Audition Day

Well folks that day has come. I'm auditioning at 6:00 PM tonight for a musical at Mesa Community College called Children of Eden. I've not been this excited for doing a show in a long time. I've practiced for this audition more that any other before. Why? Well let's just say, I haven't been performing for a Long While and when I don't have a creative outlet I sort of get this twitch. It bugs me till I satisfy it's demands and join a choir, audition for a musical, or even sign up for an interpretive dance troupe (j/k) .

The last major musical I was involved with was Blackbeard a year ago at MCC, not including the cabaret i performed in during October with the Industrial Theatre Company. My hope in doing this show is breaking out of the same-old mold of the funny-supporting actor. I think I've grown a lot in the last year and can handle more serious and challenging roles. I've got 2 parts in mind (though I won't say which -- you'll just have to come to auditions to see), and I'd be happy if I got either/or. I've sung and mostly memorized all the musical cuts, I've considered the character and practiced in front of the mirror. There's not a whole lot more I can do at this point. My family is sick of my songs I'm sure as I make sure and review them at least once or twice a day at the piano. As a result, I'm not nervous going into this one. I'm very confident in what I've prepared and know that whatever happens, I'll have given my best shot and can feel at ease with the results of my efforts.

I love Auditions! They are my favorite part of doing a show (tied with opening night where all the characters come to life and you see the fruits of your labors). Auditions allow you to step out of yourself and be someone completely different, however you think the character should be, and just have fun acting, almost in an improv-type setting. The director can't micro-manage you into doing whatever he/she wants the character to do, it's all up to you. Watching everyone's interpretation of a text or song is such a cool part of the creative process b/c there's no right or wrong answer, and some of my greatest "ah-ha" moments happen at this point. You discover ways of expressing emotion, or gestures that go well in certain places. Find ways of placing word emphasis that better express the message being delivered. The list can go on and on. The moral is "You can be whoever and However you want to be at auditions... And That's Okay!"