<p>“I disagree with one poster who thought ensemble members can’t or should not stand out. I have seen countless shows and there are ensemble members who have great stage presence and truly stand out in a positive way and you can’t take your eyes off of them.” SuzieVT</p>
<p>I was thinking about this debate and agree with SuzieVT. I have seen/been in a lot of musicals and plays and some of my favorite characters/performances have been side characters (Adolfo in Drowsy Chaperone at Ball State is one example). There are also definitely ensemble members that stand out just because…not that they are doing anything wrong or different…just because they do what they need to do with perfection/ease. Ensemble voices should generally blend, but the acting and dancing is going to vary somewhat depending on the strengths of the actors. This is probably what makes an ensemble member…memorable.</p>
<p>A couple years ago I was in the ensemble of “South Pacific”. Several parents went up to the director after the Opening Show and asked who I was and where I went to school and said very positive comments about my performance. He happened to tell me about it a day or two later and I was very flattered. He was quite pleased and did not view it negatively at all. </p>
<p>The very next year I auditioned for “Merrily We Roll Along” at the same school with the same director. I was thrilled to be offered a lead in the show that year and maybe the attention from the year before made the director take a closer look at me. I WILL say I learned equally as much and had just as much fun in both positions (ensemble/lead). Getting a lead is good, but I would MUCH rather be a great ensemble member than to be miss-cast as a lead when I really did not fit the part. </p>
<p>I know colleges like to see leading roles on the resumes and it is nice to have those, but as some college reps pointed out…it is the audition that makes/breaks your acceptance or casting and the fact that you have been a lead (or not) sometimes has little to do with the outcome of an audition. Also all the other factors like height, body type, age, who you know, ticket sales…things that are out of your control can factor in. So why not enjoy whatever part you are given? And if you are not cast for some unknown reason…something better will always come along.</p>