The recent spate of musical theatre productions with featured children’s roles has meant that literally thousands of children across Australia have been auditioning for the chance to make their professional stage debut. The Sound of Music, Matilda and Les Miserables all require child performers. For the parents of these children, the audition process can be daunting, especially for those with no experience of musical theatre. How do you prepare your child properly? And, most importantly, how do you prepare them for the disappointment if they are not successful? Or, if they are cast, what happens next?
Before you even consider supporting your child’s wish to perform professionally, you should first consider their personality. Some children are sensitive by nature and don’t handle rejection well, which makes them ill-equipped for the disappointment that inevitably follows. That is especially difficult at an audition when they feel they did their best (and might even have out-performed other children) but are still not cast or advanced on to the next round. For sensitive souls the audition process can be tantamount to torture – so don’t put them through it.
The fact is that auditioning for a professional musical is highly competitive and most children will not be successful. As the producers for Sound of Music stated (told me???): “We had over 1000 children audition and we were absolutely blown away by the talent!” In the end only 18 children were cast (three teams each of the six youngest Von Trapp children). For Matilda, more like 1200 children tried, with 29 cast (including Matildas and three teams for the other roles). Statistically that means that children auditioning for The Sound of Music only had a 1.8 % rate of success. For Matilda the figure was around 2.4 % -- which means that nearly 98% of the children who auditioned for both of these shows were NOT successful. Not because they didn’t have talent, but just because they did not have the exact combination of attributes that the roles required.
But if your child is keen, the above figures shouldn’t act as a deterrent. Most children are not naturally fearful of auditioning. However, parents can help guide the child’s emphasis away from the outcome of the process and instead place it on the process itself. An audition provides participants with the opportunity to extend themselves, to learn new skills, to meet new people and to practise their craft. Children shouldn’t audition if their only ambition is to star in the title role – or be famous. If so, their focus is already set on the end result and not their craft or how they can best realize their true potential as an artist – the qualities that will ultimately guarantee their longevity in the industry.
To test this theory I asked some of the children successfully cast in The Sound of Music to comment on their recent experience.
Fourteen-year-old Levi Mackee (cast as Friedrich), confessed, “Well – knowing that there was over a 1000 kids going in, I thought I didn’t have much hope but when I got to about Thursday (Audition 4) I was beginning to have hope. And – I had a lot of fun doing it!” Tahile Gavin, 11 (cast as Brigitta) – talked about her favourite part of the experience. “Well, making friends was a big one! And – also – I love singing and dancing so just being able to do that in front of people . . . just makes me happy!”
Erica Giles, 11 (cast as Marta) shared: “My favourite thing about auditioning is the experience of going in to the audition room and trying your hardest.” And Samson Hyland, 11 (Kurt) offered this comment about what he likes most about the show: “I think the fact that there are seven children. There are just so many chances for different kids, young and old, to go in and perform for people.” So the focus for these kids was definitely on having fun while doing something they really love. For parents, that is the healthiest way to promote this activity for your child.
The fact is that regardless of how well each child may be able to sing, dance or act (and we all know OUR child IS THE BEST!), the creative team is looking for a very specific collection of attributes, including height, physical appearance, personality/demeanour, vocal range/quality, acting skill, ability to take direction, ability to concentrate and dance training (if applicable). Once they’ve short-listed children based on their ability to play individual roles, they will finally consider how each child will complement the total tapestry of the team. In short, the creative team has many variables to consider and not all of them related to talent. Sometimes, too, they have to screen for very specific prerequisites that have nothing to do with expertise or even being a good fit for the show. The character of Bruce in Matilda has to eat chocolate cake, so children with specific allergies/gluten intolerance are automatically discounted – regardless of their look or talent.
Of course, explaining all this to young children is difficult. It has to be worded in a positive way that uses language they can understand. One of the best examples I’ve come across puts it like this: “Some days they are just looking for pistachio ice cream. As a performer, you might be the very best chocolate chip ice cream there is, but sometimes the producers just want pistachio. Their choice doesn’t make your chocolate chip flavour any less perfect.”
Another way to guarantee your child won’t have to endure hearing “NO!” more than is necessary is to be sure they only attend auditions for roles that will suit them. Your ally here is the “Casting Brief”. Read it carefully and accept the casting criteria. Absolutely. Totally. If it states they are seeking girls for “Gretl” who are under 120 cm, that means they will not see your child for the role if she is 121cm, regardless of how “perfect ” she’d be. I know the casting brief for Matilda not only stated the maximum height for each character but also stated that children would be measured when they arrived on the day and would not be auditioned if they were taller than the maximum height. The minimum age for this show was 10 years of age so all auditionees were asked to bring their birth certificates to confirm their true age. The producers have to be so specific to streamline the process and not waste time.
Other restrictions are to do with Australian child labour Laws -- which are very strict but differ slightly between states. Most children will only be rostered on to perform two to three shows a week (but could also be on stand-by for additional shows). Nor can children be employed if they reside more than an hour’s drive from the theatre. Also they will only be rehearsed for a couple of hours a day, and not necessarily every day.
If a child is offered a role they may not be able take up the opportunity if their school and/or education authority do not approve the absence from school for the periods required. This approval must be sought by the parent and with the support of the show’s producer prior to the child being contracted by the show. Most producers try to schedule rehearsals/performances so a child can keep up their regular school but if this is not feasible a tutor will be employed to work with the child in the workplace.
Getting the factors right for children who want to audition for professional musical productions is essential. Their experiences at this vulnerable age can either discourage them or pave the way for their passion to become their career. The latter has proven to be the case for Stefanie Jones, the actress cast to play Leisl Von Trapp (the eldest of the seven siblings) in this current production of The Sound of Music. Jones had her professional stage debut at age seven in the role of Young Eponine in Cameron Mackintosh’s 10th Anniversary tour of Les Miserables, and the following year was cast in SEL & GFO’s production of The Sound of Music performing the role of Brigitta. Now – and as a young adult who graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2011, and then starred in “Once” in 2014 -- she is successfully forging a career in an industry she has loved from an early age.
So, if you are a parent of a child with a passion for musical theatre never lose sight of the most important guiding force for them at this age. Most children will confess that they love to sing and dance and act for an audience because performing makes them happy. So make sure the choices you make to facilitate this happiness; don’t hamper their natural passion for performance.
- SALLY CLARK