are there roles for 12 - tweens?

Question

i have a talent agent but my mm was telling me there are not alot of roles for 12 -13 year olds is that true?

Answer 1

I know what you're talking about, and your mom is absolutely right. A few years go when I had first joined my agency, I was getting frustrated because there were practically no auditions for people my age. However, I'm almost 16. And I've noticed that there are much more roles for 12-13 than for 15-16.
It's based on groups- the young kids, like 7-9, then preteens, like 10-12, then young teens like 12-14. But when it comes to 15 and 16, producers just say "What the heck, we'll just cast a 17 or 18 year-old kid to play 15 or 16." They would rather have someone older that's not a minor and can drive, be able to work, etc, than have a real 16-year-old.
But bottom line is, the vast majority of roles that an agent will get are for 20-30 year olds. It also depends on your region. Since the Dallas region needs more 12-13 year olds, that's why my agent is the way it is. Just hang in there. You'll get a real good job eventually and it'll be worth it.

Answer 2

It comes and it goes... you just have to keep yourself ready. If your agent is telling you there just isn't anything going on right now, go do a play and keep going to your classes. Show them that you're going to keep flexing your acting muscles and keep moving forward so that once the dry spell is over, you'll still be ready at the drop of a hat!

Joshua is right though about things drying up when you're an older teen. I worked a lot as an 18 to look younger. The reaso nthat is so popular is because as an adult who looks like a child you can work much longer hours with a lot less rules in place. No set teacher to pay, more working hours to use... there's a huge benefit to the production on the whole so uness you get signed to a popular series don't plan on working a lot from 15-17. Have a great high school experience, work when you can, and do not take it personally. That's just how the industry works.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 3

There are a lot of roles for tweens around 12-13. Maybe the castings and/or the places you guys are looking at don't include them as much as other places. Auditions in Los Angeles and similar big cities are packed with roles for tweens. They even include auditions for babies, and 5 year old modeling. Stuff like that is not everywhere, but it is not as unpopular as you might think. You just ahve to look in the right places!

Answer 4

Well, it depends on how old you look, but roles that can and/or should be played by someone about twelve years old include:

MUSICALS:
Fredrika Armfeldt- "A Little Night Music"
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Girls- "A Pocketful of Rhymes"
Alice- "Alice in Wonderland"
Lorraine- "All Shook Up"
Anne Shirley- "Anne of Green Gables"
Diana Barry- "Anne of Green Gables"
Josie Pye- "Anne of Green Gables"
Annie- "Annie"
Duffy- "Annie"
July- "Annie"
Jenny Dillingham- "Aspects of Love"
Chip- "Beauty and the Beast"
Cynthia Benson- "Big"
Jemima Potts- "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
Colette de Jouvenal- "Collette Collage"
Shprintze- "Fiddler on the Roof"
Bielka- "Fiddler on the Roof"
Little Red Riding Hood- "Into the Woods"
Young Jane Eyre- "Jane Eyre"
Young Cosette- "Les Miserables"
Claudia- "Lestat"
Agnes Smith- "Meet Me in St. Louis"
Mary Phagan- "Parade"
Wendy- "Peter Pan"
Peter Pan- "Peter Pan"
Tiger Lily- "Peter Pan"
Little Girl- "Ragtime"
JoJo- "Seussical"
Louisa- "The Sound of Music"
Ngana- "South Pacific"
Louise- "Sunday in the Park with George"
Ethel- "Teddy and Alice"
Lucy McFadden- "The Goodbye Girl"
Amaryllis- "The Music Man"
Mary Lennox- "The Secret Garden"
Emma- "The Tap Dance Kid"
Dorothy- "The Wizard of Oz"
Young Violet- "Violet"
Swallow- "Whistle Down the Wind"
Brat- "Whistle Down the Wind"
Nan Bostock- "Whistle Down the Wind"
Jenny- "Whistle Down the Wind"
Jo- "Whistle Down the Wind"
Laurie- "Whistle Down the Wind"

PLAYS:
Belinda Cratchit- "A Christmas Carol"
Rebecca Gibbs- "Our Town"
Juliet- "Romeo and Juliet" (originally supposed to be thirteen... not always played that young though)

Answer 5

no! I know ppl who started around 10! my mom was gonna take me to baby modeling. when i was a baby, but she backed out. i probably who be an actress by now...but anyways, no! just look in your newspaper, internet etc. something will show up, i promise. good luck honey >]