What about all the professional musical actors?

Question

Hi guys. I watched Any Dream will Do last night, or something like that and I have noticed that there is a show looking for the cast of Grease from the general public too, and we have had the Chicago one last year, the Sound of Music one too and the Opera one a couple of years ago, and now The ***** Cat Dolls are looking for a replacement. Why cant we use the professionals and still follow the audition process? Are the musical companies putting decent hard working actors out of work and where does Equity (actors union) come into all of this?
(Have you guys just noticed how the word p-u-s-s-y has be asterixed out of my question? LOL

Mozey, I too did a degree in Drama at Central School. Had to give up on my dream of being a Stage manager because I had to earn some rent and food! Never earned my Equity card either! Did lots of profit share stuff, though. I suppose these shows make everyone lots and lots of money, and tha is what talks!

Answer 1

Excellent question! ... and one I have been asking myself for many years. I originally set out to be an actress and did the whole 3yr drama school thing etc. However, when it came to auditions, (of which there were few) I was always being told that I hadn't earned my 'blue Equity card' yet! ... As if this was some indication as to my talents or suitability for the roles. Because I hadn't got my 'blue' card, I could not work in the west end or on some of the ITV channels! Well, I stuck at the acting until I finally had to give it up.

Now what do we find? Talent or no talent, every Tom, Dick or Harriet is eligible to enter straight for the west end stage! How? You tell me!!! I am disappointed in Andrew Lloyd Webber for his part in all this. He, like his genius of a brother, Julian, had to study and work through all the official channels to be where they are today. Lord Webber, of all people, should not be encouraging a 'back door' entry into a profession where the 'professionals' are constantly being told is 'overcrowded' or a 'closed shop'.

We do not need to 'seek a Maria', find the next 'opera star', or, for that matter, spend TV viewing space in search of a new John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.

As far as the capital is concerned, all the impressarios need to do is go to LAMDA, The Royal College of Music, The Guildhall School or The Central School of Speech & Drama. All these will contain (somewhere) what they are looking for ... if it's 'newcomers' they want. Other than that, there is an abundance of hard-core, highly experienced and talented professionals out there in need of a chance. They are the people who studied their art because it's what they chose to do.

Give the right people a fair chance and BOLT that back door!

Answer 2

something from approximately £450 each and every week to correctly over £a million,000. all of it fairly relies upon on what the guy is asked to do (one place, or understudy a variety of of roles), how plenty adventure and whether their agent has negotiated a stable value.

Answer 3

I suppose it is just the way it is.