It's Finally Over...(at least until tomorrow)

Oklahoma! auditions are finally over and we actually have a cast that doesn't suck.  In fact, if all our leads accept their offers we're going to have a surprisingly excellent show.  I know that sounds totally condescending but I honestly didn't come into this audition process with high hopes considering the previous productions I'd seen at CDC.  Not that I'm trashing the theater.  The last production I saw there, Summer of '42, would rival many productions at "professional" theater companies.  But their Secret Garden was almost painful to sit through.  And I know that just like any other theater (or business, for that matter) politics plays an immense part in casting and hiring.  But after seeing the talent that came out for our auditions, there really is no excuse for some of the casting travesties I've seen on that stage.  Of course, the callbacks weren't all smooth sailing.  There was a heck of a lot of drama going on that day, and not all of it good; but all very exciting and gossip-worthy.

First of all, the casting of the leads was a major surprise to us as well as to some of the auditioners (and certainly to some of the regular CDC staff).  Our last day of callbacks brought out a couple of new faces that literally wiped out the competition.  The role of Curly ended up going to a young college theater student who swept in and basically dominated the callback with an overall superior acting, singing and dancing audition.  We offered Laurie to a young actress that we didn't expect would "bring it" at the callbacks.  Our prayers for a Judd were answered when a gentleman who had "never been cast in a role" at the theater before out-acted just about everyone else at the callback.  A pair of Filipinos, shocked to be called back for "white" roles, impressed with sheer enthusiasm and raw talent.  

So after seeing the actual talent that shows up to auditions versus the talent that I've seen in past CDC productions, it is obvious that something other than talent is the major deciding factor in the casting of the shows I've seen at CDC.  Now I'm not naive enough to think that there are no politics involved in casting a show, but there is a difference between choosing a known commodity over an unknown commodity and blatant nepotism.  I will even admit that we came into the callback process with a Laurie basically pre-cast.  But after a day of callbacks, it became clear that a certain actress who initially was not at the top of our list suddenly became the girl to beat.  And although we certainly could have gone with our original choice and still came up with a hell of a show, we'd look like blatant hypocrites if we didn't choose the other actress.  Unfortunately, not everyone can be the lead and there were several extremely disappointed people.  But major reality check folks - rejection is part of the business. Get a thicker skin or be resigned to playing lead roles in third and fourth tier companies.  

Anyway, the craziness has just begun.  More audition hell is to come with Pirates and the Summer Conservatory and Madama Butterfly starts rehearsals in two weeks (with almost a full cast)!