Originally posted by suzecue1 Many times I have seen a "so-so" male actor get the lead

So what, exactly, have you seen me in? 

All sage advise.... But as you have told us in a previous post what part you got, let me share something else with you... And by no means is to detract from all this wonderful advice... I just closed in that show, as I mentioned to you earlier, and though the lead boy got the last bow, it was always, and I mean always, Georgie that got the most laughs and applause...  It's not the role, its the actor...

Originally posted by red diva It's great that some of the people on this board have the courage to speak honestly and say things that need to be said. It would also be great if they had the courage to say those honest things in a softer and constructive manner so that the recipient doesn't go away feeling awful about him/herself.  I think we're all on this board to give advice when asked and to learn when we need to.  There are ways of giving advice that let the recipient go away feeling good about themselves while still having learned a lesson.

Yes, yes at times I say the things that need to be said in unvarnished tones that make it crystal clear as to what I mean.   I am direct, frank and to the point.  Not unlike how I am in real life.   And believe it or not I still have friends.....who are actors.....and who want to work with me time and again.

A straight talking, no non-sense guy that has friends in theatre.....go figure!!

Originally posted by castMe I love you guys.  How I wish i could spend all my theater time with Gaafa, B-M-D, POB...............and someone to translate for Gaafa.

Cor blimey Cast me - I?m totally gob smacked!
Crikey what a menagerie especially with this old Galah!
I assure you, as I don?t have the slightest accent or dialect other than a neutral English one, I?d probably need a translator so I could under stand some of  the American dialects.
When I went home for a trip back to England a few years ago. My wife did a lot of the translating for me in Geordieland & she is a dinkidie Aussie.
Last year I rang up a few members of the Amdram.co.uk forum website, who were holding a Moot at a centrally located pub in Norwich & spoke to them for the first time. It rather caught them by surprise because they expected me to speak in a strine accent, which was a cross between Rolf Harris & Steve Irwin [RIP]. But they got just plain old me instead!
I should refrain from bunging the strine ockerisms on when posting - but my right hand index finger, which has a mind of it?s own, just taps it out on the keyboard regardless!
Thank you again Cast Me you have well & truly made my day, week & indeed year!

I knew I was taking a chance when I expressed my opinion about ways to offer constructive criticism, but I felt it had to be said.

I have adjudicated/responded in community theatre festivals for nigh on to 30 years, and I have had quite a bit of training in the same.  One thing that is always emphasized is:  yes, honesty, but expressed in a way that allows the participating groups/individuals to go away with some sense of dignity and self-worth.  Making criticisms in this way does nothing to diminish the honesty of the critiques, it just allows them to learn in a constructive, not destructive, way.  Expressing raw, unkind criticism (though honest and perhaps deserved) serves only to put individuals/presenting groups on the defensive which in turn shuts down their ability/willingness to listen and learn.  They are quite likely to dismiss the criticism as mere rantings (I know this is the case from experiences that presenting groups have shared with me).  There are ways to be crystal clear, frank, direct, and to the point in a constructive way and still make your point understood. And to help the recipients of the criticism learn the lessons that they need to.

It's not about how far you can go and still remain friends with the recipients of the criticisms;  it's about the dignity and self-esteem of those on the receiving end.  Yes, some people are thicker skinned than others, but you also need to take into consideration those that are thinner skinned.  There is a big difference between saying "Waah, waah, waah....don't be a baby" and something like "After you achieve more maturity in yourself and your craft you will come to realize that ...." etc.

I realize that we aren't ever going to agree on this.  Just wanted to express my opinion and let you know that there are people out there that don't or can't accept or respond well to that type of criticism.

I'm done venting now!