Student Blog: How To: Make the Most Out of Any Role

Have you ever auditioned for a show? Have you ever gone after a role that you felt that you were perfect for? Have you ever spent days anxiously awaiting a cast list? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you are probably also familiar with the feeling of disappointment when receiving your role. Not to run the risk of sounding ungrateful, but being let down by a cast list honestly sucks. Preceding the results, it’s quite common to fantasize about a utopia whose foundation lies in the winning of a certain part. It’s easy to convince yourself that one role has the potential to fix all of your problems. So, if fate doesn’t align with your vision for the perfect casting decision, it can feel like a huge upset. Rather than allowing yourself to mourn a role for the entirety of a rehearsal process, I recommend making the most out of the part you’re given. Here is my advice for making the most out of a “small” part.

1. Grieve what could have been

There is absolutely no doubt that getting snubbed for a role feels like a major loss. It’s really hard to force yourself to let go of a dream and come to terms with failing to achieve it. Just remember that casting decisions are not personal and don’t always come down to talent. There are lots of other factors that play into casting a show, it is just frustrating that actors aren’t always able to control their own destiny. Keep in mind that even auditioning for a show is worth celebrating. Be proud for doing your best and getting a part at all. However, it is okay to allot yourself 10 minutes to take in the results and feel disappointed.

2. Have a positive attitude

Once you have accepted the cast list, get excited!!! Joining the company of a new show is such an incredible adventure. There are endless opportunities to learn and make new memories. Be sure to congratulate your castmates on their achievements and accept their congratulations to you. Reframe your narrative about the situation and focus on the present, don’t let yourself wallow in the past.

3. Overdeliver

Now that you’re in rehearsal, and you’re happy to be there, it is time for you to prove your worth. Whether you have 5 lines or none, maximize your presence on stage. Be the one who others look to when they don’t know their blocking, memorize your stuff early on, and always be the first to volunteer when additional moments are being auctioned off. Be serious about your character development. Stand out. Just because it isn’t the part you wanted, it’s the one you have, so you have to turn it into the most coveted role of the entire show. Impress everyone with how you can shine in any part, think of it as a challenge. 

Remember to not let yourself get consumed by the pressures of auditioning or performing, it’s theatre and it’s what we love to do. When in rehearsal, you may feel frustrated, and that’s okay. By showtime, your actor’s instincts will have kicked in and you will feel so proud of what you were able to do with your part. Never throw away an opportunity to perform, I believe in you!