A Fate Worse than Relish
This whole bus thing is really cramping my style.
Okay, not my style, but my sleep, at least.
I want Haley back!
It was about 7:15 last night that Mike started to get nervous on my behalf. I hadn’t yet printed my resume, and the new printer’s drivers were not being quite so magical as we had hoped. But I was not concerned. I knew the place was less than five minutes away by car. And by 7:25 I was in the drivers seat of the box on wheels, with two resumes, as well as a script of The Skin of Our Teeth, just in case. The auditions were to be cold readings, but I wasn’t sure if they’d expect a prepared piece as well. My script never came out of my bag.
I tried two doors before I found the right one. There were a couple happy looking people hanging around outside the door killing their lungs. I confirmed that this was in fact the place, and went inside. Audition sheet, quick Polaroid (how quaint), and a brief introduction from the producer, and we were on our way.
The first piece they had me do was for a role I’m not technically capable of playing. That is, I’m not 50. But I don’t think they had a side prepared for the role I actually was hoping for – a small role marked as being very similar to this larger role they had me read for. I read the side several times before I was called on stage, and was therefore quite prepared. I was nervous, but I didn’t say so. No need to advertise. But soon, my reading partner and I were totally acting! After the first read, he gave us some background and a little bit of guidance.
After that, he had both of us do a line for a bit part that caught my attention when I read the role descriptions. Like I say, I’m not 50. So I marked my first two choices as the 20-something roles, first choice being a smaller role, second being the lead. My third choice, however, was this bit part. She was marked as a “towering presence who is felt before she enters a room, which is unfortunate for her, because she lives to eavesdrop.” At 6 feet tall, I am so a towering presence. So he let me do the line for that character as well.
A few other people did their scenes next. I took care to note the notes he gave to the people reading for the lead. I wanted to be prepared when my turn came for that. And when it did, I got to read against the non-sketchy guy who was there for auditions that day, which made me pretty darn happy. I did my best, and he had little to correct me on. That made me feel pretty damn good.
I also feel like when I was on stage, I had some rapt attention. That was neat. When I got back to my seat after my first reading, I grinned and said to the girl next to me, “That was fun!”
I’ll learn by the end of the week the results. I’m truly going to be okay if I don’t get cast at all, because I’m really just trying to get my foot in the door with this show. Whether I can get a small role or I end up working set construction, I’m certain I will be happy. And either way, I’ll get to meet some neat people and be involved in performance arts again.
That’s not to say I’m not a little titch disappointed that I didn’t get called back for one of the leads…
But it is nice to be relatively certain that callbacks are only for the leads.
So I think I still have a chance at one of the smaller roles.
Oh man… now I’m nervous!
In completely unrelated news, I’ve been reading some webcomics on occasion again. Not to my full addiction, but picking up a few here and there. I decided to look around some of the Questionable Content strips I’ve missed. I came across something that made me laugh so hard my diaphragm ached. The strip is here, but it’s really the last panel that I think you will enjoy:
Some Random Dude: “I hate to interrupt, but I ordered a latte.”
Faye (coffee shop employee): “And you got a carrot-pickle-espresso monstrosity. Have a nice day.”
Raven (another coffee shop employee): “Poor little pickle. That’s a fate worse than relish.”
– Questionable Content, by J. Jacques, August 23, 2006
Good luck!
I hope you get the part!
Also, I hadn’t read QC in years and while the writing is still spot on, I don’t like the new artistic style. At least, it seems like a drastic change to me since I haven’t been reading.
It’s more of an evolution if you read along. I like it better, to be honest. Seriously, though, if you haven’t read it in a while, you’re missing out on some big time plot twists!