My Latest Audition

Well I was cut. Again. I auditioned for my colleges fall play where there were only seven characters, two being females. At least 30+ people auditioned, meaning I only got to be on the stage twice, reading two times, about 3 lines each. The director called my house today and said that they would not be needing me for the play. Shocker. I should be used to this by now but I don't think this will ever get any easier. The director also told me that I could be an understudy and to email them if I was interested in that, of course I'm interested in being an understudy. Too bad the understudy was cast about 10 seconds after I sent my email. However now I can focus on my biology class and not have to worry about memorizing lines. Yeah, big fun there. I guess it just sucks because this is my last year of college and I wanted to go out with a bang, but of course nothing ever happens the way I want it to and I should finally just accept that.

After I graduate I am planning on going to Chicago to take some acting classes and find an apartment. But that requires money which I will have to make by getting a job. Usually people hire everywhere before Christmas so I will probably be able to get right on that. I've also been looking into some acting classes I can take in Ferndale so maybe I will start there before heading to the big city with it's high crime rate.

But I guess my audition wasn't a total loss. I learned some things.

1. Read for everything and every character. ALWAYS. Even if you know you don't fit one of the characters read them if you have the opportunity to do so. I didn't have the opportunity because of all of the girls auditioning for the two parts, but maybe I should have been more pushy in order to read for everyone.

2. Screw people! Seriously, don't give anyone the chance to outshine you. Don't think "Oh this girl has never auditioned before so let's not raise our hand so we can read for this character. I made that stupid stupid stupid mistake and look where I am now.

3. People are talented. I was intimidated by two of the girls there who I thought were shoe-ins for one role. Turns out neither of them got it. I need to remind myself that I am just as good as these people, I tend to forget that a lot.

4. People like to copy others in obvious ways. And the director will think they are clever because they didn't notice you doing the exact same thing beforehand. If the script does not say GASP and you gasp then be prepared for someone to steal your idea. I was seriously so close to kicking this girl in the face who copied me but several things held me back.
A. She seemed nice
B. She was paying attention unlike the director. Kudos for that.
C. Pretty sure she could have kicked my ass.
Yeah, it's supposed to be flattering when people copy you, and in a way I guess it kind of is. Just don't copy me. Or do it during the audition. If you must steal, steal subtly. And for the record, this girl who copied me got cast. Joy.

5. People will try to give you "tips" on how to not suck. These people are auditioning just like you and if their tips worked then why on earth are they telling you, their competition about them? Unhelpful wankers. Unless they are someone in a position to cast, don't listen to them.

6. It is okay to cry after an audition. Actually, I'm not sure if that's true. But I did about 10 seconds after I left the theatre and I felt a little better. I guess I was crying because I thought I made stupid, amateur mistakes and felt like I was not going to get cast, I turned out to be right but crying never hurt anyone.

7. Wear appropriate clothing. Good God, I don't care if this is a community college or an audition for Julliard, you should wear something nice. I saw a guy wearing only a baseball jersey and droop jeans to the audition. This is the guy who got the male understudy. That should not be the norm. And if wearing baseball jerseys to anything besides a baseball game ever becomes the norm I will begin questioning society's choices.

8. If you love theatre memorize a monologue. Any monologue. Because you'll sometimes learn at 1:30 am that you need one for tomorrow's audition then you'll be like "screw the rules!" then when all the other theatre majors bring one you will look like a complete freaking unprepared moron and life will suck because you have no more stage time and will have to pursue the thug life because nobody loves you enough to tell you before 1:30 in the morning about a freaking monologue. Oh and if a director wants all theatre majors to perform a monologue it would be best to advertise that somewhere other than at the bottom of a poster in small print which is located in only one area on campus. I started class a day before the audition and that poster was nowhere near the science building.


That's pretty much it. I'm hoping that maybe I will be able do some backstage stuff because the more I can learn about theatre the better off I'll be in the long run.