Win-Win

There are a few things that I'm not a big fan of in the acting game.

Monologues would have to be number one in my book. While I often find myself speaking out loud to no one at all, it's usually something along the lines of 'please do some laundry' or 'you forgot to take that damn library book back again' but never long speeches revealing my deep inner thoughts and conflicts. Monologues, in my opinion, are just unnatural.

Improv. It's not that I can't think on my feet, I'm fairly quick, really. It just something about improv that rubs me the wrong way. It's always a lot of fun when I've done it, but somehow I don't look forward to doing it. Maybe because it seems like everyone else is? Who knows? I've decided to get over my attitude toward improv and am now in an improv class. Maybe appreciation comes from really giving it another try? We'll see.

Cattle calls. Something about an open casting calls makes me itchy. So many people. So much time. And it usually involves standing in the heat. I haven't gone to many open calls, so my experience is limited at best. When I did go, I was driven by stories of actors who have been "discovered" at a casting call. The pessimist in me, however, says that my chances improve if the casting director saw my picture before hand and specifically asked for me rather than just showing up sight unseen. But thousands of people show up to casting calls and from those casting calls shows get cast, so it has to be benefiting someone, right?

Well a friend's experience this past week has really spoken to the optimist in me. On Monday, she had gone to an open casting call for the touring production of 'The Color Purple'. She texted me right after and said that she was invited to a callback on Wednesday. We texted back and forth then she said they called and asked her to come back the following day, Tuesday instead. The next day, she texts me to say that the second audition didn't go as well, she was expecting to read for a certain part and she got a bit tongue tied and was really upset with herself. I tried to be encouraging and let her know how proud I was that she went and that it would all work out. That this wasn't the end, it was just the beginning. Well, later that night, she was called back again...to read for the part she wanted. I told her to put it all out there, no regrets, no holding back. Well that's just what she did and I couldn't be more proud of her. Of course it would be awesome if she is casted the part and gets the opportunity to perform around the country. I would love for that to happen. But what is most awesome is that she went and did it. And what she came back with mentally is invaluable. The confidence to do what we do with no regrets. The ability to give something her best shot, full out and not hold back. The lesson that anything is possible, even at an open casting call, in the midday heat with every actress in LA trying to one up you. Now that's priceless.