Why Do Open Auditions Matter?
23-1-15
By: Meaghan McGurgan
Recently, I received an anonymous note in our tumblr:
“Can you please talk about auditions in Hong Kong? I think it is very sad that many companies are no longer doing open auditions to the public. This does not encourage the community spirit that theatre should have.”
When I started my first blog, I decided I was going to use it to highlight the wonderful productions happening in HK and talk about issues facing our art community. Are open auditions important? Yes, absolutely.
I’m passionate about transparency and open communication between the artist and audience. I think it creates trust and allows the audience to feel like they’re part of the experience. That’s why social media is so important!
I think open auditions are vital to the experience, especially when doing theatre in a small company or community theatre. Open auditions allow the director and producer to open their minds. See the characters in new ways. Challenge actors to try different roles and allow their fans a chance to become part of the show. Most actors I know want to be cast because they're the best for the part, not because of a friendship. Community spirit is a big part of theatre. We expect the Hong Kong community to support us and buy tickets; why shouldn’t we give them a chance to have a bigger part in the play?
Now, just because I’m a believer in open auditions doesn’t mean that every company does them. Many companies do auditions by appt. only or invitation. This is their way of doing things… They have a company of performers they enjoy working with and want to continue working with. It’s a different way of casting. One that doesn’t work for me but works for them.
So, to the person who wrote me this note…
Yes, I agree with you that I wish more people did open auditions in Hong Kong. Pre-casting is not a good thing for actors or audience. An open mind during the casting process can only help a director do some much needed exploration of the possibilities in the script.
But can we change things simply by wishing? No. I’ve found the only thing that really matters in Hong Kong is the almighty dollar. If you don’t like policies that a company has, don’t buy tickets from them.
No one is forcing you to watch the show.
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