How To Deel With Acting Rejection?

Question

I have recently auditioned for a theatre production of "Once Upon a Matress." At the audition, I know that I was the best one for singing and acting the part of Winifred (one of the leads) but when the cast list came up, I had gotten the part of the Jester, and a girl who wasn't very good had gotten Winifred. I can't stop crying for a long time, and I need some good advice on how to deal with this rejection. Please help!

Answer 1

Well Dreamer465,
I've been in my fair share of plays and had the equal amount of rejections and it is a hard thing to deal with. Recently I auditioned for "Beauty and the Beast" and was sure as all hell that I was the best choice for the wardrobe and well that didn't happen I was cast as a random Enchanted Object, (a champagne bottle to be exact!) and it was really fun!!
You just need to remember that there will always be people who suck and get the good parts, trust me. Along with that I've had my share of leads too! I was Sarah Brown in "Guys and Dolls" and The Wicked Witch of the west in " The Wizard of Oz" and right now i'm doing two musicals in which I have a lead role and a minor role I'm in the children's theatre as a Sunday School teacher in "Anne of Green Gables" and I'm doing a production of "RENT" and I'm playing the part of Maureen/Angel.. it was a toss up between two people for Maureen, and basically the other girl (who is REALLY bad and can't sing) has it the first three nights and I have it the last three nights. Basically remember that there will always be OTHER plays and there will always be OTHER awesome roles you will have your chance to shine just maybe that wasn't the right play for it!
I hope that you feel better, and what ever you do remember keep trying out for more plays because you'll get a lead!

feel better
-HIN

Answer 2

I know exactly how you feel. Casting rejection can make you think (and feel) like people are rejecting you for who you are. But that's not really true. Remember...you did get picked for another role! That means you have talent, people think you can handle it, and you're in the cast! Do your best, and forget the rest.

I know that's an easy thing for me to say, but it's sometimes hard to really feel. Therefore, I have more for you.

The link below will lead you to a teacher who can help you understand why being a great cast member is way better than being a star. John Wooden lead the UCLA basketball team to an unprecedented 78 game winning streak in the highly competitive NCAA. The whole time he told his players "This is not about winning the game everytime - it's about becoming a better person."

John Wooden would often say that he would rather see his team improve fundamentals on the court than win the game. A great improvement in the team makes a game a victory, NOT the points on the board.

If your emotional support and feedback for the actress playing Winifred makes HER a better singer and actress, then YOU are a great team member. THAT is more valuable than any lesson you can learn, and will make up for all the tears you are shedding today.

So check out the link and see if it helps you see the fun you are about to have in another perspective.

Believe me, if you learn to be a great, supportive cast member, then you will have more opportunities, more fun, and more achievement in the arts than getting the starring role. The real star is the great team member, a role I'm sure you can play with great ability.

Answer 3

You've gotten some good advice so far.

Keep in mind that the director is looking at the production as a whole, not just individual roles. Maybe you and whoever they cast as the male lead had no chemistry or looked ridiculous together. The director has to make sure that all of the parts of the whole fit well together. Maybe you were 1/4 inch too tall or too short. Who knows. Not getting the role you want is not always a reflection on your talent.

Stop taking it personally. If this is something you want to do, you will have to learn to deal with rejection.

Answer 4

Very easily. Try seven auditions in Hollywood for seven commercials and not getting cast at all. Has it disuaded me. No! However the cost of auditioning keeps going up in the sense of traveling.

You must practice your trade to improve. An audition does not guarantee your preferred role and your opinion doesn't count ... only that of the director. All things 'NOT' being equal, do not take it personal and keep swinging. practice, practice, practice.

Answer 5

I'm in sales and I think the same goes for acting on rejection-- It's work. When you walk out the door afterward you leave it there. If you can't help taking it personally, find a different line of work because you are going to be miserable.

Answer 6

first of all the jester part ROCKS!!! I like it more than the fred part anyway. (I was the nightengale) and remember there are NO small parts only small actors. if you pour your heart into the jester part, most of the spectators will remember you more than fred. Congrats. Every audition makes you stronger and better.

Answer 7

Remember everything about how you feel -- develop the ability to pull up this feeling of utter loss, rejection, betrayal, misery, EVERY piece of this emotion. Practice generating it, wallow in it, make it your own.

Because one day, your ability to put yourself THERE in that moment on demand will get you a role.

That's what acting is.

Answer 8

Some actors do drugs.

Some do psychiatrists.

Some beat their wives and hit their kids.

Some drive fast and get into fender benders and get arrested being under the influcence, carrying a pistol and having cocaine on them.

Most know they are great and the person who rejected them was an idiot who couldn't recognize genius when they saw it and they simply go on to the next audition.

Jesus said, wipe your feet on the door mat and continue on your way. Same concept.

Girls have a hard time with the concept, because they are not used to being turned down (you have B's and I'm into C's/A's, your eye's are the wrong color blue/brown, you're 5'5 and I like girls who are 5'6" and above, pull your pants/dress back up, I'm not interested in that cheap thrill stuff-- I have my standards!).

Guys, on the other hand, learn how to handle strike outs. They grin, they laugh, they blush, they take abuse from the other guys, have another beer and try to hit up on the next girl.

It is no different!

Girl: Hi, want to (fill in the blank) .... me?

Guy: Absolutely!

Guy: Hello, would you---

Girl: (Interrupting him, unless he looks like Tom Cruise) Get lost!

Now you understand the process. What "type" of a guy would you not say get lost to? You date just anyone (and in that case, where do you live and what is your phone number?) You let just anyone do anything?

Now you understand being a producer or casting director.

You're looking for someone to make babies with and those babies end up on the Big Screen, the Small Screen or Broadway.

Now, out of 1000 men in a room, who do YOU want to MAKE BABIES WITH? Pick one, and the rest don't get none!

Not a soul in the room you'd do that with?

Boy, you're discriminating. As discriminating as a director!

Sorry to be frank.

If you can dish it out, you better be able to take it. Otherwise you better be ready to date any living body that asks without judging books by covers, age, race, skin color, hair line, complextion, height, weight, smelly, gridth, hair color, etc.

And after all of this, you have to face the fact that Siskel gives you two thumbs down after you get the role. How do you deal with that one? [Everything in this movie was top flight, except for Dreamer 456 who mailed in her two dimensional performance with insufficent postage! --- How about that, folks, did I cop a good Siskel? Eh, eh?!]

How do you deal with being IGNORED by the Paparatzi(I know I spelled that wrong)! Imagine how Britney will feel the day she can go to Starbucks naked and no one notices, cares or takes a picture of her!

I spent 10 years on a book on BASIC programming, defining every known keyword there was, with generic code, cross references, examples. EVERY publisher turned that 1,000 page book down and I've been in print since 1965! I'm now 1 year into a book on video and I'm about to market. I'm editing, I'm refining, I'm getting my sample chapters ready for another round of REJECTIONS.

You really wanna be in show biz?

[Boy, this one took 12 drafts.]

And by the way, if this was in College or small theater, the teacher/director probably knew the person. Poltics is a big part of getting a role!

In my Acting Class I once auditioned for a small part and I totally changed the feel of the role from laughable to antagonistic. John Larson, my teacher, didn't pick me (but he did laugh when I said the lines sarcastically). He picked a long time acting student he knew, but he directed him my way!

How do you think that made me feel when I saw the play?

[It actually made me feel good, he (Larson) liked what I did to the role and I knew it and he, John Larson, knew it! It meant I had a good idea, but he didn't want to "take a chance on me." Maybe he was right.]

Answer 9

There are probably people who didn't get cast at all. Just because you didn't get it this time doesn't mean the next time you won't get the role you want.
Keep at it!

Answer 10

You have to remeber that this is the Director's play, not your's. You may have thought that she wasn't good, but the director may have thought she was perfect for the part.