Auditions 2 & 3

I was not kidding when I said I am going to do this. I am taking 1/2 hour private voice starting in July, looking for an acting coach and am actively looking for a dance studio to get some ballet and maybe tap under my feet. And, I am actively going on auditions. I am not going in expecting to get anything just yet, but to get used to the audition process again and singing in front of people, which is way different from singing in my car. And I do not count karaoke as singing in front of people, cuz I don't sing, I goof off.

So Monday was audition #2 for the Oak Park Players production of "Sunday in the Park with George." I am going to admit that I have NEVER heard it! But, I want to get out there and audition, so what did I have to lose? I worked on "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked and was prepared to work on it at voice so I could do it with a piano, but that was cancelled last week. Oops. Oh well, I kept working on it and working on it and Monday I felt good! Except I forgot my headshot at home. =( Anyway, I went in, said "hello", told them that it was the first time doing the song with a piano and did really well. I had a couple of slightly sharp notes when I went high, but overall, it was a good performance. The director told me I did very good and as I left the room I thought I heard them say something positive about my tone. Very good experience and had me psyched for today's audition.

Audition #3, a production of "RENT", which I do know. I sang 16 bars from "I'm Not that Girl" and 16 bars from "Out Tonite" and spoke about not being able to say goodbye to my Grandma H when she passed by literal seconds. My neighbor, Emma Frost, came over and helped me work on belting and strengthening my head voice on Tuesday and she also helped me figure out which "RENT" song to sing. Did I oversing today? Did I not warm up enough? I don't know. I do know that I missed the first note of "...Girl" which had not happened in practice or auditions yet and the last note was low. On the upside, the notes that I had problems with before were stronger. "Out Tonite" was a unique beast. I have NEVER heard it with just a piano (hello, I just have the CD's from the movie and show). I did ok, I hit the octave jump pretty well, but it felt....off. Was I trying too hard? I know I am not even in the vocal range for any of the leads, but I wanted the chance to be Mrs. Cohen or Alexi Darling and all of the others those two play. I got a thank you from everyone and I don't think I impressed them at all. Hopefully I did not make a bad impression.

So, what am I taking out of this? 1) REALLY warm up my voice, don't think you have, make sure you have. 2) Confidence. 3) practice with a piano 4) there was some improvement in the fact that the "he could be that boy, but I'm not that girl" did not have sour notes.

Each audition is a chance to be seen and a way to get out there. I have to remind myself that the rejection is in no way personal and that I am not there yet with my voice. Every actor goes through this, and each and every audition is a chance to learn something. I learned that if my voice is scratchy and weird, drink more water and suck on a cough drop, especially when throat coat was not working. AND, I had an improvement over the last one. So, the step forward and the step back met, but the step forward will be the one that will stick. Now I have to look for the next audition! =)