It was an exercise in creating personal relationships with the people mentioned in the monologue. Acting Coach said I did very well having an opinion on everyone I spoke about, but that I needed to spend more time 'seeing' some of the scenarios I touched on--such as the death of Doc Gibbs and his wife.
Our next exercise with these monologues is to prepare them as a one on one conversation. Instead of speaking to an audience, we're to speak as we do to each other. In other words, just be natural.
This past week was a crazy blur.
My Comedy Class is chugging along and we did some great brainstorming for our scenes we're writing. I had the kids sketch out their ideas and then we put some into motion so they could better understand the things we're truly capable of accomplishing with our limited means and time. They have some amazing nuggets of hilarity and wisdom inside those tiny bodies.
I've been moved into lead rotations at the preschool now which means--wait for it--I'm teaching theatre classes to 2-5 year olds weekly now as well. This past week we practiced embodying recognizable emotions.
I had my pre-screen audition for TPS this past weekend.
Notes I received:
1. My ring can be distracting, and I shouldn't run the risk of doing anything that will take the auditors' attentions away from my audition.
2. I should change my resume to show that I am a local.
3. Add my singing and dancing credentials to my resume even if it's not something I have a large interest in.
4. The auditors want to hear the character I'm playing and the name of the piece. They have no interest in hearing the author.
5. Think about putting locations for some of the theatres I've worked with.
All in all, I had a lovely audition and the auditors passed me straight through. It was nice to hear feedback before heading into the big room, and they were interested in helping me put my best foot forwards. I didn't necessarily agree with all of their comments, but I definitely know now more of the west coast sentimentality and can plan accordingly.
It was also really fun!
I finished up my rehearsals for the murder mystery and we performed it last night for a sold out audience in a casino barely 50 miles from the border of Canada. I played the mousy(but actually sexy) secretary to the diva author of a trashy romance series. The man I'm supposed to marry is murdered. Last night, the murderer turned out to be my not so secret admirer/ book tour photographer.
These are two of the union actors I was able to work with. They're absolutely fantastic, and it was really interesting to pick their brains about the union vs. non-union market here. Also promising that they can continue to do the work they love here while being union actors. Score!
I had so much fun it was ridiculous. The play was great, and the audience interaction was so different from how I expected. We had to go around to the tables in character and be interrogated by the audience after the play so they could vote on who 'did it'. They asked outrageous questions, and most of them were very serious about choosing the right murderer. It was great to have an audience that was so invested in the outcome, and it felt fantastic to make a difference in a way I normally don't get to with my 'art'.
I can't wait to get back into doing meaningful and thought provoking pieces, but doing this murder mystery taught me a lot about the kind of work that audiences love, will pay to see, and a lot about how to give back to that specific community that is so willing to support theatre artists. Also, it reminded me of why I love theatre. Because it's SO FUN. My cast embraced me right from the beginning and they put so much trust into me. I met some amazing people who I sincerely hope to work with again. I had such a grand adventure last night, and I hope it's the first of many.
After the show, part of our contract allowed the actors to order anything they wanted from the restaurant menu. So I ordered a $40 meal of Grilled Wild Salmon in a honey dill sauce with fresh baked Alaskan Crab over seared asparagus, served with too many tasty side dishes, and a huge piece of red velvet cake for desert. Also, I got to take home some of the leftover audience gifts that didn't get used. Hello bubble bath!
Life just doesn't get any better than that.
I have an audition lined up for Sunday, and my TPS General Audition is scheduled for Wednesday. All in all, I'm trucking along on the 'career' front, though I'm hesitant to refer to it as such until I can quit my day job. Luckily for me, I happen to like my day jobs.
Other shenanigans I got up to this past week: My roommate's 22nd birthday bash!
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