobody in this business is perfect, every one is “to” something. To tall, to short to thin to heavy, etc. </p>
<p>I would also add that it depends on how you carry that weight. I have an uncle who weights nearly 300 lbs who is obviously a big guy but does not look fat and then there are others like my D’s friend who at that weight are decidedly obese. In his case its not just that he is overweight but there are psychological issues having to do with control and issues with his father that are unfortunate. </p>
<p>That said does the extra weight hold you back? Yes, I think it does. First of all the only role you can play is that of a big guy so that is limiting in itself. Then many of these schools really are in the business of preparing students to work professionally. A school official could look at you (knowing that most kids gain weight in college) and think that because of your size the chances of you working professionally are limited. Additionally carring a lot of extra weight reduces stamina, flexibility and makes an active person more likely to become injured. </p>
<p>Here is the good news though. The talented performers we know, I believe, were all born with certain “gifts” that no amount of money can buy. Some aspects of this discipline cannot be taught and its not in a book. If you have some of those “gifts” and a love for theater, that’s the hard part. If so, the easy part is to lose the weight that may be holding you back.</p>
<p>I'm a mere observer and auditioner, so I can't have the best imput, but I can surely tell you that every school is different. From the auditions I've been to, all the students that judged my audition DID look similar. Since I'm a boy, I noticed that most of the boys were very thin, no more than 6'2, with some exception. For girls, body type did range more, though still, similar in their own right.</p>
<p>Personally, though, when I was a freshmen in High School, our leading Senior girl was very big, but her voice was unbelievable. She could do tremendous things with it, and despite her size, she could very well play a lot of characters just because of how dang convincing it was. </p>
<p>Anyhow, she is a senior now at Boston Conservatory doing very well. Extremely well, actually. I would say definately that "appearance" is definately a factor no matter which school you audition for, but appearance is more than weight. It's how you dress, how you act, how you present yourself.</p>
<p>If it's what you want, show 'em. That's my two cents, anyhow.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>I can't speak to training programs. I don't know enough about their selection criteria. I can speak to professonal theater, however.</p>
<p>It all comes down to illusion. If you are male and that 300 lbs is all muscle, then there are a number of specialty roles that would be right up your alley. Someone your size would make a fabulous Miles Gloriosus, for instance. Still, anyone, not just you, who is of an unusual size and shape will have trouble convincing a director to cast him/her in many, many roles. Being an unusual size reduces your range. For instance, if you are female, it is quite unlikely that you could ever be cast as, say, Eliza Doolittle. Even if you lost weight, your height would create a sight gag unless you could find males of 6' 7" or more to play opposite.</p>
<p>Having said that, there are many people who have made a career based at least in part on their size. Devine is one. Andre the Giant comes to mind. They guy who played Lurch in the Adams Family. It's possible to luck into one of those career-defining roles.</p>
<p>Ah, Divine. We were just talking about him/her today in my office after several of us watched the original "Hairspray" movie on tv.</p>
<p>Haha, no, I don't look or even FEEL obese, I in fact LOVE to tap.</p>
<p>But even though i'm big, I don't feel as though I am less physical.</p>
<p>But, if they asked to a run a marathon....</p>
<p>I think as prospective students we like to believe that no matter what we look like, the auditioners will see what we can become. </p>
<p>and you know if you think about it...</p>
<p>how many people auditioning for musical theatre are your type? The schools will probably remember you, and it could give you a leg up on everyone else. You are different. And I know I sound like one of those children's books with shiny lettering and pop-up castles, but being different in this case is what you want. Make your size work for you, not against you.</p>
<p>At my S's school there are several "big" guys who do very well, they are very talented and are often cast, although not neccessarily in the romantic lead roles. Another thing to consider is opera, size can matter but not as much. MT is a very appearance driven business.</p>
<p>I wish moms would back off (I am one). I don't know if you'll get into these particular theater programs this particular year, but in terms of professional work, you have a niche physicality, could be a great lead-support character actor, even if never a leading man. Casting agents keep their files according to physicality because that's how actors are requested (Send me over some huge guys, ages 25-35; and I need a female waif type under 5'2"; oh, and the usual round of "leading man" types...). Agents organize their files by age, race, size, gender. Even though it's true that many more jobs would come for the mid-weight guys from 5'9" (that's the male size cut-off I read most often), if a part were needed for a big longshoreman for "On the Waterfront" you'd be one of a few which is a good thing.<br>
Your mom either doesn't realize that there's such a thing as a niche actor, or she's only thinking about the fact that you're more like (that husband in the Roseanne Barr show) than Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. And sometimes a talent auditions with such charisma that it changes the director's idea about what size to cast. My guess is that Danny DeVito all walked in and nailed his early auditions, cast for sheer talent despite his size.
You sound pretty comfortable in your own skin. Actors have written about this issue of size and weight, in particular, Camryn (arg, can't think of her last name, but she's been large all her life, started as a Renaissance Faire actor and then on to TV...)
Your mom may also be frustrated on your behalf because of the 3 rejections, but there's still one more audition. Actors LIVE with rejection in at least that ratio, all the time.
That said, if you're trying to gain entry into a small department it's uphill for EVERY candidate, isn't it?
It would be great if your Mom could show you the support you need so you don't lose confidence at this moment.
The person who taught me all of the above is my S who is 5'5", took a BA in Theater (so there weren't auditions to enter the school). While there, he studied and developed his craft, and got parts more and more, but no more or less than anyone else, really. He had to educate me about how acting works.
I'm sure she loves you and is worried about "what if" you don't get the last audition...what your backup plan is for college, will you be okay with it, etc.
Maybe it'll help to let her read this post. Moms have a language all our own.
Good luck. If you want to do this kind of work, there's no one moment when it all either begins or ends. If you don't give up, you'll find a way to express your love of theater, in one way or another.</p>
<p>Bravo Paying3tuitions!! One thing you said rings completely true to me, "there's no one moment when it all either begins or ends" That is completely true. I'll tell you, as a student familiar with rejection (it took me 3 years after graduating high school to end up at a 'top mt program') and once I was FINALLY accepted I thought I had all of a sudden 'MADE' it! Not so. I got here, and realized I was no different from before, and what drives me is the passion I've had all along. You can't let that go, no matter what the odds are. My voice teacher here tells me constantly: the different between someone who succeeds, and someone who doesn't, is that the person who does is the one who never gave up when they couldn't do something. It's not true that some people are just born talented and don't even have to try. Let me tell you, I know people like that, and they're either dropping out of MT or failing out. It takes drive.
Everyone really does have something about themselves that needs to get better in order to be cast.. everyone. With the weight issue I'm actually on the other extreme. I'm undoubtedly a leading male type, but I'm about 6'0" and 40 pounds under weight. No one casts a leading male skinnier than their leading female! I try to take it lightly, but it is very frustrating. I always hear "oh, you're lucky.. you could gain weight in 10 seconds" but wouldn't I have already if I could? Such is life. I won't be cast here until I gain weight. It's a fight against biology and genetics.. I'm not winning thus far! But all I can do is work on my technique and skills and know that when my weight and look finally gets to where it should be, I'll be a shoe-in for the part!
Chin up, you'll be ok so long as you keep pushing forward, no matter what happens. Nothing looks more attractive on stage than confidence.</p>
<p>Paying has some good advice, above. But understand that agents deal mostly in on-camera work. And I've been thinking about you quite a lot today, and wondering if you shouldn't consider something other than musical theater.</p>
<p>Your size if, in fact, you are male and hugely muscular, can be a substantial asset in getting on-camera work. 6' 5" and 300 lbs. is offensive lineman size in the NFL. That's simply enormous, and there are very few actors out there with your size. That gives you an advantage when going for roles that require large men.</p>
<p>But here's the thing. The stage is different from on-camera work. On the stage, a director must consider the overall picture. You'd be great as a Caiphas next to a tiny Anias, for instance, in Jesus Christ Superstar (if you're a bass or low baritone). That would be funny. But if you're a tenor, where are they going to use you? You're not going to play Seymour in Little Shop (though you could potentially get cast as Orin, or maybe not). You're probably not going to play Freddie in My Fair Lady. It's just not going to happen. </p>
<p>On the other hand, there are LOTS of roles for huge guys in films and television. You can be a Klingon, for instance. A good friend of mine kept himself alive doing Klingon work. You can be a ganster muscle man. You can be a pro wrestler in a scene. You can be Lenny in Of Mice and Men. You can be the hired villain in a James Bond movie.</p>
<p>MT is just limited because of the way these things are written. Non-musical theater has some roles for you. Lenny in Of Mice and Men, for instance. Or you could play the Shakespearean Scottish King, Hotspur, Othello (if you happen to be African American), or any number of other roles.</p>
<p>Consider doing on-camera work or non-musical theater. I really think there are more roles for you in those areas.</p>
<p>MTpolk:</p>
<p>I had your skinny problem when I was young. Would that I had it now!!!</p>
<p>Have you hit the weight room? Really, that's where it all came together for me. I found that I actually enjoyed it. I looked better, felt better, and gained both size and muscle weight. And, most importantly, I got cast in more things.</p>
<p>BTW, in case you haven't already figured this out, it's best not to take a young lady out and eat three plates of fettucini alfredo while she's picking away at a green salad. You may think it's funny that you can pack away enormous amounts of food without gaining an ounce.</p>
<p>She won't find that funny.</p>
<p>Defy, In thinking about your situation, I remembered Shuler Hensley. He's about 6'4" and I don't know how much he weighs, but he's not small. I've met him in person and my S who is about 6'2"+ and around 200 lbs seems very small next to him. He has a great career, check him out.</p>
<p>I say, work on trying to loose some poundagee because it is easier to move around when you way less, but DON'T make it a priority..DON"T do that to yourself...it's not worth it. Be you and sing your ass off and act your ass off at every audition.
And also try not focus on schools that concentrte SOO much on dance...audtition for schools like NYU or Syracuse or Webster or Ithaca (schools of this sort) that dance is just a component to measure skill, not a fixation that will make or break a person....hope i helped.</p>
<p>tarhunt, duely noted! I don't think I'd be quite so brutish, haha, but I suppose it could happen. I've had small results from lifting, although I am not as consistant with it as I'd like to be. (Not nearly..) I don't seem to enjoy it as much as you did, although I'm working on that.</p>
<p>Well.. I feel as though my weight gives me an edge, because they will remember who I am, and even though i'm not the best dancer, I can still sing and act with the best of them.</p>
<p>So I guess it can be taken in many ways. I mean, i'm not at an "unhealthy" weight, I can still run, and do somewhat complicated dance moves, I was the lead Puerto Rican dancer in West Side Story.</p>
<p>But... one downfall, i'm Filipino!!</p>
<p>So... i hope my race doesn't work against me either!!</p>
<p>Hey man, it sounds like you are a character actor. I myself am 6'3" and I weigh a good 255. I go to Boco. I am the biggest guy there, but I am there. I would always suggest to loose weight, cause then you will be able to play character roles and leading man roles as well. But as a character actor you will have a lot of work available to you. There are far less actors of your type than of the leading man type. So just go for it and see what happens.</p>
<p>Defy<em>yourself</em>04, I know this applies more to acting than to MT, but always keep a gentle eye out for whether productions are cast "race-blind" or not. </p>
<p>It's an important discussion within theater. If you cast Othello, it makes the most sense if the other actors are white and Othello is African. If a director casts Idi Amin (King of Scotland), then Forrest Whittaker makes more sense than Martin Short.</p>
<p>You were a natural choice for a Puerto Rican dancer in West Side Story! But a different question is, will they also consider you as a villager for Fiddler On the Roof? Today, some productions of Fiddler would say "yes" and others "no."</p>
<p>At my S's highschool, when a black student with top MT skills wasn't cast for their Fiddler as a villager, she was deeply hurt because the h.s. MT director had told her it was her race that caused her not to be considered! Outrageous, given that a third of the kids in the school were black; a third Latino; a third white. So everybody was used to enjoying everybody else. The girl took it to the local Human Rights Commission to discuss. Our family supported her quest, especially since Fiddler is the most produced musical by cultures all over the world! Look for it on you-tube or other internet video sources in all-Japanese, that's my particular favorite.
In the next production, that same girl was cast as the lead romantic part in Guys & Dolls (what's her name, everybody? she's the Salvation Army Babe who gets taken to Cuba on a gambling bet...). It was the first time the school saw an onstage black-white lip-lock kiss. (plenty of them offstage, of course :)
In the other direction, there are people who say some plays should be cast race-aware in order to make any sense or get power from them, for example, Raisin In the Sun.</p>
<p>^wow..so true.</p>
<p>paying:</p>
<p>Some plays, like "Raisin," simply have to be cast with an eye towards race. Otherwise, they don't make any sense. "Raisin" is about race. To cast race blindly for that show would alter the show in a very bizarre way. Casting someone white in the lead role just wouldn't work.</p>
<p>"Fiddler" is the same, in my book. This is a show about Russian Jewishness of a certain era. You really couldn't cast an AA in the family in "The 5th of July," for instance, because it's a family of bigots (sort of). </p>
<p>I'm ALL for color-blindness where it doesn't substantially alter the meaning of the play. I think most plays can be cast that way. But I don't think "Fiddler" is one of them.</p>
<p>Still, good for you for taking a stand.</p>