...And Thank You For The Audition!

I had my audition  for Listen to Your Mother yesterday! I'm pleased with how I did. The winner of the "Pick the Piece" poll was Today She Was In China -- I edited it a bit, adding some material and cutting some material, making sure it would be less than five minutes.

I got up at six o'clock -- I'd been more or awake since four -- got ready, took Joe to work, and headed on over to the hotel where the auditions were taking place. I took the winding back roads all the way there, both to eat up time and to occupy my mind, but I still got there an hour and half early.

So I drove on over to a nearby shopping area and plopped myself down at the Corner Bakery with a cuppa and a bagel, and I played Angry Birds and checked Facebook and read articles on Salon and then I walked up and down the sidewalk and browsed quickly through Barnes and Noble and thought about buying a new Moleskine notebook and thought better of it, and finally drove back over to the hotel.

And I was still 15 minutes early, so I pulled out my audition piece and read it out loud, timing it once again to make sure it was under five minutes long. I'm sure the guy changing the tire two cars down wondered what the hell I was doing. After I read the piece, I realized that I was really really nervous! Even though I have years of experience speaking, making presentations, acting in plays, clowning around, delivering keynotes, blah blah blah... I had stage fright. I know -- a little stage fright is a good thing! It keeps you alert. It helps you concentrate. It inspires you to be prepared. Oh, bullshit! It's nerve wracking, plain and simple.

Anyway, I knocked on the door right at 11:00, and Kate and Stephanie (the producer and director) ushered me into the audition room. They were lovely! They introduced themselves and made me feel quite comfortable. We chatted about the show and how it would work; I handed over my paperwork and settled into the Audition Chair.

The reading itself was fine, just fine. (I was happy to hear laughs at the right places!) The one glitch occurred right at the end, when I simultaneously choked up a little and my hand started visibly shaking. But I got myself together, got my hand under control, and finished up.

Kate and Stephanie complimented me on the reading -- win! -- thanked me for coming out, and that was that! Fifteen whole minutes!

I might get cast; I might not get cast. A lot depends on how my piece fits in with the overall theme of the show and how many other pieces are like it. Fifty people auditioned; there are twelve spots in the cast. I admit I'll be a little disappointed if I don't make it, but it was worth it regardless of the outcome.

So thank you to everyone who voted and who encouraged me to go for it! If you live in the DC area, you should go to the show. I know I will, whether I'm a cast member or an audience member. It's going to be great!