"Let's Hear It For The Rainbow Tour!"

"Thank you for auditioning.  We will call you with our decisions by Friday."

I was fine on Thursday.  I imagined how I would respond if they said I got the part and then how I would respond if I did not. I was good all day Friday until about 4 p.m.  Then it suddenly hit me that the day was almost over.  I had felt really good about my audition.  I was proud of the work I did and how well I performed.  Felt confident.  When 4 o'clock hit all of my confidence moved out to make way for doubt.  I tried to busy myself with pulling weeds, dishes, laundry, reading...    Texts started coming in asking if I'd heard back yet.  Aaron got home from work and it was 5:30. 

Not looking good.

I poured myself a glass of Bordeaux.

"They haven't called yet, Babe."

"Well, they have not been quick about anything.  Remember everything is slower here."

He is right.  Mountain Time is not just a time zone and they have been slow to get materials and info to us this whole time so I chalked the tardiness up to that.

"Any news?"  Caren texted.

"Not yet.  A glass of wine is due tonight whatever the answer."

"Yes.  I'm ready."

I grabbed my glass and the bottle and walked over to Caren's.  As I trudged up the hill my phone rang and my heart stopped.

It was my mom.

"Haven't heard anything,"  I answered.

Once at Caren's her daughters immediately asked if I'd heard anything and exclaimed how they are sure the directors would not let such talent go to waste.  These girls are the sweetest ever.  They can't see any reason why I can't be a famous artist or singer.

"You are the best singer in the world!"  One said.

"Yeah.  You should audition for The Voice," suggested her oldest.

Absolute dolls!

And then my phone rang again...

"Hey Babe,"  Aaron said.

"Hey."

"The director called.  She wants you to call her back.  Got a pen?"

FINALLY!!!  It was about 7 p.m.   I was certain I was not going to get a call at that point.  Caren and the girls wanted me to call her with them in the kitchen but I had to leave to the deck.

The conversation went like this:

"First we want to thank you for auditioning for us..."

Didn't get it.

"We really enjoyed your reading and your singing is just lovely."

"Thank you."

"We would like to ask you..."

Yes...?

"...if you would be interested..."

Yes...?

"...in being in the dance ensemble?"

Come again?

A burst of laughter escaped me.  "Really?  Me?"   I laughed again, "I'm sorry that sounded bad it's just that...I'm a terrible dancer."  I had considered getting the part or not but I never considered being offered a part in the dance ensemble.  Ha!

"Well first let me just tell you that we really did enjoy your audition.  When you sang I nearly cried.  I told John I could listen to you sing all day."

"Thank you."

"And I'm not just polishing your silver.  You really have a beautiful voice.  Anyone can be trained to hit a note but not everyone has a nice voice and yours is...there was a woman who auditioned before you who had all kinds of training at a music college in Manhattan.  Her voice gave me the chills!  When she left, the room stayed cold.  When you sang the whole place was warmed up.  You sing with emotion and your audience feels it."

"Thank you."

"I really think we will have a role for you in something else because we would really like to utilize your voice and acting ability."

"Thank you.  I would love that.  I'm just...this is funny to me.  I would love to learn to dance..."

"The choreographer said she liked how you moved..."  (Another burst of laughter escaped as a vision of me crying with frustration in Zumba classes flashed before me.) "...and she liked your look.  She wants to work with you and is very nice."

"Oh she is!  I liked her immediately and she really made the audition fun.  Like I said, I would really like to learn and I think this would be good experience that I could add to my resume.  I'll do it."

"Oh you will!  Thank you!"  she practically squealed.

I stayed out on the deck a bit to process what had just happened. 

They don't want me to sing at all?  Did they really like it or was she "polishing my silver" as she said?  They want me to dance.  Must've been slim pickins...

I went back into Caren's kitchen and told the girls.  I felt mixed with excitement for a new opportunity and sad for the opportunity I lost.  I'm sure I seemed mildly insane as I flopped back and forth between laughter and tears.

"It's OK," Caren said, "You can cry."

We moved on to other conversations with her family.  Periodically my face would twist into a question mark as I tried to figure out how this happened. 

At home Aaron congratulated me.  It was the happiest I'd seen him since going through this process.  Bless his heart, he wants me to have the chance to perform and do what I love but there is a thread of jealousy and resentment through it all.  I can totally relate to that.  Felt that way everytime he would travel and call about the amazing steak house he ate at or the golf course he played on.

I was still feeling bewildered and jumbled emotionally as to how I felt about the dance ensemble offer.

"This is God's doing,"  I said to Aaron.  "He thinks He's so funny.  'Well...you wanted to be on Dancing With The Stars so here is your chance.'"

"That's exactly what it is!"  Aaron laughed.

I punched him.

We tucked the kids into bed and then went to bed ourselves.  We got into our tangled version of The Spoon.  I kept my head pressed against his back, needing something solid to rest on since the inside was going every which way, but then his back started to quake.  His whole body was then in spasms.  I recoiled when I realized he was laughing.

"What..."

More laughter.

"Stop it." 

I punched him.

"Stop.  You are making fun of me!"

He finally laughed out, "You're in The Mountain People Dance Troupe!"

"Shut up!"  I laughed and punched him again. 

We were both racked with laughter, tears rolling down our faces.

"God thinks He's so funny."

"Oh He is!"  Aaron chortled.

"Well, I'm going to show Him!"

"Ha!  Be careful woman."

"I am.  He has put me in a place to dance and I'm going to.  And I'm going to be good!"

This really got Aaron's laughter rolling.

From across the hall the boys called out, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing!"  Aaron and I said together and we laughed harder.

"Why are you laughing?  Did mom get the part?"  We could not stop the laughing.  We were roaring now.

"No..."  I snorted.

"What?!  I'm going down there tomorrow to knock some heads."  Gabe said.

"No need for that Gabriel,"  Aaron said through gasps of laughter.  "Your mom did get a part."

"What is it?"  the boys asked in unison.

"She's in the...the...She's in the Mountain People Dance Troupe!  Bwahahaha!"

I punched him again.  The boys were laughing in their beds across the hall and we laughed ourselves exhausted.

I have no idea why I did not get the part.  Maybe when I get to know them better I can ask.  Aaron thinks they were just not going to give the lead to someone they don't know.  Could be.  Could be there was someone much better.  Could be they had a couple of options for Eva but not enough options for dancers.  I know they have plenty for the chorale.... 

The lyrics to Evita's Rainbow Tour kept running through my head. 

"Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour. 
It's been an incredible success. 
We weren't quite sure...
we had a few doubts. 
Would Evita come through? 
The answer is yes. 
And no. 
And yes. 
And no. 
And yes..." 

I am looking forward to it though.  I have always wanted to learn to dance so now is the time.  It's my Dancing With The Stars moment.

"And now, performing the Argentine Tango, is Michal McDowell..."

Dance Audition

There was a momentary thrill when I learned I got the call back for the dance audition  that quickly was diluted by life.  There were many things at home that I was preparing for and illnesses that I had to battle (boo) but back stage Anticipation was buzzing about.

I was not nearly as nervous about the dance audition as I was about the singing.  I think it's because I have so little experience in dance there was nothing I could do to prepare.  Well, I did take the dance classes at Arthur Murray but my three lessons there would not help much against the gals who have been dancing since they were 5.  The singing audition is scary because it's something that I feel I do have a talent in.  What if they don't like it?  What if I really can't sing and only think I can?  The dance...pfft.  If they don't choose me because of a lack of dance ability I can say, Yeah.  You're right.

They said they may ask some of us to stay and sing again and to watch for an e-mail for new materials.  They never sent new materials and the day before the audition sent an e-mail saying to just be prepared to sing.  So the day before and the day of I worked on my already polished audition pieces.  This was also a comfort because I really wanted a do-over of those songs anyway since the last audition was blurred by nerves and adrenalin.

I would love to share with you about some of the characters that showed up but since there is a possibility that I could be working with them in the near future I had better skip that part.  Yes, be sad because it would make for some great writing!

The first thing the choreographer had us do was walk.

Yes!  I can do that!

She lined us up in rows of five and 5,6,7,8, walk, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8.  This is totally my kind of audition!  This was followed by saches.  Again, a relatively easy move.  I tried to remember to make these very simple things stand out. Walk with your head high and with good posture.  Point your toes on the saches. 

Next she showed us a very basic rumba and salsa.  I felt pretty good about how those went.  (Thanks Zumba! *ding*)  Finally she got down to the choreographed bit.  It was a tango.  She broke it down into two parts and then we put them together.  We were paired off into couples and 4-5 couples at a time would perform the completed dance. 

This whole thing was so fun and a fabulous work out!  I felt really good because twice the choreographer singled me out to compliment something I did and twice she offered to lead since we were short on guys and I danced with her.  The first time I volunteered and the second time she requested me.  YES!  I figured they were good opportunities to get personal pointers. 

After we all danced in our small ensembles the choreographer then asked two of the guys to stay and me and one other woman to stay.  She had us dance with each of the guys.  This same group was then asked to stay to sing.

The other woman had a very lovely voice and good projection but it was almost too lovely and light.  Eva is ambitious and strong.  It was a little scarier performing the songs this time because the others auditioners (auditionees?) stayed to watch.  My voice was shaky.  I'm not sure if that was heard or only felt but I was more present this time and I though, the other woman did well I felt like I out performed her as Eva.  Though, I did notice they told her she did not have to do the reading because they had worked with her before.  So if this was just an off night for her they would know that too. 

All in all it was super fun!  The tango is a blast!  The drama of it!  I'm even a little sore today.  I think the Arthur Murray classes helped in that I knew the proper dance holds; where to place my hands, where to look, etc.  I feel really good about how things went.  We will hear back by Friday.  Praying!!