When the chains that connect people are traced, many things make sense, and this is particularily true in theatre. Though I suppose casting is fairly suggestive, I think that in some instances, one person is clearly better than another. And, in the type of situation I have just outlined, I have seen people less deserving of a part get it because they know Mr./Mrs. So-and-So.
This has happened to me more than once. I have been in plays where I felt that either my friends or I was more qualified than the leads and tell-tale "chains" surfaced the sea of deceit. And often, when the casting is crooked, many other things are as well.
In a production I was in, everything in the whole process was fradulent. The original ad which told you who would be directing the show and what you would do was completely misleading, a nest full of "suggestive" lies. A con game from the start, convincing you to audition for and take part in something that was not what it seemed. Those people they said would be involved ended up having to do with the production! Masked as a learning experience in which you would be taught the basics of theatre by the best in the field, it turned out to be a money-making machine. A play for which even the auditions were a fraud. Having already chosen their "friends" (who had paid to be in other programs they had established), the general populus who auditioned at the "open" try-out were really, primarily, only eligible to be in the supporting cast. In a situation where everyone pays the same amount of money to be in a production, it is unacceptable that not every actor had the same oppurtunities. Even more appalling, it was called a "professional" production, and that was an all-out lie. The very definition of professional theatre is that the actors make money on their work! Even worse, the tickets for the show were expensive, and there was no real deduction for cast members. So, basically, you not only paid a big sum to be in the play, but for tickets to see the show!
That was one of the most corrupt experiences I had in my theatrical career, but I learned a lot from it, and I hope you will, too. Corruption will always occur as long as people feel a need to line their pockets and those of their friends, and it is very likely you will encounter it in your lifetime. But you should avoid it at all costs. One of the ways to do this is to do your homework, and this is true with anything, not just theatre. If you want to take part in something, whether it be a play, musical, newspaper, or orchestra; talk to other people who have actually taken part in the program. Hearing about a place's reputation from someone who has never done something with that group of people has very little value....... it is much better to hear from someone who has first-hand knowledge. Furthermore, once you have figured out that a group is corrupt or deceitful about one thing, it is probable that they be this way about other things, too. So, if you figure out that something which you are doing is corrupt in any way, you should be skeptical when it comes to their other affairs.
Of course, the best way to stop corruption is from the "inside going out," thus I urge casting directors, and anyone who is involved in selecting people for anything, to pick those that are most qualified for the job. It is always in your interest to pick the most talented people, because they make the best product as a whole. Besides, once people think that one thing you've done is questionable, they become incredulous and begin to question the correctness of your other actions.
This has happened to me more than once. I have been in plays where I felt that either my friends or I was more qualified than the leads and tell-tale "chains" surfaced the sea of deceit. And often, when the casting is crooked, many other things are as well.
In a production I was in, everything in the whole process was fradulent. The original ad which told you who would be directing the show and what you would do was completely misleading, a nest full of "suggestive" lies. A con game from the start, convincing you to audition for and take part in something that was not what it seemed. Those people they said would be involved ended up having to do with the production! Masked as a learning experience in which you would be taught the basics of theatre by the best in the field, it turned out to be a money-making machine. A play for which even the auditions were a fraud. Having already chosen their "friends" (who had paid to be in other programs they had established), the general populus who auditioned at the "open" try-out were really, primarily, only eligible to be in the supporting cast. In a situation where everyone pays the same amount of money to be in a production, it is unacceptable that not every actor had the same oppurtunities. Even more appalling, it was called a "professional" production, and that was an all-out lie. The very definition of professional theatre is that the actors make money on their work! Even worse, the tickets for the show were expensive, and there was no real deduction for cast members. So, basically, you not only paid a big sum to be in the play, but for tickets to see the show!
That was one of the most corrupt experiences I had in my theatrical career, but I learned a lot from it, and I hope you will, too. Corruption will always occur as long as people feel a need to line their pockets and those of their friends, and it is very likely you will encounter it in your lifetime. But you should avoid it at all costs. One of the ways to do this is to do your homework, and this is true with anything, not just theatre. If you want to take part in something, whether it be a play, musical, newspaper, or orchestra; talk to other people who have actually taken part in the program. Hearing about a place's reputation from someone who has never done something with that group of people has very little value....... it is much better to hear from someone who has first-hand knowledge. Furthermore, once you have figured out that a group is corrupt or deceitful about one thing, it is probable that they be this way about other things, too. So, if you figure out that something which you are doing is corrupt in any way, you should be skeptical when it comes to their other affairs.
Of course, the best way to stop corruption is from the "inside going out," thus I urge casting directors, and anyone who is involved in selecting people for anything, to pick those that are most qualified for the job. It is always in your interest to pick the most talented people, because they make the best product as a whole. Besides, once people think that one thing you've done is questionable, they become incredulous and begin to question the correctness of your other actions.
