I think everyone has already answered your question as I would.  I just admire your honesty in asking it!

Originally posted by B-M-D I jumped on that like David Ortiz on a fast ball!

Boston boy?

Originally posted by KL Murphy Originally posted by B-M-D I jumped on that like David Ortiz on a fast ball!  Boston boy?

Let's just say a member of "the nation" in close proximity.

Back to the topic (although the side stuff is entertaining, boys) it really comes down to good manners, doesn't it?  If you want only the lead role, say so.  If you will not take a lesser role, don't say that you will and then dissappoint the director by refusing it when you get the call.  Because chances are you are not the first person s/he is calling and when s/he has the show cast and is counting on you to do what you said you'd do, it will be very disheartening to her to have to call people back and let them know that things have changed, and offer parts that she hadn't planned on offering to them...then they know they were not the first choice... this does not help the director build rapport with her cast.  The last person (actually one of my family members!) who told me she'd take a role and then changed her mind hasn't been in any of my shows since.

I have a couple of interesting stories regarding this topic.

First, though, I have to say that I feel like I'm beyond my 'back of the ensemble' days. I'm not a leading man in any sense of the word-but my 'career' in community theater has progressed nicely and I've had the opportunity to play several great supporting and character roles. Also, with my work schedule and the driving time required to get to any theater-I just generally don't feel it's worth the commitment for an ensemble role (though I might make an exception for the right show). May sound snobby-but that's the way it goes. A statictician friend of mine says that when the level of enjoyment does not exceed the work required-it's just not worth doing it. Anyway, that being said-

I recently auditioned for a show and put down that I would only take A, B or C. I marked that I was not interested in any other roles. I discussed my situation and why I would only take these roles (which is long and complicated and lends nothing to this story) with the producer and director before auditions and also made brief mention at the audition. When the producer called to offer me role X (which was not one of the 3 I said I would accept)-I thanked her for the offer and allowing me to audition, reminded her of my situation, politely declined, and asked her to keep me in mind for future shows. Really, I felt I was completely justified in doing so. When I ran into the director at an event a couple of days later, he pulled me aside and basically scolded me for being too much of a 'prima donna' (what do you call al male prima donna?) and was upset that I had told him no.    

My second audition story relating to this happened just this weekend. I went to audition for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I had never done a play before-only musicals-the rehearsal time frame was short-about 6 weeks-and it fit very nicely into my schedule before my next project began. I went in thinking that I would take whatever was offered because of those reasons. I was asked to read for a variety of roles during the course of the audition, all in all, I think it went pretty well. So when asked what part I was interested in...I said "Anything... well..anything except for maybe Alice" :) When I got the casting call later that night-the director said he loved my audition and asked me to play the Queen of Hearts (did he realize I wasn't a woman?). I told him I would take anything, right? So I took it! LOL I'm a sucker for a good comedic role anyway :)

My point in all of this, I guess, is this. When a director asks what parts you are interested in-be as honest with yourself and him/her as possible. You never know where that road may lead you.