The "Glamorous" Life of Auditions - Day 28, 29 & 30 ( Auditions 32, 33, 34, 35 & 36.... )
Weeks like this is what puts a smile on my artists soul...exhausted yes, but so well worth it to be out there fighting tooth and nail for a place in this business! Getting to get up and go play with the ideas that run rampant in your mind is such a release in creativity because what you create today can be the foundation of who you shape another character into tomorrow. You get to breathe life into a character and then settle the musings of it into something even bigger at every audition...you are character building every chance you get and that's invaluable information getting stored into your artistry box for later use so get excited every time an audition is given to you, let there be JOY!!! I get a random message from casting asking if I'd come in for a Samm Williams play called "Home" over at the ICT - my first foray into bigger theatre a few years ago doing "Flyin' West" playing Fannie Mae and then winning the 2016 NAACP Theatre Award for Best Ensemble! What goodness rushed over me until I read the notes stating there is singing involved - urghhhhh once again, I don't sing and I'd never put myself into the category of singers...I just wasn't blessed with that gift dammit!!! I realized why I had passed up submitting myself but I love this casting office so I go back and forth doing all I can to leave it up to them to not see me. I tell them I can't sing, they ask how bad...I state it's not good - HA! I did get to sing a bit in "Intimate Apparel" in Santa Barbara but then Karole comes in with her golden rich voice and there you have it...you know who's the gifted singer. I just like to be truthful...one day, I may take vocal lessons when I've got the extra dough but until then, my voice is just of a speaking varietal and I'm not ashamed to say it! They didn't take me skirting around the issue even though I warned them and didn't want to embarrass anyone in the room, but they told me to still come. I got 6 pages with my role having to play 3 characters already...oh my...and oh my in a good way! I only had the evening and with so much information, I was only able to scarf down 20 pages and study my scenes trying to make distinct characteristics for each one. I went to bed overwhelmed to say the least but excited because this wasn't anything I had done in such a full scope. I got up, skipped my workout to read the other 20 pages of the script, just to get a settling foundation of where my sides were coming from and dive more into being each character and not the lines. I was so stressed about trying to memorize the damn thing until I just told myself to relax...I got 6 pages the night before, I don't have that kind of memory and they're not expecting it anyway - focus, focus on each individual character. I even decided to crash a business lunch with my beast to see an old face I had known but hadn't seen for years...and of course eat! My nervousness must've been in my belly because I ate it all and kept reminding myself to be present in seeing my gal pal of yester years and this was what my soul needed to calm my butt down off this audition. Made it to the Lounge Theatre a bit early and had a moment to just settle but then not really because you could hear the melodic voices of these talented woman drifting from the room. The hell with it, they asked for it! I finally get my shot and I'm happy with the way I decided to read each character...then the damn singing...let's just say I made it through - WHEW! Glad I won't have to do that again, I just had to show up for Michael & Richie whom I adore since I hate turning down auditions from people I love....but honestly wanted another shot to show what I could do with the acting side of it all if given time...of course I get that CALLBACK and I'm thinking to myself, why in the world would they even, but I'm about to tear this role up in the best way! At least I've got a couple of days to memorize and feel like I can have a moment to play instead of being on the page and that's what I put my efforts towards for the next round while making some choices for each character. This is where I play in my playground of art and I feel most comfortable coming up with ideas - when given the time, I just let my mind roam and see what it comes up with. Drunk...higher pitched...southern accent, no accent...deeper voice...just scratching the surface but getting those distinctions in my choices so they could see where I could go with each one. Make it to ICT in Long Beach and grabbed some quick curry to fill my soul only to have a new person there that made the process way slower than any thai restaurant I had been too, so only 5 minutes to scarf some food down to settle my belly and in I raced to make sure I wasn't lost since the auditions were being held on the lower level this time. Made my way with 5 minutes to boot and they were slightly behind so I was able to focus on all those ideas and words that needed to come out of my mouth. 3 other gals for the role I was reading, 2 gals for the other female role and 2 guys for the male role...I was the tallest female - even in my flip flops, so I decided to go barefoot while reading. I could hear singing once again, so I ran out to hide in some trees and feeling my heart drop I reminded myself that although it wasn't my thing, my acting is and that is what I give them...I'm here for a reason, let's make it difficult for them to decide at least and while roaming I noticed these artful eyes and knew what I must go in and do. I felt all the love of my fellow cast mates of "Flyin' West" as I walked in ready. I got a chance to read the scene with the taller guy once before we were in there and I made my choices and stuck to them. Exited the room, other roles and gals went in, then we as for role 2 got ready to sing and do our final scene...one at a time...I was the 3rd one and by this time I was totally okay with not getting this role, saddened because it's delicious but extremely happy to be in the company of such talent. I sang my song after giving them full warning again then I decided spoken word sassy was my take on the monologue and then high pitched snotty for my final scene. They thanked me, I thanked them and I was out of there in about 1 1/2 hours - AHHHHHHHHHH, release, I did my thang to the best of my abilities and I was happy to have left them knowing as far as the acting, they had fun watching me! I get home while eating my chocolate/hazelnut croissant to tell my art I appreciate, get in my jammies and start decompressing when the phone rings and it is casting letting me know that I'll have to sing for people now - WHAT?!?! I just wanted to give them a good audition, I wasn't even thinking this part was mine, I just wanted to make sure they were happy I came in. I am now 5 different characters on stage singing/movement/mostly acting the whole time at a wonderful theatre I had my first big play I was ever involved in. My heart swelled as I thanked him profusely and letting him know I was up for this challenge...wowsers, I'm really doing this ya'll and I couldn't be more tickled by it all.What you may feel isn't yours, may not be how others see it...give yourself the opportunity to dive in and trust that all your hard work, dedication and soul that you have put in thus far will shine through. Shine my beauties...SHINE!
During this time, I ended up with a lieutenant audition for a big office that was my first time there and a paying short film audition as an MMA fighter, a couple of hours later. It's always awkward when it's basically 2 lines but you do what you can and know it's up to them at that point. Had to eat some delicious Veggie Grill in between because why not and go over my 4 pages of dialogue so I could feel great for whatever they were gonna throw at me. Happy to see one of my favorite cds in the room - Ms. Keisha, if I'm right or close, she'll call me in and that is all I can ask for! Changed into my muay thai shorts and then heard we'll be throwing some kicks/punches as well so I gets to stretchin'! I get in and the room is teeny, tiny - I deciphered what kicks I could now do and how to intermix that with my punches so crescent kicks were thrown with shortened fronts as well as punching it out. 2 scenes down and we go into some improv where I was able to get deeper with this character I had built which was nice because I allowed a touch of pain/vulnerability but sometimes you just gotta go to that place to let them know it's possible, even in a strong role. With this came another audition I had to send a self submission of a vampire role that was due the following week but since timing was all over the place, shooting earlier was better although I wished for another day to let this character sink in. Went to quainphoto.com to get the feel of the audition right then raced home to lay down voice over tracks for a few auditions that happened to pop up. This is my first foray into the voice over world and I'm glad my agency trusts me enough to try it inexperienced. 3 different ads to lay and DONE!!! Yay to this and yay to more of this...hoping to get this voice some work because this business is too vast for you not to find stuff to do while you're doing the other stuff as well!!!
Don't put too much weight on these auditions, use them instead...go have fun and play, develop more characters/characteristics while doing something you love and sooner or later, the other stuff follows!!! Celebration time commences....It's Whiskey Time, bottoms up and let's finish that good bottle, we deserve it - Wahoo!!!!
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