The Audition

I walked out of my house this morning on shaking legs.  I got in the car and put it in Drive.  Thank goodness the garage door was up or I would've gone through it.  I took a minute to calm myself down, set my iPod, and Reverse.  Evita soundtrack all the way!

I was early enough that I was able to do a run through of the songs and the monologue before getting back on my shaking legs and willing them to carry me into the performance center.

The production manager introduced himself to me and took my resume and head shot to make copies of.  There was another woman waiting.  We introduced ourselves to each other.  She was auditioning with her husband.  She had already held hers and was presently waiting on her husband.

He was knocking it out of the ball park!  I was so glad that I was not up against him for a role.

"So how do feel about your audition?"  I asked her.

"It was terrible," she confessed.

To her I said, "Oh no!  Why do you feel that you did badly?"  Inside I thought, "That may be good for me..." but I felt bad for her too.  Nothing is worse then working and preparing to perform and then your work not show.  Poop.

She did not feel that she did well on her songs.  I also asked her how they were running things in there.  What order are things done in?  Do you sing all of the songs or do they pick one?  I was informed that the monologue would be first (Thank God!  Let's get that turd over with) and then you can pick which song you want to sing and in which order. 

"Do you sing all of the songs?"  I asked.  She said no.  She sang all but one.

Her husband finished and I ran into the restroom for a breather and well...to use the restroom, and then I was up!

I met and shook the hands of the directors and then took the stage. 

The theatre is very small and intimate.  I think it seats 150 people.  This means one would be in the audience's face while performing!  They asked to hear the monologue first.  I had it memorized but did have a time or two where I got stuck.  In the last bit of it I forgot how that section started and I did look at the script then.  I felt like I stumbled over some of that but then was able to end strong.

So I thought.

They asked me to re-read the very end.

"Start from the part where you forgot the words."  Nice.

I was asked to recite it again keeping in mind that Eva was giving a speech to thousands and that I needed to be heard by all of them.  Basically he was asking me to project.  Seriously?  No problem.  I recited it again and totally kicked the ending's ass!  Hopefully they will remember how well I took direction and not about how I got stuck on it before starting it...  

Then it was time to sing.  I chose to sing Balcony Rosada (Don't Cry For Me Argentina) as it is the hub of the show.  I thanked the accompanist for playing for us and asked that he give me time to prepare.

"When I'm ready I will give you a nod and then, if you would, please count me in before you begin."

He agreed but did not comply.  In the middle of me picturing myself on a balcony before throngs of people *BAM* he started in on the intro!  No wait for my nod.  No count in.  Grrr.  My mind was mostly thinking of that and then the song was over. 

Did I do it?  Did I sing it how I'd been working on it?  What just happened?

The directors just sat there and I just stood there.

"Would you...like to hear...which song would you like to hear next?"

"Oh, we want to hear all of them!  You pick the order."

I chose Lament because I was pretty nerved up and was hoping to use that emotion to make myself cry.  I had been able to pull that off a couple of times when rehearsing at home.  I had big plans to move them to tears.  I gave the pianist a reminder that I needed a moment to switch gears.  I took my moment and then gave the nod. 

He began to play but it was faster then how I'd ever rehearsed it and it had more frills then the recording I had been working with.  I sang well but was again distracted by the accompanist and was not able to get as emotional as I had hoped.  He went so fast I was now feeling rushed.  Maybe they told him to keep it moving so that they did not get behind on appointments.

Finally I sang my last song, Buenos Aries.  It's a fun fast paced song.  I still felt a little "out of body" and was surprised to find that it was over but I felt good about what I had done.  The director then asked me to sing an E scale.  I couldn't compute what that meant for some reason and instead sang a warm-up in E.

"No, sing the full scale.  Go up and hold the high E.  Crescendo on it and really enjoy filling up the room and then descend down the scale.  Don't be nervous."

So I began again.  It was good.  She asked me to go up to an F scale.  I tore it up!  Then she asked me to sing the F# scale.  I hit that high note and it totally soared through the auditorium!  I shocked myself!  I had no idea I could sing that high.  It felt amazing!  She said it was very good and thanked me for auditioning.

My legs were still shaking as I carefully took the stairs off the stage.

When I got home I called Christina. 

"So what happens now?"  I sang to her.  We both laughed and I relayed the audition.

"That sounds great!  That sounds like a good solid audition."

Yea!  I'm so thrilled its done.  Now I wait.  They have call backs for a dance audition on Wednesday so I should know by Tuesday at the latest if I am still in consideration.  I can't believe that I am holding my breath, hoping and praying for a DANCE aud!