So, I was just in my first play. I liked it, kind of.
It was real fun and all, but, I don’t think I’m sure I would do it again.
The lead rolls really got to be lead rolls! They didn’t try to ease the feelings for the rest of the people in the play, they might as well say to people that aren’t lead rolls ‘You’re not good enough, so we decided that it was necessary to shove you out the way.’ I know how because:
1. They got microphoned (that I could expect)
2. The people running the play said every one could do pictures and interviews.
WRONG! Only lead rolls got to do interviews and pictures.
3. Lead rolls got bouquets of flowers (I could kind of expect that)
4. One of my friends, (Iago, a lead roll) got asked to be in a music video or something! (completely unexpected!!!)
My friend, (minor roll, all the same as me; Harem Girl and Citizen of Agrabah), quit the play
- The other harem girls were being mean to her (name calling & teasing)
- She was ticked off about the costumes
Harem Girl. The first thought should be ‘Oh, a harem girl! You must look beautiful!’ Nope! I was dressed like a poor person. Citizen of Agrabah or not, I should look nice because I’m a harem girl! Just because I’m a citizen doesn’t mean I’m a pathetic looking Harem Girl!
I suffered, almost racism from the Narrators (a lead part). At one point, I stand on the corner of the stage with more citizens and some guards (2-3). The narrators come in to do a little dance. They shove me out the way, because they need more room. They aren’t even at the edge of the stage! If they would move up, they would have room! AND, I wouldn’t have to squish the other people in my line! The narrators probably had about a foot and a half of space! It really isn’t that hard to move up instead of shoving the citizens and guards!
I got so angry at the end of the play. You could get a video of the entire play. Included in the video, was a cast and crew interview. I don’t think it’s “cast and crew”. I think it’s just “lead rolls and one major crew member”. She’s older, and doesn’t go to this school (pre-k to 8).
Shows are on Saturday, and Sunday. Don’t know times at Holy Spirit School.
What the heck! Read my email right now!
Charlie,
I know it’s tough not having a principal role in an activity. You and I share something in common, you being the oldest child and me being an only child. For a many years, we were the center of our parents attention because we were the only child. That was how we thought the world operated because that’s all we knew, because that’s how it was. But, that’s not how life really is. In life, there are many people, and we all have to get along.
Now, my parents didn’t do much to prepare me for this, but you are lucky that Mom and I are aware of this and do try to put you in situations where you can experience this, and realize that it’s not actually strange and that it happens a lot to everyone. It just didn’t happen a lot to you as a child growing up, because you happened to be the oldest child and that actually happens to be the unusual experience that most people do not have.
Life is a mixture of competition AND cooperation. Not one or the other, but both, and they must exist together.
Without cooperation, this performance could never have been accomplished: everyone had to work together to make it flow, appear organized, and enjoyable to watch. The sets had to be constructed, the costumes had to be made, music cues had to be learned, lights had to be positioned, lines had to be memorized, and so on.
However, there are key roles that are unique, and only one person can fill them, and everyone who wanted to participate had to compete to see who would fill those roles. That’s the purpose of the audition process. Not everyone can have the lead role.
I know you were disappointed, but I encouraged you to continue because I knew the experience you would gain from just being part of the process would be valuable if you choose to audition for future productions, and each time will improve your chances of landing a more principal role, if you take advantage of the opportunity to study what goes on.
Please, don’t look at this experience as a failure. Look at this as a tremendous opportunity that you were able to experience, one that many people pass up or never even get the chance to try. Think of all the things you learned, stuff you know now that you never knew before, about life, about people, about theater, about putting on a show, about your friends, about your family, about school, everything … and just realize how much less you would know if you’d passed up this opportunity, the next time an opportunity comes around and you’ve got a choice to make.
Either way, I love you kiddo, and I’m so incredibly proud of you and I’m sorry you were upset and disappointed. Sometimes, that is going to happen when you take chances, but I can guarantee that good things will never happen if you don’t take chances, so you have to keep taking chances. The trick is to learn how to not stay disappointed for too long.
Charlie, you should really post a correction to this entry.
I know it’s hard being in the background, but it’s just as important as the other roles too. The production couldn’t go on with just the ‘leads’. You also get out what you put in. You’re sounding bitter and hurt, and I understand why, but now that you _have_ been interviewed and received flowers… does that change things? Why? Recognition is nice, but it shouldn’t be the sole reason to do something. And if you re-read this entry now, how do you think you sound?
My darling, you _really_ should not (and I’ve spoken to you about this before) go around saying people are racist. Unless they were making fun of you for being Asian/American… no, they were not being racist. They may have been teasing you, hurting your feelings, etc. But that does not, by any means, make them racist! You’ve had a friend in the past who completely mis-used that word, I’ve spoken to you about it, and you need to understand the full meaning of a word before you use it! Clearly, you do not seem to understand that one…
I love you, my darling, but this is a post that you need to rectify… you only sound bitter and hurt, and you will hurt your friends who do see this. That will be very sad.