2 Shows and 3 Auditions Later...

Acting is a craft, it requires work and dedication and tenaciouness. There are few other industries where you face rejection on a regular basis and yet you still get up and bare your heart and soul in front of strangers in the strange hope that they like what they see enough to cast you in their next production so that you can pour yourself into the skin of somebody else and actually escape from who you are and all of your problems for a bit and take on someone elses -- and their problems are faced and dealt with and given some form of closure 2-3 hours later. If only life was that simple.

I guess I should start with the show news. When I auditioned for 12 ANGRY they were soliciting song titles to be considered for inclusion in their fall cabaret show, WHAT I DID FOR LOVE (which is also one of the best known songs from A CHORUS LINE). Of course I had song titles!! Most of mine were not from the happy, "i love you, life is good" variety. The songs that were excavted from my mental storage units were more along the lines of "love sucks, leave me alone, I'm alone" variety. Well, 3 of my top 4 were. My 4th song was just silly. My top 3 suggestions were "Being Alive" from COMPANY, "Not that Girl" from WICKED, and "Build Me a Wall"from SHREK. The fourth was "Love is Always Lovely" from THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. When speaking with the director, I had arguments for all of them, but was very passionate about why they needed to counter all the "happy love songs" and even the "really not that bitter" end of love songs with a song about why someone would be apprehensive about entering into a relationship and at the same time have longing for the things they are apprehensive about.

So....imagine my surprise when I walk into the first 12 ANGRY rehearsal and discover that they wanted me to sing "Being Alive" in WIDFL. Now, they have NEVER heard me sing! But they said that I was so passionate about it they wanted me to sing it. HOLY SHIZZ!!! So, working with 1/2 of the Dramatic Duo via e-mail on intention and acting the song and mambo blonde (voice) on the technique side for 2 weeks (had more of that for the show, but my voice school had a break), I put it into shape. This show was the first time, other than my Grandmother's funeral, that I sang a solo in front of people. EEP! I was also the ONLY person in the show that was brand new to the group! Everyone else has been involved with the troupe for at least 3 years. I think I did a pretty decent job. Video is posted on my FB page..there is room for improvement, but not a bad first time singing solo!!

12 AJ opens next week. It has been hard getting my brain back into it after having a week off for WIDFL. I now know all of my lines and pretty much have my cue lines down. I <3>

On to auditions!!
#1 was for the Drama Group production of FOOTLOOSE. I am the first person to say that I am NOT a big fan of this show, as I think the arrangements of songs I love from popular radio are weak at best. But I was begged by the AD to audition and many of my DG friends asked me if I was going to.....so I did. Normally, I will prepare a specific song for an audition, bu for this one, since I literally decided to attend the day of the audition, I walked in and said "these are the 2 songs I can sing for you. What do you want to hear?" Immediately they chose one because it was similar in style to what one of the mothers sang. No problem. Then off to learn the dance, which was fun and cheesy and, well, a bit 80's! But it was a blast and I even had a partner taller than me, so SCORE!! Finally, it was time for the cold reading. I was paired up with someone I would LOVE to work with to read Shaw and Vi. It. Was. Electric! The only other time I have had a reading this good was for COA. Sadly, every time the music director or assistant diretor would recommend they read me, the director would brush me off. Before we left, he went on a LOOOOOOONG rant about how if you have a lot of conflicts (hello, my Sept. w/the 2 Hale productions), then you should not even be auditioning. Pretty much knew right then and there that I was not cast, no matter how strong my audition was....and I was right.

#2 was for Oak Lawn and CABARET!!! I want to play Frau. Kost!! I think it is a great role. I worked on my German accent (which, with my bg you would think would come naturally), sadly did not work on my song as much as I would have liked, as the audition was the day after WIDFL closed and I was so focused on that (and I could not sing "Being" b/c that was learned and performed to a backing track and this was a w/piano audition) But I went in on the first day (never my favorite), sang my song, danced the dance (and bruised my right thigh from here to eternity)...was one of 3 asked to dance again(!) and for the first time I was one of 4 girls (out of about 15 there) who was asked to stay and sing again and one of 2 asked to sing for the role I wanted! WHEEEEEEEE!!! Seriously, I was waltzng on air. =) They had me sing Kost's song with someone. I missed the first high note b/c I tried to belt it, but the next time it came around I flipped into my head voice and nailed it!!!!! Sadly, I did not get the part and was not asked to read.... =( ..... but apparently only 1 person did read for the role, and from what I hear, she is also the only other person to sing for the character. The performer is a favorite with the group with an amazing voice, so....I'm focusing on the positives from the auition!!!

#3 was for JPAC and another straight play. It was a monologue audition (which I need help with for some reason) and I broke out a new old monologue (haven't touched it in a couple of years) as my last one was not working too well. Sadly, it took me forever to find it, so I did not have a lot of time to work it. Thankfully, my brain remembered it all! I got a laugh, which was a first so YEA and was asked to read a side, which was also a YEA. I did not get the show, but I gave a good audition and I am happy with it.

There is more coming up on the horizon. I'll keep you posted on life!!