The "Glamorous" Life of Auditions - Day 6 & 7 ( Audition #9 & #10 )
During this painful time of dealing, my Appa still pushes me along and although "NO" could've been my answer, I said "YES" to art. I didn't audition for the play but 2 fantastic, directors/actors ( Saundra McClain and Gregg Daniel ) were working on the show and my name came up to be the understudy for the role of Ruth in "A Raisin in the Sun," already in the works at A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena.
An understudy is someone who is a part of the show as a filler - if the person hired for the role is unable to perform a show, even at an hour's notice, you're on call and expected to step in. Usually as an understudy, you'd be there during rehearsals to see blocking and watch the extras to fill in the gaps without necessarily being on stage but I was out of town, celebrating a life, not knowing when I may return only to receive this offer to come on board immediately upon arrival back to L.A. Funny how the goodness of the universe works...through life's pain, I've got an outlet to express it without even looking for it or trying. This beautiful production will be challenging to say the least but my ART is up for it, my spirit is ready and my Appa always stated I could do anything I set my mind to. So, although this play was set to open ( I arrived back home on the evening of the last rehearsal, ) and I hadn't seen any bits of it, I decided if they wanted me, I'd be there coming in blind but ready to do it because when art calls, you must answer!!! Maybe it's ego, pushing me to really put myself in these types of situations to see if I can pull it off, make it happen but I also know it's training/prepping me for my time and I must push my work when I can. I plan on my career taking off and keeping me hectic, so I must answer this stress/fear now by tackling this overwhelming feeling of being scared and jumping in anyway, I mean why not? Push to see your perceived "limits" now, push your mind/body to see it's reactions to dealing with these situations and recognize how you step in...this will either help you understand where you're at or make you realize that with everything you've sacrificed up to this time, preparation has now met it's opportunity and you must seize it and squeeze the hell out of it...oh, and you're ready! After saying yes, of course I get 2 more self tape auditions to complete within a day of getting home...ah yes, when it rains, it pours - HA!!! So who's memorizing 2 scenes for a play and the wrong sides for a show? Yep, this gal...
Submitted on a casting a few weeks ago via Actors Access for a play in Ventura at a theatre I've been curious about and although I've tried to audition in the past, absolutely nothing. Although they were looking for name actors to be given priority, I decided with good pay and actually close to family as well, what could it hurt although I wasn't expecting the call. Self tape requested with 6 pages of dialogue due the afternoon after I got into town so, it was tape as soon as I landed or not do it at all so I decided it must be done, I mean who knows when I may get another opportunity to be seen by them. Off the plane at 8pmish, grab a quick bite and now home putting on makeup/clothes to fit the character while going over the lines. I'm not as prepared as I like but at least I have my beast to shoot the footage and say lines and I am grateful for my village, so I must show up and do. Took another look at my other self tape audition to see that instead of the rush date I had seen, it's now changed and through exhaustion, decide to forgo it since I may have time to dig into the sides. Done after 11pm with the upload and all only to look at the notice of the other show and realize that in the noted section, that although they had until Saturday, they needed the submission for a quick turn around within 48 hours! HUH? So basically, the first send out was for the noted time of 48 hours ( Wednesday ) but then changed the due date to Saturday but still had the request of the 48 hours in the notes...why oh why...I'm exhausted and my brain isn't functioning any more so I go to bed to deal with it in the morning.
Off to the theatre to watch the show and take the much needed notes in the balcony with script in hand finally. Lights go out and it's dark...really, really dark and I've got no flash light to highlight my script so I'm basically there just watching which isn't bad, just something I hadn't planned for. I'm there to hit the ground running and now I'm walking...urghhhh...but watching a show is just as important arties so even with intermission, I decided today was a watching day! Raced home, took another look at the whole notice for today's self tape and realized I may have gotten my character wrong as well. See, since I got this audition right before I left home in WA, I was looking at everything through my phone for the most part, since I was there helping my umma get paperwork together along with all the calls needing to be made. My mind everywhere, I looked at the notice and saw my character name as Silvia's mom but the 3 sides attached were for Cara, Polly and Silvia so I had assumed it was just Silvia's sides. With my manager not being great with sides or extra notes and me being absolutely full, I memorized the role of Silvia without even questioning the notice. Usually with the eco-cast self submissions, whatever sides are attached are the sides you do, hence my confusion with Silvia or Silvia's mom. I decided before the self tape to just search for the mom sides and what do you know, they popped up! This is due today by 6p and I've got 2 pages of dialogue and it's all about face timing in the scene. Sometimes you just gotta throw up your hands, say screw it and jump. Changed to appropriate clothes ( only upper half since I'm just tired at this point,) sat on chair, taped my sides to a box, decided to have props of wine and food, so I could mask the looks down to get my lines quickly and GO! I eat, drink, laugh and have fun - that is all one can do during moments of brain farts like these, yes it could've been better per say, but I nailed the role and I'm happy! Don't quite look like a mom with a college kid but I played it out dammit!!!
So lucky for me, I've got my own whiskey club going, as a year long gift from the beast so I celebrate with finally getting through my 2nd bottle of Scottish whiskey ( Laphroaig being my first - so medicinal and chewy to me ) which isn't good because of the same medicinal properties but I'm eating those truffle chips from Trader Joe's and it compliments it well. Finding a solution, is part of the art fun-fun...so have fun, have so much fun with this crazy, wacky, wondrous business!!!
Ahhhhhhh, all the joy of show biz man - HA! I mean who doesn't want to wake up an hour and a half before leaving to get as ready as you can, even with light make-up, the shower with my morning routine to make me feel like myself before a 10am audition is tough because I need at least an hour and 15 minutes to get to my destination regardless which still means...TRAFFIC...urghhhhhh. Oil pull ( coconut oil swished in the mouth for 20 minutes before brushing to take some of the toxins outta my body, ) morning immunity tea ( 1 tbsp of vinegar/apv etc, 1tbsp of local honey, 1 sliver of ginger, a pinch of tumeric, a slice of lemon/lime, 3 pellets of Himalaya sea salt and a bit of coconut oil for a cold busting, hydration and cleansing, ) and then the process of everything else to look presentable to portray an "African Woman." More of a fresh look and hair pulled up into a bun, I was ready to hit the unknown of L.A. mean streets dressed in my most dashiki dress I had because it's a new office and I'm going straight to producers on tape because it's a call back for some. I left quickly and dealt with an hour and 10 minutes of getting to my destination...then it was almost 10 minutes of just trying to find parking in this small industrial, business packed streets, finally getting lucky and being able to head in right at 10a...raced to bathroom for my hair bun since I released it from my braids on my drive, small wait in the room and finally in the room with new casting I've been wanting to meet! Usually I jump into an audition and although it's only a few lines, it's still a mom so my question stemmed from why she was stating what she was saying...there had to be more to it instead of just a statement. There was of course more to it than the words and I was able to create a more meaningful portrayal instead of just saying it and getting out. You as an artist must find out when to dive in and when to ask is there more going on in the scene than you're aware of because it can change your read which I'm glad I asked. Of course, most of the women looked a bit older and a bit more darker but again, I'm here to try and be the difference, so even though this place in Hollywood has it's stereo types of what Africans may look like, you must keep banging at the door. My DNA is half Nigerian...HALF so I will keep showing up and getting better with my accent, then maybe one day I can do the same with my Asian side until I change what people categorize others as. Keep working, do what you must but be so good that they recognize what is in the room and remember they may be able to deny you now, but you CAN make them see - just PERSIST! Now after 3 minutes in the room, I get a 40 minute ride home...GLAMOUR!!!!
Thank goodness this audition is only 20 minutes or so away and at a decent driving time so not to stress. It's in an office I've now been in several times in the past year...from never having a shot even after dropping off pictures at least once a week for years, now I'm slowly making my way through this big casting office. It's the little steps in this business, it's the moments of creating fans in the room and getting those people to trust your work. Whether you book or not, if they know they're gonna get interesting choices from you, you can win at this game because a part of all of this is to build relationships so that they can champion you when the time comes. Although I asked how heavy the scene was since I was portraying an officer and they stated not that heightened, I still went in with 50% instead of 75% because it is better to go in a bit heavier than expected. Let them pull you back, once he stated even less, I was able to get there quickly and effortlessly which showed range without being too crazy with it all. He stated lovely and I'm out the door, crossing fingers for another audition with this office because now they've seen me portray some different characters - just waiting my time. Don't get frustrated with this slow process, sometimes you book off the bat and sometimes your reputation is built brick by brick, it's a win and huge compliment to be kept in the loop as they try to see where you fit in. Give it to them every opportunity you're given and trust your work, it's not the booking...it's who you want this character to be and giving them the chance to see it in a new light and if they're lucky, they get you giving them something different on set. Risk it, it's so worth it all...even without all the bookings in my pocket immediately, when I get the chance, I definitely take it on another road because each booking pushes me towards new and different opportunities that I create a space for but I must forge my path by becoming a beast in that room with strong, definitive choices that speak to my soul during an audition. In turn, eventually, it'll speak to them as well...slowly but surely. Don't you dare dim your art to fit in...I won't, I plan on fighting every step of the way because they gonna know me, they gonna see me...all of me and they should see you!!!!
Finally got through the self submit taped audition to callbacks for the theatre in Ventura and although I haven't heard a word, it was a pleasant surprise to get on their radar. The breakdown for the role even stated they were looking for a "name" actress but for the rest of us, we've got to remember that just getting into a room to be seen is a victory. Don't let their closed minds feed into any doubts of oneself...go in and show them what they'd be missing, yes it may all be in vain but it puts in in their minds. You can be number #4 on the list but after some bookings and mishaps in schedules for these high profile actors, you may very well become the #1 so put yourself into a position that they may call and be happy that they saw you. The writer, the director and the artistic director was in the room if I'm correct and I was able to read a scene in which they laughed, took notice of my resume and even nodded knowingly at each other. I gave every emotion I could think of in a small 3 page scene just to give range but my only focus was for them to remember me, if not for this, the next project until I've gotten the shot to grace their stages. My goal is still to hit most of the big stages in the L.A. and surrounding areas...I'm getting there, one baby step atta time. PERSIST and then PERSIST some mo' - you can, you will and you must do it!!! Gum - pai, let's celebrate <3
