Audition Adventure

My beautiful Ford Ranger pickup died, so I am now a pedestrian/bicyclist.  That's okay, but it sure makes getting around a different sort of adventure.  Especially when you have an audition...

I had an audition last night...at 10:00 pm on a Sunday evening (how weird is that?), for the musical Sweet Charity.  I had my song all prepared and rehearsed, it sounded good in the shower and as I was dressing.  I had my bus/bike route to the audition location all planned out.  I would ride my bicycle for three miles (across a very narrow bridge) to a place where I could catch a bus the rest of the way.  I loaded my head shot, resume, sheet music into a backpack and headed out.  I decided to take the bus that would get me there an hour earlier, so that I could relax, catch my breath and maybe go over my audition song a few times.

It started raining as I headed out, and I got to my bus stop without being killed.  Bus 35 was scheduled to arrive at 8:35.  Somewhere around 8:50 pm it finally showed up....and both racks that hold bicycles were FULL.   So now I have a choice:  Turn around and go home and just forget the whole thing, or ride the rest of the way on the bike, through the dark, twisty-hilly rainy highway that leads to Lake Oswego and hope I make it in time.

I chose the second option. Refusing to be benched because of a lack of a motor vehicle,  I pedaled my little heart out, pausing to walk the bike uphill and screaming as I careened down black, rain-slick curves.

I made it to the theater, wet, cold and out of breath.  There was no one waiting to audition, so instead of having a chance to tidy myself, warm up my throat and catch my breath, I was ushered directly into the room to face the panel and begin my audition.

I was game, so I sang.  I was sounding fine, and I was on point to turn in a great audition...until the very last high note...it came out sounding like "Froggy" from The Little Rascals.  It was horrible.  I began apologizing, explaining that I had to ride my bike, and was still kind of out of breath.  They asked me try again, and the note came out the same...a horrible, froggy croak.  Not pretty, not good.

"We'll let you know", came the reply from the sympathetic - if horrified - auditors.

Things change in life.  Being a performer in musical theater is something that I always have been.  That particular activity may now be something that is in my past.  This is terrifically difficult for me to accept.  But I think I may have to accept it:  I have not been cast in the last FOUR musicals I have auditioned for.  My voice just isn't what it used to be, at least not the soaring high notes that always got me cast.

Ah, well.  I still seem to be able to get cast in non-musical plays.  And I am still working on a script...it's possible that, in the future, my place in the theater will be offstage.  I don't know.  No more auditioning for musicals, though. I doubt that I will be cast in Sweet Charity.  And that's okay.

I will survive.

UPDATE 5/11/09 - The director called me today, and would love to have me at callbacks.  I may still get the part!  I'll let you know how it goes!