To not understand the problem re school play

[user1485342611]

My niece (10) has been given a speaking part in the school's summer play. It's not one of the main parts but she has a couple of lines to say. My sister is livid because the main parts have gone to the same children who got them last year. They are both talented actresses, who belong to a drama club and one has appeared on a professional stage.

AIBU to not really understand the issue? My niece is not particularly interested in joining the drama club, and to be honest is more into sports than artistic activities, so I don't really get why she, or my sister, would expect her to have a lead part in the school play. But my sister keeps saying it's not fair, they should give other people 'a turn' and so on. From my understanding, and having attended the play last year, all of the children who want to go on stage are given the opportunity to say a couple of lines or take part in a dance or sing as part of a threesome etc.
Surely it's logical that the main parts would go to the talented actors who go to extra drama class all year around, and have a genuine interest in acting?

It's a school play. All the kids who want to should get a turn. YABU.

This is a tough one which comes up time and time again (I don't just mean on mumsnet but even since I was a little kid)
Growing up, it was always the same kids in my school too. And actually I did used to find it unfair. It was almost like a 'what's the point in auditioning because they've already got the parts' type of thing! I do somewhat agree with your sister that other people should get a turn. It could make some kids realise they have a real talent etc...

I agree with you op but many people on mumsnet will say you are being unreasonable.

I don't think it's just on mumsnet though naked I hear this a lot in real life and the outcome is always that kids should be given a chance.

Fair enough but I personally don't see it any differen than any other part of life where there is competition and the best kids get to be the most involved. Happens in sports and academics too.

If there are 50-60 pupils in the school year, then they can't all get a main part.

Depends what you think a school play is for.

It's the same arguments for sports teams and academic teams etc.

The talented ones get chosen on merit. Life will be like this. The kids know this although it seems the parents do not sometimes.

However, there should also be opportunities for others to have a go. The fact that people who want to be in it do get to be in it should be fine. Our school holds auditions for plays, has more than one football team (in fact at least 4 teams per age group) and had inter-house quiz teams as well as inter-school.

The problem is with acting is that it's generally subjective isn't it? Like in a running sport, you have a clear winner so yes one might argue you'd choose the runner who usually runs the fastest. But with acting, someone may think you're good and someone else may think you aren't. So it's basically the teacher believing that child is the best on their subjective view.

It isn't fair and it does get parents pissed off when the same faces are staring out at you all the times.
Its the same kids up all the time being given the glory, and it does cause resentment.

It isn't fair especially when one of them is a professional actor. Maybe your sister should discuss this with the school - professional actors should not be part of the school play!

Alltouch. Read the post. Niece is not bothered by lack of starring part but her DM is. OP is aunt. I wouldn't want to cast a school play on turn and turn about unless it was primary. I wouldn't want to put on a school concert on that basis either. Nor would I want to put a school games team together at secondary level on turn and turn about. I'd encourage students to have a go but it's not the real life they'll meet if it's something they don't want to do or aren't good at.

Wanting a main part in a play isn't enough IMO, even at a really young age.

I have 'one of each' in my ds's. Ds1 is usually sheep #17 or equivalent and has always wanted a main part and never got one. Ds2 is the kid other parents hate because he gets chosen over and over again and always has a main speaking part in any show, and has since nursery.

I can be objective enough, even with my own dc, to see why. Ds2 is a great reader, able to concentrate well and learn lines quickly, is mega confident with a very clear voice like a bell and has no fear of crowds. Ds1, whilst he is also a great reader and could learn the lines quickly, has a tendency to mumble or rush when reading out loud and won't make eye contact because of nerves.

All children should be included in plays but it's unrealistic to expect them all to be treated the same as they'll all have different strengths...rehearsals take long enough in schools without having to spend extra hours coaching the kid with 25 lines through nerves or other difficulties just because mum things they should be allowed to have a bash.

It isn't fair especially when one of them is a professional actor. Maybe your sister should discuss this with the school - professional actors should not be part of the school play!

That's silly. Because she has performed professionally, she shouldn't be allowed to be in the school play.

Just like the schools always say those who play for football teams out of school can't play for the teams, yes? And while we're about it, maybe those who do out of school clubs shouldn't be allowed to go on the residential trip?

If everyone's given the chance to get up and do something on the stage that wants to then I'll bet that's more than the sports' teams do.

Mrs Hathaway - yes! Is the play to impress the audience with the high standard of production and acting? Or is it to entertain the parents and give everyone interested a chance to be part of it? A well chosen school play could give everyone an opportunity to contribute, not just 'the best'.
The drama club girls are getting plenty of experience of drama out of school.

The thing is, if the school doesn't give everyone a chance they won't find out who the good actors are. I remember a couple of kids who had a scene in the Year 6 production at my kids' school who completely stole the show - people were asking if they'd only just started there as they hadn't noticed them in school plays before. But they'd been there from Reception, hidden in amongst the miscellaneous shepherds and villagers in every production because the same kids got the big parts every year.

I don't mean that those two girls shouldn't be in the play, only that they shouldn't necessarily get the main roles.

If all the children that want a part are given at least a few lines or dance or song to do, then YANBU. Presumably children that do their lines well, show up on the night etc will be considered for a bigger part the next year.

Hang on. You an aunt got a ticket to a school play. Blimey, our school wont even cover all parents!

The thing is, if the school doesn't give everyone a chance they won't find out who the good actors are

I disagree...I think teachers can tell a lot about the dc who are likely to do well from their classroom persona.

When my ds1 looks uncomfortable and mumbles when asked to stand and read 4 sentences to a group of 5 dc in reading time, it's a pretty understandable conclusion to reach that he probably wouldn't be the best when asked to do the same under a spotlight in front of 200 adults.

Likewise, they want to minimise the risk of the main part bursting into tears/freezing/stropping in the middle of a play...and they're going to know which are the 'robust' kids and which are the ones that are more sensitive or easily upset already.

As long as every child who wants to gets at least a small part then that's fine IMO. I've got a child who is good at drama and has been the lead in a play. My younger child is disabled and isn't keen on acting so he is usually a shepherd or a tree.

If the school has a policy of letting everyone have a go at representing them in sporting competitions regardless of talent then it's fair to let everyone have a go at a lead role. However I've not yet seen a school who do this.

Telling children who are good performers that they can't have leading role because others with less talent would like one is basically saying to them that the thing they're good at is of little value, and certainly of less value than sport.

Around sports day time every year there are parents complaining about their non sporty child having to take part. Someone always comes along and points out that many of the children who are sporty may not be academic, and being able to shine for one day a year makes them feel proud. I agree whole heartedly with that. I don't understand why the arts should be treated differently.

It's the usual double standards in schools - you get used to it. If your child is gifted academically, they get ignored and the "merit awards" go to the ones who try even if they don't achieve much academically. If your child is gifted artistically, they get the top roles in the school play, choir, orchestra, and the kids who aren't get ignored and given the bit parts.