Character Performer Auditions

[Berlioz70]

The DAK rehearsal building is by Maingate - which is off 192 down by Animal Kingdom.

To get there on the CP busses you'll take the DAK bus, but have to specifically request the DAK wardrobe building.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Good luck! For my first entertainment program I did the end of program auditions. I liked it a lot better than the audition I did for the second go around. There were a lot fewer people, we were all already CPs so it was a very different atmosphere- and they told us all right away- including who we were if we made it. Start to finish it was about 2 hours. They did pull for face then and even had the supplies for wigs and make up which was another bonus.

When I went down a year later to do a third program (second in entertainment) I had to audition again because it had been more than six months since I had performed (and yet I still had all of my parade approvals). I had to drive to Chicago and it was loooooooooooong. I was unprepared for the length- six hours (as compared to two for end of program auditions)!

If you have any questions about auditions, let me know, I'll be happy to help you out!

 

[DisneyTampa]

Thanks!!

Can you tell me more about the End of Season auditions? I have heard about normal cp auditions but have not heard much about the End of Season. How many people attended? Was the audition difficult? I have never been to an audition before so I am nervous. I haven't danced in a few years but I have around 10 years of dance training but I'm really nervous about the pantomime. I have never done anything like that!

Also does anyone know what characters, if any, are in the 4'9-4'10" range?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Thanks!!

Can you tell me more about the End of Season auditions? I have heard about normal cp auditions but have not heard much about the End of Season. How many people attended? Was the audition difficult? I have never been to an audition before so I am nervous. I haven't danced in a few years but I have around 10 years of dance training but I'm really nervous about the pantomime. I have never done anything like that!

Also does anyone know what characters, if any, are in the 4'9-4'10" range?

I can't remember exactly how many people. We learned the routines in groups of about 20-30 (you audition in the order you sign in) and then did the actual audition in groups of 6.

It's very similar to the regular CP auditions. You will be taught a routine, the style of dance can be anything from a more classical to hip hop. I was probably about 5 or 6 measures if I remember correclty. After the dance we were given our animation routine. One tip they will give you is "if you feel stupid, you've almost got it!" That is 100% true. I have done the parades and shows on property and you really do feel dorky, but that exactly what you should do! We had a chance to run through the routine/animation in smaller groups. One other tip is to stay off the floor. Characters are not allowed to sit in costume and are supposed to stay off the ground.

After that we were brought back in groups of six. We did dance/animation/dance/animation. It was all very quick. Basically, they counted off the beats leading up to the dance (5,6,7,8) and then after the dance we went straight into animation. I believe we switched lines and then did it again (so you will do it in the front and the back). Going from the animation to the dance they gave us a 5,6,7,8 and then we switched.

You may or may not be called back for puppets. Technically puppet height is 5', although at my last audition they did call me back (didn't for the initial audition I did). They play around with it. Even if you get called back for puppets, don't count on doing them, I've neve heard of anybody in that height range doing puppets.

At the end of program auditions they had us wait around, those who needed to be pulled for face were pulled for face. We were then told the outcome: hired, pool, or no go. We were even told our roles, so when they told me I was hired (I was SA and hired to come back SA the next year) they told me my role.

I PMing you the roles you can do, you are in my height range. One thing you will learn quickly is that we need to be very careful about character integrity (something you have already learned I'm sure, but it gets more important once you do the job.)

One thing to note: Do not be disappointed if you do not get called back for the harder routine. Even in all of my auditions for color codes and my auditins for the program I never did and I had a yellow/yellow which is the second highest (and hard to get). I did a lot of parades and shows (including opening cast of Disney Dreams Come True Parade and the Christmas castle show) but they are apparently cutting back on allowing CPs to do parades/shows. It has caused a lot of ill will among the full timers. One girl I sent down for this past fall program was called back for the harder movement routine and was not once trained for a parade or show even though she was very good and there over the holidays.

If you get it, do not go on and on about being trained for parades/shows. Do not expect it. If it happens, great! You will quickly learn that the full timers are not happy about CPs getting trained, believe me, I put up with a lot of drama because of my training. Don't expect it, and then if you get it it will be a great surprise!

 

[balletskater]

I understand becoming a character performer is very hard to get. They are looking for just the right look and skills to carry out this important position.Many are turned away the first time around but dont worry many also get in the second time they may try. Just keep your chin up and always go for your dream!! Disney makes magic happen for everyone . Good luck to all who audition !!

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

Does anyone have an idea of what characters (including face) are in the Pooh/Munk range right now? A PM would be lovely.

(I'm right around 5'4" if that helps at all.)

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

PM on the way.

 

[balletskater]

Does anyone know how many UP characters they hired ? I heard many cps wanted to do them but didnt get chosen. WHY?

 

[Berlioz70]

They do not hire people for specific characters so someone gave you incorrect information. They would never hire people just because new characters come out.

Karl, Russell, and Dug are meetable but they went out before CPs arrived (may 15th) so they wouldn't have had time to get trained as a character and then the UP characters on top of it. Some CPs will probably get those shifts down the road.

 

[balletskater]

Oh sorry i didnt mean hired for the up characters out of nowhere . I know they are already character performers to begin with ,i just meant how did they choose from them who got to debut the up characters.

 

[Berlioz70]

It's based on height and availability. The Bolt character opening cast was all CPs... but then they left about 2 months later. Perhaps they were avoiding that same instance with the Up characters?

 

[Goofster18]

well, at least one CP is friends with Carl. He is a weird height, not exactly tall but not super short either. But they are inside, and on 40 and off for some time, so it is only 2 performers per carl for that 1 day. hence, not that many performers needed. now think of the demand for other characters, and hopefully this makes sense I'm trying to kill too much character integrity.......but yea. CPs are UP characters.
Goofster18

 

[balletskater]

Thanks Goofster !! wow 40 on and 40 off .Sounds difficult to be in fur though for 40 straight minutes !! Hats off to these cms.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

They do not hire people for specific characters so someone gave you incorrect information. They would never hire people just because new characters come out.

Karl, Russell, and Dug are meetable but they went out before CPs arrived (may 15th) so they wouldn't have had time to get trained as a character and then the UP characters on top of it. Some CPs will probably get those shifts down the road.

Yep, it's just luck of the draw. When Chicken Little/Abby Mallard came out, I was one who opened them. We did not have an "opening cast' as somebody else called it. I was one of the very first and was there for about a week. I worked with a different partner each day.

We don't train to do new characters. They just give you the info sheet and send you on your merry way. There's no way you could train for every one in your height range. Heck- I was Chicken Little/Abby Mallard (similar heights) before the movie came out. We had this piece of sky with the wires on the back. We had no freaking clue what the wires were for so we just ignored that. I used to have some really great pics, including Chicken Little being "flattened" by the sky, but they died with my computer.

One thing I noticed is that they tend to schedule you in spurts. Because of my height and the fact that so many people could not do a specific character, I would work Island Mercantile for like two weeks at a time, and then I would go a month without being there. CPs are really mobile and you move around a lot. Or at least you did when I was there. The only way I regularly worked an area was if I could fit a hard to fit costume (like the Island Mercantile) or the parade situation. After I was trained in parades I performed in them quite regularly. Particularly because the woman who was the five day cast for my role ended up leaving the company. Since the others who trained the role were all full timers with bids/casts or part timers/seasonal with limited availability I ended up performing it more than the full timers. When the new parade opened not everybody who had been trained for one of my roles was approved and they hadn't had time to cast it yet so I ended up doing that with quite a bit of regularity. But really, most people end up bouncing around all over the place.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Oops: meant to add that they would only need two people per role per day for the UP characters since it is one indoor location and indoors can go as long as 45 minutes on set at a time.

 

[onenightonly]

Quick Question: Is anyone going to the open call today? 6/18/09? I am and would like a buddy.

 

[houseofmouse89]

Can someone PM me the characters I can be friends with if I'm almost 5'2" on the dot? I have a ton of dance experience/background (I'm on my schools Division I dance team) so would be interested to hear about that as well!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I will try to PM you but I believe you need 10 posts under your belt to be able to accept PMs.

 

[houseofmouse89]

gah, you're right- i'm finally applying to the program for spring 2010 so figured it would be prudent to get an account now. Of course, I've been on the boards for 2 years already but never got around to making one..... ahh!

 

[hopi366]

Hi all!
I am about to get my haircut and "Disney look" ready before I show up on August 12. I am going to be a character performer and would like to have some time to be a face character. (I wanna be Goofey too But my question is, how should I cut my hair? Will I wear wigs if I get matched up with a face character? I just want to be ready ya know?

Thanks!