character peformer audtion

on the role list thingy it says to be a character performer you have to pass an audition.... is the audition in disney? and does anyone know what they get you to do? and what happens if you dont pass the audition do you just become a character attendent?

 

Hey,

i have never been a character performer but i do have a few friends who have been on the ICP as characters. The way it works is a little different to how american CPs of FTs get the job.

Firstly, if you put it as your first choice, when you are interviewed your interviewer will measure you. I think priority is given to those who are under 5 foot 4ish and those who are 6 foot and over. Each height has a set number of characters and i guess they need alot of short/tall people. That is not to say if you are in the middle somewhere you wont get the job, but they need more short/tall people.

If you get offered the job as character performer you then take part in an audition once you get to orlando. As they said at my interview, they arn't looking for a star they are just looking at your ability to move around! The will measure you again. From what my friends told me, there are 2 parts to the audition. There is the movement part where they show you a short dance which you have to copy and perform. If you arn't a good dancer it doesn't matter, from what iv been told it is just to show them that you can move around i think! The other part of the audition is expression. Obviously fur characters can't speak, so you are given senarios such as you have just won an award, you are eating an ice cream, you and wrapping a present, decorating a christmas tree. You have to act this out without any words. You need big over the top gestures because small movements wont be seen inside the costumes.

Most heights have alot of characters you could end up doing. If you dont pass the audition then i think most end up being character attendants.

 

I found this website useful for more information...

Detailed description...

http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/role_descr/entertainment.html

There's a pretty informative video you can watch on that page alsoabout the audition process

May I suggest the following page also for anyone unsure of what role they might want to apply for (if on a college programme... not applicable for cultural representatives I'm afraid)...

http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/students/role_descr/onstage.html

 

thanks for the links...if anything they've just confused my decision even more! but were helpful...
signing autographs must be quite hard to write the same thing over and over again all day!

 

if you PM me your height in feet and inches i can tell you which characters you might end up doing and that might influence your decision. But it's meant to be a disney secret

 

Also... unfortunately this role is quite popular. At my interviews they didn't have any of these positions available for new hires which was a bit sad :-(

 

I'd love to be in Entertainment, but I think my best hope is characters/parades in DLRP, just because you don't need dance experience and they take female performers up to 6ft (I'm 5'10" and so can't be friends with that many face characters in WDW) and plus you don't have to speak French to be in the parades!

 

you dont need dance experience for wdw! i know a few people on the ICP who had never danced before and were characters. I am 5 foot 10 and was offered the character job

 

I'd considered auditioning as a singer for Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Tokyo but I was scared of the audition process because I had never done anything like it before and had no idea what to expect. Have u ever tried? I've seen advertisements now and again and they have open auditions in London. I might consider it after my Walt Disney World & Cruise Line experience. I know with Paris, entertainment is about the only role you can do without speaking French as you said!

 

Oh I know you don't have to have dance experience for WDW, I just don't fit many of the height requirements. Serves me right for being so tall I guess. Plus I don't particularly want to be a character...I want to be an equity performer (I'd love to be part of the Voices of Liberty as well!) and thats a little harder to get into.

I did consider going to character auditions for Tokyo Disneyland at the AK rehearsal facility, but then I looked on the website and they were looking for female face characters up to 5'7" Haha I'm not sure I could shrink 3 inches. I've never tried but I am seriously considering auditioning for DLRP...but I'm not going on my own! A friend of mine wants to go to, but we have to get uni and WDW jobs (if I get it) out of the way first.

If not working for WDW, I'd love to do Disney on Broadway. I'd especially love to be in Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins (both West End) or Tazan on Broadway, but the first two close in January next year, and besides, I'm most likely too tall for it! If not Disney, then Wicked In fact...give me any musical theatre stage where I can sing, and I shall be happy!

 

beauty and the beast and tarzan have already closed :'(

 

B&tB has only closed on Broadway, but not on West End yet...but then it only has until January 5th...I forgot Tarzan had already closed....maybe one day we'll get it, and I can use my wonderful British accent to play Jane LOL

 

beauty and the beast hasnt been open in the west end for years!

 

Did you know the Little Mermaid is due on Broadway real soon? Sounds like a cool concept to bring underwater to the stage.

 

oh and i also wanted to audition for dlp. i saw a few ads on the stage website in the past. but i was too scared.

 

I'd love to see that! I managed to acquire the broadway workshop soundtrack for that...but I'm not which songs were actually used in the end. I'm so glad Sherie Renee Scott is in it! I loved her in Aida (not that I ever saw it!)

 

If I can afford to do it I'm hoping to catch it in New York when my Florida programme is over. It's going to be a full on Disney year for me... I also want to visit the original Disneyland in California coz it's always been my dream to do that. I feel like a Disney loser now haha.

 

Erm...the correct term is 'Disney Dork'...I just happen to be co-vice president of the Disney Dorks LOL.

And that's exactly what I want to do when/if I go out there! It's just going to be full on Disney (like it was last time but even more so). I'd definitely recommend that everyone goes to Universal wearing Mickey ears....oh the fun you'll have!

 

wouldnt that be insulting to them!?

 

Many Disney CM's are also Universal employees...and they have just as much fun making fun of us!