So there's this play at my church, organized by the priest's kid [she's 20 something]. Well I was cast for three small parts.

Let's get this straight:
1. I am a female
2. I am straight
3. I am capable of memorizing LOTS of lines, in short amounts of time.

One of my characters is great, just a one liner, but great.
The other two are lesbians... I do NOT feel comfortable with talking about sleeping with women on stage. [yes the lines talk intensely about sleeping multiple times with other women.]

I have a total of 15 lines. All of which I could memorize in... 30 minutes.
Maybe less than that!

The director of the play came up to me and said:
"Well we picked you for those parts, because I thought you could handle them."

When I went to the assistant director they told me:
"Well we picked you for those parts because we thought you'd be good at doing them, and you'd make them good."

Those aren't word for word quotes, but they're accurate.

So do I have the right to not want to do this?
Also I just don't want to, it's gonna be a terrible play!

Do I have the right to be angry when I say I don't want to do it, and they contradict me, and yell at me, and say I'm being stupid?

I don't want to be in a play if my lines are terrible, they can't get me any other lines, and if they decide to cut the scene I'm in, I'll have a whopping 4 lines.

Sooo do you think I should handle this differently?

I've been acting from 2nd grade to 8th grade and I took a couple of drama classes in high school. Within that time, I was casted as many different types of characters. Some were big parts, some were small. Some rolls suited me perfectly, other ones I hated with a burning intensity. But I did them all.

Taking part in plays is a group activity. Everyone has to do they're roll for the good of the group who has been working hard to put on this production. Sometimes you don't get the parts you want, but this is just an opportunity to show your ability as an actress. Show you can do multiple rolls and handle the personality of different characters. If you truly do feel uncomfortable with your rules, have another discussion with them. A calm one without you being angry. These people are under a lot of stress and can snap very easily, so don't be upset if they get angry.

Just try and stick with it though. It is so much more reawarding when you're up there performing, no matter what the roll may be.

Uzura, you're probably right.

But, they aren't stressed at all! It's a church play, in fact they don't seem to make much of an effort to get it all started.

We don't start rehearsal for 2 weeks, so there's time to drop.

Also, I don't like being in plays very much... These are the blandest characters, believe me when I say, I'm a good actress. Everyone tells me.

I know this sounds boastful, but I was also insulted when EVERYONE got 30+ lines and I got 15... In fact I have even less than 15.

There is nothing at all professional about this play. I don't want part in it.

I calmly tried to step out, and they won't let me... I'm not gonna be in a play if I only have 4 lines or less...

I suppose I'll just see how next week goes, talking to them again and all.

Sounds to me like you're just wimping out cause you didn't get your ideal part. O: Being an actor is not supporting who you portray, but temporarily being someone you're not for -entertainment-.

I think any truly good actress would know that there's many parts in a play, and not all of them are the lead but could very well be just as important as a main character. Even if it's not a serious play, I would hope - as someone else who went to a performing arts school - that you'd realize this is good practice.

Lore- I'm not wimping out at all. These people just piss me off. They practically called me lesbian. But you could be very right. I could be taking it way to seriously.

Also, I'm not an actress. I don't ever want to be one. Ever.

What I'm angry about more than anything, is how I kindly tried to step out, I wasn't hurting them. And they were jerks about it.

This isn't at all about acting, really. What I'm asking for advice is, not how to be a proper actress, I don't want that sh_t. I'm asking for advice, on dealing with these people. So far I'm not getting that...

They can't FORCE you to be in this play, and if you don't want to I don't see why you should.

If you don't want to do the damn thing, then don't. Tell them that you simply aren't going to act in their play. If they start being asses, tell them that they're best off finding someone new to fill your part now then waiting until opening night and discovering that they are an actor short.

Believe it or not, just NOT GOING is an option. Tell them that you're leaving, and... leave. O_o'' If you don't want to do the play and got a shitty part, don't waste your time. Go do something you'll enjoy then.

They will figure out that you're serious soon enough and find someone else to play your parts.

Lovvy: Yeah that's just it!

I did tell them I don't want to be in it, and maybe just flat out saying no to it would be the best...

I think the whole not showing up would work, they already know I don't wanna be in it.

Thanks. That was the advice I was looking for!

You don't have to do it if you don't want to. Just tell them that your not comfortable with the other two parts and if they don't listen then you can just point blank refuse to take any part in the play they can't force you to act in the play.

You absolutely have a right not to do something you aren't comfortable with and yes you have a right to be angry with them for yelling at you for not wanting to do it. If you are that uncomfortable, you really should quit.

Originally Posted by Quaint Sheep

Lovvy: Yeah that's just it!

I did tell them I don't want to be in it, and maybe just flat out saying no to it would be the best...

I think the whole not showing up would work, they already know I don't wanna be in it.

Thanks. That was the advice I was looking for!

Yup. That's the best way to get your point across: point-blank no.
Make sure it gets done soon, though. You do want to give them enough time to find someone new so they don't get completely screwed over. XD

Glad I could be of service. ^^

Quaint, while not going is an option, you should be certain that you'll not want to do ANY other plays offered by this organization. They may never offer a thing up for you again.

On your given roles, I can respect your decision for not wanting to play them, but please remember that it could also be a challenge. There are many actors and actresses out there who are straight but play gay roles. It's always a challenge to know you can portray an accurate part--it shows that you have skill. It doesn't mean that you yourself are gay.

You said yourself that they picked you because they felt you could do the parts. They probably felt you were mature enough to realize it was acting. I don't think it's because they felt you were or would show interest in lesbianism.

I'm just tossing up different points of view for you, but ultimately, you DO have the right not to go, especially if you're adamant about not going. They have no right to disrespect you by saying you HAVE to play the parts.

Best of luck!

A church play with lesbians in it??

As a volunteer actress (seeing this is a community event) you have the right to choose if you're uncomfortable.

If it is going to be a terrible play, don't think that. Try to make it the best you can make it!

The important thing is enjoying yourself. Seems like you don't like your directors, the way they handled your complaint, and their attitudes. Are you sure no one else can take your roles? One character is enough, even if it is four lines, as long as you aren't making yourself say lines that you don't want to.

I'm a lesbian. You aren't.

You don't need to be afraid. It's just a play for goodness sake. Just suck it up. You might have a real homophobe problem though, if you can't even separate a part from a play to yourself.

It's called acting for a reason, don't take it so seriously. I'm sorry I sound so angry, but you're making a big deal out of nothing, and the fact that I am a lesbian, sorta ticks me off that you find it so horrible, when all you have to do is say a few lines, you aren't making out with a girl, you aren't having sex. It's just a few lines that you say. It's not you.

Maybe you have feelings and are ashamed of them. Maybe go see a psychiatrist about them, because no offense, but this is really messed up.

You should be happy, they think you're good enough to play someone you're not at all.

It's one of the things they teach in acting class. When you're on stage, you're not yourself. Off of stage, you're a different person. If people tease you, they're idiots. You aren't the person you play on stage..you just have to remember that.

Also, I don't think they called you a lesbian, I think they just think you're a good actress.

I think if you're not comfortable you shouldn't have to do it. I think a lot of people here are being mean saying you should have to suck it up and do it, but honestly there are some things people just can't do.

I have to agree though, the people may not ask you to do a play again, but from the sound of it, you could care less about being in a play, so I don't think that would bother you too much. Plus I wouldn't want to be in a play where jerks make me act a part that you just can't do.

Also fuyumi_saito
you're wrong, just because someone doesn't want to act the part of lesbian doesn't make them homophobic. I don't think she needs to see a phsychartrist, I think you just need to get over yourself. Sorry If I'm sounding rude, but I am straight I do support gays, but I could never act the part of a gay. My gay friends are a lot nicer than you are and I think it's a shame that it's ones like you that give them bad names.

A little off subject now, but what kind of church as a play about lesbians?

You should never do any scene your uncomforable with. If they dont like it, leave and refuse to come back unless they change your part or whatever. (This is what I would do if I had an issue like yours.)

You do have the right to be angry but just not physical anger. Thats bad.

Wait so you don't want to play the part because your character is a Lesbian or is it because she talks about sleeping with women or BOTH. Either it's a few damn lines. Not a big deal. It's not like their asking you to kiss someone. If it's only a few lines don't make such a big fuss over it. If it really bugs you THAT much, ask for another role or threaten to quit. It's that easy really :/ If they continue to bug you over it just don't go to church on the weekdays and only weekends like most people do. Well depending on how your family does...
This is the best I can really offer you, so goodluck getting out of play. Besides you're really supposed to ask to know how your character is, summarized by them, before you even read one word of the script or anything.

They cannot force you to be apart of any roll that you don't feel uncomfortable with. Either way, I believe you're over-reacting. :3

To be bold...I'd be pissed off. XD I'm a straight female as well but if I was asked to play a lesbian on stage...I'd flat out tell them no. I'd consider doing the one that had nothing to do with that but why did they cast you as three people and two of them lesbian? O.o
All I can say is you do have a right to be upset and I wouldn't do it. I doubt the play's faith dwindles on the opinions of two lesbians and a one liner. ><;

If you're a good actress, it shouldn't matter who the characters are that you're playing. Just do your best and prove to them that you are good. I can kind of understand the being uncomfortable about the lesbian characters, but they are just characters, and nothing to do with who you are. Everyone knows it's just a play. I'm female and I've played many male characters in school plays, it doesn't bother me. It certainly doesn't make me a man. XD I think playing different kinds of characters is fun. But if you really don't want to be in the play, then don't be. They shouldn't force you to. I once dropped out of a play, not because I had a problem with my character, but because I had a problem with another person who was acting in the play. She was always bitchy towards me when we were in school together and she just had to get the part of a queen so she went around bossing everyone around and acting like she was better than all of us. Basically, she let the fact that she got that character go to her head. It was unpleasant to work with her so I refused and quit. The teacher running the play tried to convince me not to quit and said that I couldn't quit, but I did anyways. I felt bad about it, like I'd let people down, but I just COULD NOT work with someone with that sort of attitude. So if you absolutely feel you cannot do this, just quit. They will find someone else to replace you, it isn't that hard for them to do.