In Which I Finally Get Cast!

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you've already heard this news, but here it is again, I FINALLY GOT CAST Y'ALL!
After two pretty horrendous theater auditions, third times the charm. I will be playing Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest with Actors Ensemble of Berkeley! We open on January 20th in Berkeley. If you're in the area, you're invited to come see it!

Thursday night was our first read through.

Yes, we're rehearsing in a mattress store. It works surprisingly well.

I cannot say how excited I am to work with a cast where everyone is more experienced than me! I learned in Ballet that it's best to stand by the most talented dancer in class. I, in comparison, will look terrible for a while, but it's the fastest way to pick up those little tips and tricks that are so subtle no one would even think about them. I'm essentially doing that in theater now.

The audition process can be arduous and full of emotional turmoil. I normally go through three stages (so to speak): perseverance, waiting, and doubt.

Perseverance comes in for just getting it together to audition: picking a monologue or song (or both), rehearsing your piece(s), researching the productions, script, characters, production team, theater group, really anything and everything to give me a better idea of what I'm walking into. If I make it to callbacks, those are often long and full of redirections, re-imaginings, and turnarounds.

Then the waiting begins. This is the worst part for me.  It's so hard not to be running the film of the audition in my head about what I did wrong, what I did right, what could be better. I normally take this time to start a new book, pick something I can improve on within a week (like spotting my turns for Ballet), and intentionally do something fun and different (often this means date night!).

Eventually we reach doubt. I'm more Type A then basically everyone else in the performing arts (except ballet people - we seem to share this quirk). I hit my "no one-liked-me-enough-to-even-let-me-know-its-a-no" wall of despair well before it has probably occurred to the casting team to email people. At this point I often start messaging my theater friends about my audition woes, and the conversation always goes something like this:

Me: "I must have been terrible, and they hated me, and what does 'we'll let you know next week' even MEAN on a SUNDAY!!"

Friend: "They'll probably let you know soon. I've had shorter notice when I got a part."

Me: "Oh. Probably. You're right. I'm fine now."

Eventually, the news comes. Up until now that was often bad news so I went and did my usual stuff to deal with rejection. This time is was good news! There was a scramble of texting husband, checking calendars, changing a few plans, and getting to accept a role!

Now I'm throwing myself into specific character building and role research for Cecily. My homework this week is to watch British television (diction study) so I get to watch Downton Abbey and call it work. ;)

*******************

Here's My Sunday Best!

Dress (worn as skirt): Kohls
Sweater: stolen from husband's closet
Shoes: Target
Belt: JCPenney