<p>Thanks everyone. Call back sounded like it went well.</p>
<p>I have a few questions about this subject. Quoting from Central’s website:
“Candidates are asked to wear/bring sensible, plain clothes that provide for a freedom of movement (i.e. flexible and comfortable). Please do not wear jeans, skirts, hipster trousers or revealing tops. Candidates should wear no make-up and also have only necessary jewellery (preferably only earring studs, if required, and no rings).”</p>
<p>No jeans or hipster trousers. I don’t know what they mean by “hipster trousers”, but I’m guessing they are tight colorful trousers? If that’s the case, then I’m assuming I would need to wear leggings, right?</p>
<p>I have plenty of styles, but my wardrobe has mostly 40’s and 50’s clothes (like pin-up dresses, long skirts, formal shirts, etc) and some “punk” stuff (like striped shirts, shorts, leather jackets, leather boots, most of my t-shirts are band and/or movie related), but I was thinking of choosing a more “boyish” Marlene Dietrich-like outfit with a white button up shirt with a pair of brown “flexible and comfortable” pants. I’m not sure if that’s being “me”, but that is my most formal-without-being-formal option, because I’m not keen on the idea of wearing leggings.</p>
<p>Also, I could use a small prop for one of my monologues. It’s not necessary, but could be useful. Should I bring it or just do the monologue without it?</p>
<p>EDIT: None of the characters from my monologues are the “girlish” type, so I’m going to stay away from dresses anyway.</p>
<p>“Hipster” in referring to jeans in the US would mean cut low to the hips. They want a decent waist to your pants, in other words, so your midriff or what’s in back (ahem) will not show. Also - and here is the mom in me talking - most people who wear very low-cut pants are constantly pulling them up, which is unprofessional (along with having to push your hair out of your face constantly).</p>
<p>Your outfit sounds very good. Nice, flexible pants and a respectable-looking top are a fine combination for a girl. I can understand that many monologues would be set off badly by a dress. You don’t mention your hair - but make sure it is securely out of your face.</p>
<p>If at all possible DO NOT use a prop. Almost all of the schools we know forbid them. Many even forbid using a chair. Be ready to do your monologue standing alone in an empty space.</p>
<p>That’s interesting. Hipster does have a double meaning. It’s really impossible tell which they are referring to. Probably best not to show up dressed like a hipster nor wearing anything set too low on the hips, in any case. As for no makeup-- I would not advise no makeup for girls. Just wear light, natural-looking makeup. </p>
<p>Funny thing: milkshakespeare, for some reason I had always assumed you were a male, probably because your name makes me think of Shakespeare’s iconic portrait beside a glass of milk.</p>
<p>I had to laugh at the no makeup comment. Many do not take glassharmonica’s suggestion of wearing “light, natural looking makeup” but I suspect you’d be hard pressed to find any but handful of girls wearing no makeup.</p>
<p>Basically,as far as make up, as a woman, I agree with glassharmonica: light natural make up but perhaps with some color on the lips only if it’s ‘you.’ NOTHING distracting. For instance, vivid glossy red lipstick and heavy blush. Yes, of course, some girls go ahead and paint themselves, but you really should follow the directions the colleges post. Heavy, poorly applied make up only distracts. It does not add. I think the reason they suggest ‘no make up’ is because many girls put on make up very poorly. </p>
<p>Milkshakespeare, to second EmmyBet definitely no props at all and make sure your hair is off your face. Basically: make sure when you move that your butt or belly or boobs don’t show, or that you don’t have to constantly be tugging at it or pulling it up. This sounds basic, but you’d be surprised. Your outfit sounds adorable to me. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Glassharmonica - Don’t worry, I guess most people thought I was a boy. I just thought “Milkshakespeare” was a funny yet theater-related username and it was a lame joke I used to do a lot when I was a kid.</p>
<p>Thanks for clarifying the “hipster” thing, EmmyBet. I won’t have a problem with that, because most - if not all - of my pants are high waist (as I said, I love 40’s and 50’s outfits). Also, as a petit girl, low-cut does not look flattering on me. My hair is not long, but is very wavy and insanely hard to “tame”. I’ll probably just put some discreet bobby pins to pull it back.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input everyone!</p>
<p>My son claims you can tell the MT girls because they put on drugstore makeup as if it were stage makeup. I’m guessing when people talk about toning down the makeup, that’s what they have in mind.</p>
<p>My kid would die if he knew I was sitting here with a smile on my face reading all of the “adult” hipster definitions. But all I can think about with my smile is what NICE people show up to contribute to this forum and encourage these wondering students along. Such a nice place to visit sometimes. LOL!</p>
<p>sometimes, don’t ya just want to hit (like) to a post. Well I want to hit like like like down the line here. You guys are awesome and Milky, love your outfit, it sounds really unique and will have a voice of its own. You go girl! and if they can’t put on makeup without looking like drugstore makeup, stop on over to Sephoras or Macy’s and have then show you how to apply it in a natural way, its worth the investment.</p>
<p>Milky, break legs, you are going to be great. </p>
<p>And to all the parents, thank you so much for all the info and guidance and support. Priceless.</p>
<p>Yes, milkshakespeare, please keep us posted! Good luck (or I guess theater people don’t say that, but I have a really hard time telling people to break their legs!)</p>
<p>I’m not sure we have figured this out. I googled “Hipster Trousers” and the term seems today in 2013 to refer to low rise jeans, where the top of the jeans falls either at or below a person’s hips, instead of at the waist. These are trousers that make old people like me want to tell kids to pull their trousers up. Don’t wear those. High waist trousers are NOT Hipster trousers. (I also now realize that since we are talking about CENTRAL we are talking about the British dialect of English, where words sometimes have different meanings than in the American dialect.)</p>
<p>I agree with the people who say don’t use a prop. That’s the basic rule of thumb at auditions.</p>
<p>And glassharmonica, “break a leg” is an old theatrical superstition that it is bad luck to wish someone good luck, so instead you tell them to break a leg. It’s one of those customs like never quoting from (or mentioning the title of) the Scottish Play.</p>
<p>So break a leg, Milkshake!!!</p>
<p>(one of these days I am going to tell someone to break a leg, and then they will go and fall of the stage or something and actually break their leg!!!)</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
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<p>I once slipped and said “Macbeth” aloud while in a ticket queue for a production of … you guessed it, and everyone, including the ushers, turned around horrified. Several years later, I am happy to report that the theater is still standing. Yes, of course I know where the expression “break a leg comes from” but, not being a theater person, and being densely literal-minded, to me the expression feels violent, although I completely recognize and applaud the kind sentiment behind it. I just can’t bring myself to say it. I prefer the expression of luck dancers use, but cannot use it here for fear of violating the TOS.</p>
<p>When I have to look up certain words and phrases, like “hipster,” I use Urban Dictionary. [Urban</a> Dictionary: hipster](<a href=“http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster]Urban”>Urban Dictionary: hipster)</p>
<p>Sometimes it seems like young people are speaking a whole different language. When I was watching the film Safety Not Guaranteed with my son over the holidays, he exclaimed, “Wow, this is a hipster movie!” and I replied, “Huh?”</p>
<p>Glassharmonica, I guess you could try saying “in bocca al lupo,” “merde,” or “ganbatte ne” instead of “break a leg.” ;)</p>
<p>Edit: Crossposted with glassharmonica. The French word made it in!</p>
<p>If it’s something that is causing anxiety–what to wear, then bring some choices and change when you get there. Some people like to stand out in attire, others are more comfortable blending in. So if it’s important that you know how your peers are dressing, bring some choices. Make sure they are all comfortable things. Look around and if you prefer some other outfit, go change. It’s all about being comfortable, and if that helps, go right on ahead.</p>
<p>What I was told about the expression “break a leg” is that it does not refer to breaking your own leg. It refers to the “leg” which is the long wooden rod that used to be at the bottom of a curtain. If you got lots of curtain calls, the leg of the curtain could break from the repeated banging against the floor of the stage. </p>
<p>I was told this when working for a performing arts center that was talking about curtain replacement and all of the details.</p>
<p>Still, the convention of not wishing someone luck is pretty strongly adhered to, no matter what the source of it is.</p>
<p>Actually, here we say “merda” (which is the Portuguese version of “merde”). I’ve been told it’s because in the olden days, people would use carraiges to go to the theater and a lot of people meant a lot of carriages, which meant a lot of horses, which meant a lot of…feces. So, that’s why you’d wish for “merde”.</p>
<p>OK – I think we’ve reached the TMI point of this thread.</p>
<p>^^Not a pretty visual, I agree! I did wonder about the “merde” usage.</p>
<p>In our family, we have stopped saying “break a leg” after my son did indeed break his leg (right above the ankle) last winter and had to give up a part in a play. Family superstition trumps theater superstition in our case.</p>