Auditoning CAN be fun...and Goodbye, Tobias! :-(
Well, we'll start the happier news. Today's auditions for the Southcity Theatre Ensemble was actually fun! I was 10 minutes late, but the other woman (Marley? I'm sorry, I forget your name! *sigh*) was later, and no one else made it, so I actually was earlier, I guess. ;-) I came running over from the gym (and finding parking is NO EASIER MATTER in Boston on a Saturday afternoon, so I was parked a couple of blocks away from the gym), but had time to stop sweating before we headed over to the audition room, aka a classroom at 50 Vassar Street at M.I.T. The auditions were painless and fun. We started with wordball (toss any word that comes to mind around a circle, though in a random order, looking but not forcing patterns), then did honest monologues on the topic of just about anything (not surprisingly Starbucks iced tea, dating difficulties, and Sobe Power Beverages, along with "Dark Shadows," the TV show, were my topics). I love those. We moved on to Ten Scenes About..., improvised scenes, with the inspiration an article about war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and it should shock no one that death was a recurrent theme (although it became funny after a while, b/c we knew someone would die in just about every scene, and it was only surprising when someone didn't), and that went pretty well, I thought. After that, the other auditionee (dammit, what was her name?!) and I did cold reads of a couple of scenes the ensemble has performed in the past, and we ended with a short interview.
I can't say I LOVE being on trial...er, I mean auditioning ;-)...mostly b/c you're never sure if you're WHAT THEY WANT if you say or do something stupid that makes them groan. Also, as much as you say that you don't care if they choose you, it's a lie, b/c you wouldn't be there if it didn't matter (or it would be strange if you did, b/c experience only goes so far, and it isn't a great idea to turn down a casting offer). That said, this was one of the more fun auditions, b/c Mike and the three other members of the ensemble are all nice, funny, smart, and down-to-earth people, and they treated Marley (hay, it COULD be Marley! :-)) and me as if we were equals. Also, it was good experience. What was most hopeful for me was that Mike asked if I could return for the second round of auditions (since people no-showed or couldn't make it today), and if he and the others weren't interesteed, I'm sure I wouldn't have been asked to come again. I said I definitely could, and I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, Mike said to bring along any writing I was working on that might fit the group, and that was good impetus to get back to the writing board. :) I definitely enjoyed working with Mike and the others, along w/ Marley, and hope this works out. Their next shows will be at ImprovBoston in July, which would be funny, since the last time Mike and I played together was with ImprovBoston's sketch troupe, The Mumbling Prophets. I would love the opportunity to work with him again.
As for bookclub, it was a bit of a sad meeting, because member Tobias is moving back home to Sweden next week, and this is the last time we're going to see him (unless he comes back to Boston...OR the bookclub goes out to Sweden for a meeting, which I proposed ;-)). Tobias is such a friendly, intelligent guy, and every meeting was better when he was in attendance. (Not that meetings weren't good when he wasn't there; I really like this bookclub, that began thanks to Angela and Yahoo Groups). Ironically, Angela couldn't be there today, because of Easter, but Tobias took digital photos and she was certainly there in spirit. Karen Z suggested we try a Polish restaurant in South Boston. It was suprisingly easy to get there and a nice place, though my stomach kind of bothered me and I decided to forego eating (not a great idea before an audition, and before a workout, but I just wasn't hungry, and the food did look very appetizing). I hope we head out there again and I can try a patouche or whatever the doughy pastry is (man, I am bad at names, as noted earlier). Today's books were "Brave New World" and "1984," both of which I've read, though many years earlier, so I didn't re-read them and didn't have much to contribute. Well, for me. ;-) The timing was apropos, however, given Bush, both Dubya and Jed's, interference in the Terry Schiavo case (let the poor woman rest in peace, for the love of God, and instead focus on the war in Iraq, the tsunami victims, and the poor in America...oh, wait, "compassionate conservatives" don't care about that stuff. Never mind. Silly me.) . It was an interesting, albeit short, discussion, followed by a short work out at the gym. (Thankfully, my knees are getting better, day by day, and I walked on the treadmill for 40 minutes, using 3 lb weights.) I really, really wish I could use the bike or elliptical again, but my body isn't ready, alas. At least there will be a pool at the nice Sheraton I'm staying at in NYC! YAY.
So, today was a good day, overall, and I'm hoping the sore throat that has crept up will go away (I have no problem sleeping in tomorrow, as I did today; it's pretty nice), because the last thing I want is to be sick during a busy conference in New York. I'll knock wood hard and see what happens. Oh, and go to bed early, no question. I did tape "Buena Vista Social Club" off IFC today (don't get me started on how much I would love to have tiVo...), but I think I'll watch Thursday night's "The Daily Show," as soon as the Illinois/Arizona Elite Eight game ends (currently in overtime), and call it a day. And tomorrow, Anna and I will see a play, and I'll hopefully work out and then pack for the trip, along with reading The Sunday Globe.
Of course, I'll keep you posted re: auditioning and play submissions (no word yet...it's hard to wait, but it's better than finding out you weren't accepted, that's for sure).
Word.
I can't say I LOVE being on trial...er, I mean auditioning ;-)...mostly b/c you're never sure if you're WHAT THEY WANT if you say or do something stupid that makes them groan. Also, as much as you say that you don't care if they choose you, it's a lie, b/c you wouldn't be there if it didn't matter (or it would be strange if you did, b/c experience only goes so far, and it isn't a great idea to turn down a casting offer). That said, this was one of the more fun auditions, b/c Mike and the three other members of the ensemble are all nice, funny, smart, and down-to-earth people, and they treated Marley (hay, it COULD be Marley! :-)) and me as if we were equals. Also, it was good experience. What was most hopeful for me was that Mike asked if I could return for the second round of auditions (since people no-showed or couldn't make it today), and if he and the others weren't interesteed, I'm sure I wouldn't have been asked to come again. I said I definitely could, and I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, Mike said to bring along any writing I was working on that might fit the group, and that was good impetus to get back to the writing board. :) I definitely enjoyed working with Mike and the others, along w/ Marley, and hope this works out. Their next shows will be at ImprovBoston in July, which would be funny, since the last time Mike and I played together was with ImprovBoston's sketch troupe, The Mumbling Prophets. I would love the opportunity to work with him again.
As for bookclub, it was a bit of a sad meeting, because member Tobias is moving back home to Sweden next week, and this is the last time we're going to see him (unless he comes back to Boston...OR the bookclub goes out to Sweden for a meeting, which I proposed ;-)). Tobias is such a friendly, intelligent guy, and every meeting was better when he was in attendance. (Not that meetings weren't good when he wasn't there; I really like this bookclub, that began thanks to Angela and Yahoo Groups). Ironically, Angela couldn't be there today, because of Easter, but Tobias took digital photos and she was certainly there in spirit. Karen Z suggested we try a Polish restaurant in South Boston. It was suprisingly easy to get there and a nice place, though my stomach kind of bothered me and I decided to forego eating (not a great idea before an audition, and before a workout, but I just wasn't hungry, and the food did look very appetizing). I hope we head out there again and I can try a patouche or whatever the doughy pastry is (man, I am bad at names, as noted earlier). Today's books were "Brave New World" and "1984," both of which I've read, though many years earlier, so I didn't re-read them and didn't have much to contribute. Well, for me. ;-) The timing was apropos, however, given Bush, both Dubya and Jed's, interference in the Terry Schiavo case (let the poor woman rest in peace, for the love of God, and instead focus on the war in Iraq, the tsunami victims, and the poor in America...oh, wait, "compassionate conservatives" don't care about that stuff. Never mind. Silly me.) . It was an interesting, albeit short, discussion, followed by a short work out at the gym. (Thankfully, my knees are getting better, day by day, and I walked on the treadmill for 40 minutes, using 3 lb weights.) I really, really wish I could use the bike or elliptical again, but my body isn't ready, alas. At least there will be a pool at the nice Sheraton I'm staying at in NYC! YAY.
So, today was a good day, overall, and I'm hoping the sore throat that has crept up will go away (I have no problem sleeping in tomorrow, as I did today; it's pretty nice), because the last thing I want is to be sick during a busy conference in New York. I'll knock wood hard and see what happens. Oh, and go to bed early, no question. I did tape "Buena Vista Social Club" off IFC today (don't get me started on how much I would love to have tiVo...), but I think I'll watch Thursday night's "The Daily Show," as soon as the Illinois/Arizona Elite Eight game ends (currently in overtime), and call it a day. And tomorrow, Anna and I will see a play, and I'll hopefully work out and then pack for the trip, along with reading The Sunday Globe.
Of course, I'll keep you posted re: auditioning and play submissions (no word yet...it's hard to wait, but it's better than finding out you weren't accepted, that's for sure).
Word.
posted by Sue B at 6:30 PM
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