It's Play Time Again!!

Well, last week I had auditions for my next production - Aladdin. This is for the 11 - 14 year olds. Things went well, I had 39 kids audition, I had to change a lot of male parts into female parts, and worked really hard to make sure that everyone was on stage more than once - double casting some people so that when the witches get boiled in the pot (not the Disney version of Aladdin) they get to change costumes and become villagers, so they won't only be on for the one scene. Then writing in scenes for all extra people that I had to cast - my cast always laughs at my 1/2 scenes - this time is was scene 3 1/2. We had our first practice on Monday - it went well enough. There are always a few people not real excited about their part, but usually once we get going and they see how much they really get to do it all works out. I have had kids quit before because they didn't like their part, but they usually just don't come back, and tell their friends to tell me that they quit. This time, instead of kids just not showing up I have had 3 phone calls in the past 2 days. Phone calls from parents telling me that their child is quiting. Telling me that the part they got wasn't worth their time. That they didn't want to say anything against my casting, but their child didn't feel like she got the part she deserved. The first call made me a little upset, then sad. The last two made me feel like crying. This is so dumb. If they only knew how hard it was to cast, and all the thought that goes into each part and who fits that character. I never cut anyone, I make up parts so that everyone who auditions gets a part. Not everyone can have the biggest part, but I do all I can to make sure everyone's part is important. I think the thing that hurts the most is that these girls have blossomed so much, and are at a point where they could do a bigger part if they fit the character, and the parts I gave them were bigger parts. They weren't the write ins - they were actually characters in the play. Now they won't come back and have the opportunity to do a bigger part next time. Plus all three of the mom's are friends of mine - or people that I have had dealings with other than the plays. It made me feel so bad that they would think that I wasn't being fair. So, now I have to go and choreograph music for rehearsal today, and I'm having a really hard time getting excited about it. I'll put on a smile, hide the tears, and go and face the lions today - to see how many more are going to quit - or who just don't show up today.