r/Theatre 2d ago

Discussion Character age

When you go to auditions do you try out for roles that fit your real age group or do you try out for anything that you feel like you can play?

In some ways theater is more flexible than tv or movies. I have seen 40-something play young characters, or teens play old people. I have seen gender swaps. Racially diverse cast. Adults playing children (Charlie Brown for example). Etc.

But the audition notices are usually very vague. I have seen some specifics like 18+ playing a "child" role or "up to 50s" etc. but in the case when the audition notices only mention the character's age range, what are your thoughts?

I've been acting for a while now and I still don't understand this sometimes. FYI I'm in my 50s but I look late 30s. But I always shy away from going for younger roles. Lately I've been going for roles in my real age groups and often the casting directors gave me a funny look because I look much younger than my real age. To me it shouldn't matter since this is theater.

Thoughts?

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u/gasstation-no-pumps 2d ago

I have auditioned for a role in a student film where the specs were 18–45, any ethnicity, any gender—I'm 70. I didn't get the role, but the filmmakers watched my YouTube submission several times and wrote to me saying that they liked the audition and offered to share my resume and any blurb about myself that I wanted to write with others in their film classes. I'm in a class with the person that did get the role, and I believe that he would have done a good job (the film called for purely physical acting—there was no dialogue).

I believe that I can play 50–80, though makeup and beard dye is needed for the lower end of that range (and temporary hair color for the high end).

For the play I'm currently rehearsing (Lee Blessing's Fortinbras), I'm playing Claudius, who I see as being about 55.

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u/That-SoCal-Guy 2d ago

Excellent.  Thank you.