My love hate relationship with auditions

Auditions. What can I say? Imagine me screaming at the top of my lungs and pulling out my locs. Does that give you an idea?

Auditions are a necessary and crucial aspect of this business we call acting. Once a week (or at times more), I find myself standing in a room with a total stranger singing my 16 bar selection or performing my 2 contrasting monologues. You attempt to bring all of your personality and talent into 2 minutes. Not only do they seek talented individuals but they also prefer actors they want to work with. (Check all attitude at the door)

No matter how long you have been doing this many of us still have to audition in order to get a job. Unlike the letter or rejection email you may get from a traditional career, you will never know why you were not selected. It could have been your height, ethnicity/complexion shade, hair style, body type, the fact you wear glasses, or that you remind them of someone who they don't like. Did you notice that all of these things are completely out of your control? So guess what? You can't sweat it. Should you take classes, practice your audition material, take care of your physical and spiritual health? Yes! But, all you can do is be prepared and do your best.

Realize that you may never simply get a call like Patti Lupone informing you that a great role is yours for the taking from some amazing director. Most of us will even audition for folks we have worked with before. Does that mean you have arrived? You can now stop practicing and attending dance classes. Hell no! It simply means that you have (prayerfully) developed a new network who likes working with you. Does this make the process easier or mean that you will get casted no matter what? Nope! Because you are not the only one on their short list. And at the end of the day the decision lies with the person or organization doing the hiring.

I decided long ago that I was going to enjoy auditions. Don't get me wrong, there are moments when I am still running in a circle pulling my locs out. But, I feel better about it somehow. And that's enough.

Now where did I put that new play that I am reading so I can locate a better comedic monologue because most of them suck. Oh, there it is under the piles of music and scripts that somehow always land right near my bed no matter how organized I think I am.

Stay tuned for why you should never ask a working actor, How can I get in the business? Especially when your aspirations are solely based on what you saw on TV or at the movies.