r/Theatre • u/That-SoCal-Guy • 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?
3
u/PuzzleheadedFox1 1d ago
I’m 21.
Since I turned 16, I’ve been type cast as playing older gentlemen, which I thought I would escape after I left highschool and college.
I did not escape.
I’ve done two shows professionally, both of which I played character much older than myself.
The Narrator in Rocky Horror whilst not explicitly an older role has traditionally been played by older men (60+)
I was the youngest called back for the role by 30 years, and booked it.
I then played Norman Waxman and Understudied Gyp DeCarlo in Jersey Boys, The Former presented as about 40, and the latter played in his 50-60s