No Fat People Allowed

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emilycarr71404
emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This weekend I decided that I would audition for a play at my local theatre. I have done shows for years and years from small parts to major roles. I didn't really care which I got, I just wanted to be part of a show. I went both days, sing well, read well and danced--okay not so great, but it takes me feet a little time to learn steps.

Waiting for callbacks, I told myself any part would be great--any part. At least I thought so until I got a call from the director. She loved my voice, LOVED IT! But would I mind leading the singing off stage? Oh and btw would I lead singing at an event at the mall? And since I was a makeup consultant would I mind doing that as well?

I tried to clarify what I was hearing. I wasn't in the ensemble. I would never be on the stage expect for before the show for 15 min of singing (this little mood music is normally done by a CD) and I wasn't actually part of the show. I didn't want to do makeup because I was auditioning for the show to get away from my everyday job--not do it for free. Choking back my tears and humiliation, I said no.

I'm not being proud when I say that with my experiance in the past with theatre I was too good for this--non-role. I heard later that the director offered this role to several other people who were overweight but very talented who too said no to the insulting offer. It became clear that the folks being cast were all skinny or slender or thinner even if they couldn't act of sing well. I would have been fine with this if they had stated at auditions that they were looking for a slender body for the leads and ensemble, I would have just not auditioned. But they didn't. Instead, they cast the thin people and tried to keep the talented but large people with the meager offer of off-stage performance which would have meant to recogition but hours and hours of time and money spent on the show.

I'm disgusted. THis isn't a professional theatre when we have a large number of people to cast from but apparently no fat people are allowed for this show.

Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Small local theatre posts a sign, auditions starting for so and so play.. Looking for skinny attractive females for main parts.. How do you think that is going to play in your local news and organizational groups... they will lose funding and probably get negative press for the show..

    Other producer/directors there might not care about looks but obviously whoever is doing that one does.. part of show business.
  • emilycarr71404
    emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
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    If it weren't such a tiny town, I would agree; however, we have no where near the population to be picky.
  • VeganCoco
    VeganCoco Posts: 104 Member
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    Small local theatre posts a sign, auditions starting for so and so play.. Looking for skinny attractive females for main parts.. How do you think that is going to play in your local news and organizational groups... they will lose funding and probably get negative press for the show..

    Other producer/directors there might not care about looks but obviously whoever is doing that one does.. part of show business.

    Just because it's 'part of' something does not make it ok.
  • jmbcab7
    jmbcab7 Posts: 23 Member
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    I am so sorry you experienced this type of prejudice. I know what you're talking about. I have
    Experienced this same issue as I am a dwarf 4'3" tall. They always wanted to cast me in
    The comedy roles. Clowns, etc.

    I wish you a great day.
  • moontyrant
    moontyrant Posts: 160 Member
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    The director probably figured that it went without saying. I was in theater during high school, and I saw a friend put in four years of nonstop, top quality effort. By senior year, we were all certain she would be cast as Belle in "Beauty and the Beast," but out director cast a girl who had only joined theater that year. She had no talent- i mean, giggling during the death scene, her voice went flat during any note longer than four counts...it was bad. But she was skinny, and the girl who should have been Belle was overweight.

    But the skinny one looked really good in a ballgown.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    Years ago my tiny, skinny aunt (she's around 5'2") tried out for that Technicolor Dreamcoat play. It was a high school musical. All the best parts went to favorites of the director: people he'd had in class, gotten to know and liked. What did my aunt do?

    She sang certain notes of the narrator's part from backstage while Popular Girl--tall, sassy looking with short spikey hair and a tan--acted it onstage, singing what she could and borrowing my aunt's voice for what she wasn't capable of doing.

    This is show biz. It isn't right and frankly, I don't know if it ever will be. Directors, producers want a certain visual and certain sound, and don't care whose feelings they hurt to get it.

    I am so sorry.
  • gigglybeth
    gigglybeth Posts: 365 Member
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    That blows. It's community theater, not Broadway. I'm glad the others turned her down as well.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    The very talented heavier girls in school always got the "matronly" roles in the plays, never the leading lady. I have however seen some excellent community theater with heavier ladies playing lead roles.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    I am so sorry you experienced this type of prejudice. I know what you're talking about. I have
    Experienced this same issue as I am a dwarf 4'3" tall. They always wanted to cast me in
    The comedy roles. Clowns, etc.

    I wish you a great day.

    And this is why I hate people. Shallow idiots. I hope that the play bombs.

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