As I mentioned, I felt really good about my audition, better than I had in some time. I have to say, I almost didn't go to the initial one. I was feeling REALLY emotionally up and down on Monday, and when I got home from work and saw the audition on my calendar I really wasn't feeling up to it. I started psyching myself out over the fact that the description for the only character I was even vaguely appropriate for, Irene Adler, called for a slightly older woman, and said, "British accent preferred but not required." I grumbled a little over that last bit, as I know from the Holmes stories that Irene was an American. My British accent is pretty weak, and I certainly couldn't sustain it over the course of the play, so I started convincing myself it was a hopeless cause. But Jared encouraged me to try anyway, telling me what I already knew-- that you never get anywhere if you don't try and put yourself out there. Well, I could always say if they called me on it that Irene was American, and I guess I wouldn't be any worse off than I was before. And I'm so glad I did, because as I said, I felt so good about the reading I gave!
Later in the same day that I posted that, I got an email from the producer asking if I could return for the second night of auditions, no problem if I couldn't because it was short notice, but they liked my reading and wanted to hear me again. I didn't want to announce it in case it didn't come to anything, but damn, did that feel encouraging! I really wanted to convey my interest, so I left ballet early on Tuesday and rushed over to the Natick Center for the Arts to catch the last half-hour of the second night of tryouts.
On the way over, I really worked myself up with nerves. These were open auditions, which meant that anybody could show up without an appointment. There could be somebody who showed up that night that they liked better. I really shouldn't get my hopes up. I was getting very tense by the time I showed up, but I took a deep breath and slipped in.
One thing that was consistent both nights were the sorts of actors present. The men were all older than me, in their thirties and forties and maybe beyond. And they were all pretty uniformly good actors who were all capable of respectable British accents. There wasn't a single one of them that I didn't think gave a decent audition. There were fewer women, some of them closer to my age, but still I was the youngest one there. I have a hunch that the British accent thing probably scared a lot of them off. I remember when I played Diamond Geezers, those of us willing to give the ridiculous Cockney accents a try seemed to be much more comfortable speaking and participating in the game, and this reminded me a lot of that. There were a few that gave decent readings, but even on the second night when I was more nervous-- I had more assurance but also more to lose --I still felt that I looked like the front runner. I say that not to make myself look good, honestly I think the competition would have been a lot stiffer I'd been a man. They asked me to project more, that note I've gotten in every show I've ever done, and if I could perform without my glasses on, which I also make a point of every show. I went home hopeful, but terrified of getting my hopes up.
I got the call tonight offering me the part when I was visiting at Albion and gratefully accepted. I am so excited. I've been itching like mad to act again for quite some time now, so I imagine this is going to help a great deal with my feeling of creative restlessness. I've also not had a real lead for several years, not since Puck when I was a senior. Moreover, it will be nice to play a woman for once! Cordelia in King Lear when I was a junior was literally the only female part I've had in my entire adult acting career. One thing I've always been a little concerned about was whether my acting wasn't quite as fully realized as it could have been because I've so often have to worry about pulling on the additional layer of playing masculinity. This is something I can really sink my teeth into, really throw myself into the development of a performance for. And I'm really grateful to Jared for being supportive and encouraging me to get over my doubts.
The show will be going up Friday and Saturday, June 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 8:00 pm and Sunday June 3 and 10 at 2:00 pm in Natick. I hope you'll all join more for my triumphant return to the legitimate stage. :-)
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