Oh ‘twas bitter sweet: the nerves, the anxiety, the shakes the squeaks. It is all part of the process of getting to show off the talent I believe I have. I’m not gonna lie I loved this way of auditioning. Here’s a visual:
A single spotlight in the center of the stage, and considering the walls are black and the back of the curtains are black, the floor looks like it may swallow you. Your eyes lock on the x’ed yellow tape in the center of the light. An old friend leads you toward the circle and winks good luck before leaving to control the camera.
“Hello [name], which would you like to do first: monologue or song?”
Obviously you chose song, it’s been stuck in your head all day and you’ve been working on it and it’ll be breeze. The accompanist tells you to lead her through the song and she’ll just mash out the chords. Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t pace, don’t pace, you are the character, remember you were flat…. here! Be more genuine with your smile. Enjoy your words. Your nerves jump when you look at them so your eyes flit just over them but you get to end and just find the right note to finish the song. Oh know… the monologue.
It was the silent hope that she would take your word for it, but obviously she wants to hear you. It’s now that you realize that it was easier to help others with this but you seem to be too out of it to really catch your breath. It goes by slower then you think but you stay at the slow, agonizing temp so that you don’t seem nervous. She cuts you off- release. She was coughing, a cold, and apologizes releasing you.
You leave the safety of the single spotlight and get swallowed by the darkness. The same old friend holds the door open in silence. There are jokes in the hallway but there is still worry. “How’d you do?” “Did it go well?” “What’d you do?”
Home. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. And then this:
I got a call back.
It was a dance audition today. We danced to Coffee Break in How to Succeed and it was frickin amazing. I didn’t fail too badly either! For the last three years of auditions, you have no idea the terrible dancing that I have done. I am not a dancer but this audition gave me some sort of confidence.
So how about you guys? Audition advice for the upcoming monologue and vocal auditions? We’re also doing improv to see how well we can keep on our toes. It’s very exciting.
Especially the loving program we have.
So it’s my senior year and I’m finally being recognized to do some work… At the worst time ever. I just got a bunch of English homework dumped on me and I’m trying to not drown in Chemistry. Eh shrug.
For our musical auditions I will be in charge of one group and my co-director for the senior production will be running another group. Basically to keep everyone in control and be all nice and sweet to the underclassmen who are nervous about auditioning.
Also, tomorrow I have to design a set so that my tech manager will build it for me (because he loves when I ask him to do stuff last minute). By the way if anyone knows how to use this SketchUp thing from google: I could use some help.
Oh and I just got the CD for the whole musical for How to Succeed and it’s like 32 songs! Wow… way to fill my ipod? haha But isn’t that awesome? And I loved the musical before we decided to do it so really this is like getting the CD for free!
Please don’t forget, if you’re in a production of any sort submit it right here! i’m really looking forward to hearing about other experiences from other people.
Today we received our female monologues for How to Succeed in Business and ummm… I’d say they’re interesting none the less. It is a story about a woman who is explaining to a friend/or daughter that her ferret ran away and that although it appears that she killed the ferret- she didn’t. I’m not sure if she’s being serious or if she really did murder the ferret but either way… yeah…
So we’re singing “Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm” and I must ask for advice here. I’ve never been particularly good at body language in slow songs so I ask: Is there any particular way the body language should be for that song?
Hello musical theatre kids, I am back to run this gorgeous and amazing blog! Here’s a brief story about where I went and where I’m going:
Well here in my school district we only do musicals in the spring, so since I didn’t get very much activity after i was done, I sort of just let this go until I came back and now here I am. Right now, I am preparing for my school auditions for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying! Now I’ve been crazy about this musical since the revival showed up at the Tony awards last year so I’m tres pumped!
Also what’s happening, I’m a senior in my school right now and things are going by so quickly. My last musical is almost upon me AND I just wrote a musical… yeah I did. I wrote a musical- which I shall update you about as well: the closer and closer we get. And being a senior also means, I’m going to the big place: college. I have 2 college auditions upcoming. One is a musical theatre audition and one is a theatre audition. I’ll tell you more about that when the time comes about but let’s say I’m very nervous about both!
Okay well let’s say I’m super excited to be back and blogging theatre and musical stories. PLEASE submit any stories of your own! Goodness knows with two overlapping shows I will have tons of things to tell my lovely theatre community out there.
p.s. if anyone would like to join me in the endeavor: come alone and let’s do it together!
