Now 30 years after being on the stage of the High School auditorium, I'm finally going to take the stage again. Better late than never...
About a month ago I received an email that a local Musical production company was going to be putting on a production of The Sound of Music. I had to audition for it. I knew I was too old for Maria and not operatic enough for Mother Whats-her-name, but I could do SOMEthing in it. So I decided it would be either a Nun or the Baroness. (although I've never felt girly enough to play the Baroness either) As the audition date got closer and after listening to the song the Baroness sings with Max, I decided that it was just going to be a Nuns role for me.I had auditioned before for this company when they doing Annie. I wanted to be Miss Hannigan in the WORST way. I tried out, I didn't get it. You know that I still can't watch that movie since?
Back to this audition, I wanted to do it right this time. I bought a pair of dance shoes, bought a book about auditioning for musical theater and even changed my choice of audition clothes because of what I read in that book. I made a hair appointment for that night and even had a makeup artist "paint my face". Would the $135+ be a complete waste?
AUDITION NIGHT:
My hair was pretty, my makeup was subtle but perfect and my clothes were bright and comfortable. A friend of mine wanted to go with me to see what auditions were all about and provide some moral support. All her questions about how auditions worked were a great distraction during the drive there.
Once in the door with my new dance shoes fastened tightly, I signed in, got my number (217), got a head shot taken and picked up a choreography card. While filling it out I noticed a young girl sitting at the table across from me. This girl was a pro I thought, she even had a head shot! She introduced herself, I can't remember her name to save my life, and said how she was from Long Island and living in town for college. The Choreography card asked how many years of dance training I had. Did the years night-clubbing count? How about all those country lines dances I learned? hahahaha - probably not. I witteled it down to two and a half; the two years of dance classes I took in college and the months I learned how to tap for George M! Then I went to the table to drop that and my application off. Yes, they have you fill out an application. The most hilarious part for me was the musical theatre experience portion. Production: George M! - Role: Josie Cohan - Year: 1982.That was it. Ouch!
They corralled us all into the theater. My friend was impressed "Wow! You're going to audition right on stage?" "Yup!" I replied. The president of the company introduced himself and the other people in charge of the production. I recognized the musical director, the choreographer and the piano accompanist. That was it. Then they called us all up on stage to learn a short routine. Step up right-ball change-step back-ball change. Scuff right, and in. Grapevine to the right, left behind-right over-scuff right(which I screwed up the timing on every time)-scuff left and in. And then dance slowly in a circle-Done. Sounds easy enough, right? And seemed easier than the one we learned for Annie. They called us up in groups, I was in the 2nd group and they made us run it twice. I felt SEMI confident but definitely messed up the double-scuffs both times. Oh well.
Then they called up the women who wanted to audition for nuns or nun ensemble to the stage to sing. Myself and maybe 5 other women went up. We had to sing 4 lines of The Sound of Music. Then I was called first to solo. Wait; when I auditioned for Annie we all stepped back and then stepped up when we were ready to go. Not this time. I was up, there was no turning back now. So I sang - tried to hold the end notes long. Tried to remember to make eye contact with the judges. I remember doing that. I tried not to look at my friend, afraid that she'd make me giggle. Then it was over. I stepped off. No one in the audience looked at me, or clapped or smiled or anything. Then next woman was already singing...crackly and off-key. I guess I was a hard act to follow!
We sat there for another half hour or so watching people go up to sing for other roles. When they called up ladies for the Baroness, I regretted not going up. The song was pretty easy and not too high. The women were all older than me and more dressed up than I was. Then we watched the "Marias" and the "Liesl's", who were basically the same girls. A couple of older women went up for Maria. Definitely too old for that role but maybe they mistakenly thought it was for Maria's Mom? We made comments between songs; made up nicknames for some, being judges for most. I remember the names Knees, Purple Girl (who my friend did NOT like), the other James and Maria's Mom. LOL - it made the whole process much more fun. After a while we left, walking out at the same time as one of the Maria Moms.
Call backs were slated for Friday. If we were called we would have to go back and either sing, dance or act. Friday came and went with no word. I wasn't happy. They didn't know me well, how could they already decide my fate? I figured it was not a good sign.
Casting calls were set for around 10am Saturday morning. I took a pill to help me sleep Friday night and hopefully sleep in a bit the next morning. I did sleep well that night but was awake at 7am as usual the next day. So I paced, i cleaned, I changed my bed sheets, I did dishes, I watched SportsCenter and waited for my phone to ring. I turned the movie The Devil's Advocate on. Yes! Pacino will keep me occupied. The time was ticking away but my phone was not ringing. 10 o'clock, 10:15, 10:30, 10:35...Nothing. I gave in. I wasn't casted. So I enjoyed Pacino's speech about how it was the devil's time. The awesome evilness was just what I needed. Keanu's character shot himself in the head, Pacino screamed and burned, the sinners in the wall hanging screamed, and then...my phone rang! It wasn't a recognizeable number but it was local. I knew it, it was them! And it was; I was casted! The girl on the end of the line, whose name I can't remember, congratulated me and told me I was going to be part of the nun ensemble. Did I accept the role? YES!! There will be no dancing, which I thought was a funny thing for her to mention. I didn't care! I'm getting to sing again; on a stage, in front of people! First rehearsal is tomorrow. I called my friend who went w/me to the audition, I called my actor friend who gave me some encouraging words earlier, I called my best friend from high school, I called a couple other local friends, I texted my best friend in Chattanooga and I called my sister who put me on speaker phone. Her, my Mom, my Aunt and my cousin were at the reception after the memorial service for a family member who had passed away recently. So I got to tell them all at once, which felt SO good. They're excited, I'M excited; I get to sing!!!
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