Happy Endings

(We take a break from our regular scheduled programming to bring you the saga of Papa Drama and his audition woes....)

Hello all regular readers of Mama Drama!  Mama Drama is recovering/recouping after her successful run of Proof and has asked me to fill in this week.  So I thought I'd give you all a glimpse of the awful, anxiety-filled, depressing, demoralizing world of auditions.

A (very) little about me..

I've done a fair number of shows.  Mainly musical theatre, a number of comedies, and some Shakespeare.  I've done professional work and I've done local theatre (which, in many cases, was better than some of the professional stuff I've done).  I was looking to do a show as it was my *turn* since Mama Drama's show was finished.

Audition #1

The Play: British Comedy / Drama filled all about drama filled with dirty words and sex - woo hoo!!
The Part: Mid 30's single guy
1st Audition: Had to do selected readings from the Play.  Went very well and got a call back.
2nd Audition/Callback: They called back about 700 men (slight exaggeration) for 2 men parts - odds were not in my favour.  One scene that had me read involved doing a stage slap - while doing said stage slap, I strained my shoulder.
Outcome: Sat by the phone - they didn't call. Felt like a 14-year-old girl waiting for a boy to call.  Sadly, no part (or prom date) for me.  They only call if they want you... no call = no part.  And my shoulder hurt for a week.

Audition #2

The Play: Sondheim Musical
The Part: Male late 30's
1st audition: 1 song, 1 monologue, some improv.  Went very well got called back for the part I wanted.
2nd audition/Callback: Went extremely well.  Other people watching my audition applauded afterwards.  TWO people (other people auditioning) said as I left, "Try to act surprised when they cast you".
Outcome: They cast someone who was 22 years old for my part.

Intermission: At this point there is a lot of sulking going on - not mature, not manly, but very very necessary. 

Audition #3

The Play: 2 Shakespeare Plays (professional touring company)
The Part: They were looking for 3 (!!) men in their mid 30's to play parts in both shows.
1st Audition: They asked for 2 monologues and a song.  Now normally when they ask for two monologues they actually only ask to see one. So I worked very hard on one monologue (Parolles from All's Well That End's Well) - knowing that I've NEVER had to do two monologues.  So what happened? They asked to see the second one.  Oh joy.
2nd Audition/Callback: There was no 2nd audition.
Outcome: The 2nd monologue disaster pretty much says it all.

Audition #4

The Play: 2 musicals.
The Part: A this point, I'll take the part of Tree #4.
1st audition: They wanted to hear 2 songs, and 1 monologue.  The first song went brilliantly.  I was so excited that I got nervous and did not sing the second song well at all.. The monologue was solid.
2nd audition: I'm still waiting by the phone.
Outcome: I think it's not looking very good.

Happy Ending

One of the producers for Audition #4 called me up and asked if I'd be interested in re-mounting a production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) this summer.  This is a show I did last year.  It would be outdoor theatre, running for three weeks, PAID, and it's great fun.  So it appears (fingers crossed) that's the way I will be be spending my summer.

So, for all the auditions I prepped for and went to, I wind up getting a part without auditioning.. And the moral of the story is...well, there actually is no moral other than that auditioning sucks.  At least it does when you don't get the part.

Comments

[kgirl]

Props to you - I could NEVER put myself through that stress! Enjoy your happy ending! (you know how that sounds, right?)

[metro mama]

Let me know the details, and I'll be sure to go see you!

[Amy @ Muddy Boots]

After reading the first two paragraphs of this post, I was gearing up for a story about auditioning for Canadian Idol or the likes. Thankfully I was mistaken.

Congrats on getting a part.