Category: Auditions

Audition Notice. Notes from my auditions experiences.

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Auditioned at the Unifieds

Yesterday was the second day of the auditions for the 2008 Atlanta Unifieds. I took the day off from work to do this. Having lost my letter stating the time I was to audition and thinking it was around 2 PM and giving myself time for traffic, parking, etc., I arrived at 12:30 PM. My slot was not until 3:22. As it turned out, 12:30 was lunch break. I happend across Barbara McFann, Hugh Chapman, Jeannie Hinds and one other (sorry, I can’t remember her name) for lunch.

I had been nervous all morning and now that my time slot was much later in the day with a few hours to wait… the day was unbelievably long. For very important appointments like auditions or interviews, I can’t sit around the house. I have to get out and waste time in an effort to relax, not that I could yesterday.

After I checked in, a few people were called down at a time to a dressing room before going on. As I was waiting up stairs and listening to the folks moving us around, there were a few MIA’s and No-Shows. What gets me is that the MIA’s had checked in but then left never to be seen again.

So why was this so nerve-racking? Well, the Unifieds has approximately 60 Atlanta area and regional theatre companies, both union and non-union. Most of the union theaters find there future auditioners from this annual event. I probably auditioned for more theaters yesterday than I have in the past 4 years.

I was shaking badly when I finally made it onto the stage, but I was surprised at how steady my voice was. I walk on stage with no hair and a beard and the headshot I sent in was with hair and a clean shave. We are supposed to announce who we are and our audition number, 209 for me. So I add to that a little as an explanation: “Yes, I am Jay Croft. This look is for my current play.” Or at least I think that is what I said. I believe the point was made, it got a laugh for the irony.

Non-Union auditioners are given two minuets to do two monologues. I never realized how fast two minutes can fly by. After my introduction, there will be a beep, which is the beginning of my two minutes. I started with Inferno, which was a good choice. It must be about a minute and a half. It received a good bit of laughter; I even had to pause for the laughter. I stumbled though a line, but managed to finish. Then with a brief pause and move stage right to indicate a new monologue, I started with Stewart. I got through the first paragraph and started on the second when the beeps indicated the end of my two minutes. I restated my name and audition number and left the stage.

I don’t feel too bad about not finishing; the point is to show two different aspects of acting.

I do hope I get some calls from the professional theater. I hope I did not look stupid.

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Anne of Avonlea Opening Weekend

Anne of Avonlea opened this past weekend. The crowds were small, but this was Easter weekend. We did OK. I shaved my head on Friday night with the exception for fringe around the ears and back of the head. Pictures coming soon.

I ran line with Lizzie (ANNE) so that could get used to my not having any hair. We did laugh, but thankfully not during the show.

Remember my last post about not being very professional? This is where having lines so thoroughly memorized is needed. Cast members will forget lines but you are less likely to forget if you really really know your lines. I forgot some of my lines this weekend and Lizzie and I skipped half a page.

I will study my lines this week, but my priority now is to memorize my second monologue for the Atlanta Unifieds next Tuesday.

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Invited to Audition

David Shelton, who is firmly integrated into the Kudzu Playhouse family, has invited me to audition for a play he is directing for the Family Theatre. Says he likes my work. Cool! I like hearing that.

I am not sure when the audition is but here are the play details.

Play: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Written by Judy Blume. Adapted by Bruce Mason

Dates: August 30, 2008 – September 28, 2008
Saturdays & Sundays at 2:00pm
Special Saturday Evening Performances: September 20 & 27 at 7:30 pm

Description: Peter Hatcher has some problems at home. But it isn’t his mother, who’s always studying art history. And it isn’t his father, who watches TV just for the commercials. No, Peter’s biggest problem is Fudge, his disgustingly adorable baby brother. Fudge is always in Peter’s way and messing up everything he sees, whether he’s scribbling all over Peter’s school project, trying to fly off the jungle gym, or stealing the limelight in the Toddle Bike commercial. And when Peter’s pet turtle Dribble turns up gone…. all gone… everybody’s only worried about Fudge, who ate him, instead of Dribble, who got eaten! Based on the acclaimed novel by Judy Blume, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing reminds us that sibling rivalry isn’t always sweet… especially when your brother is Fudge!

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Finally, a slot at the Unifieds

The Unifieds are is an open audition each year in Atlanta, hosted by the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts. There are 50 plus theatre companies in Atlanta and the South East. It is open to Actors and Singers who are Equity, Non-Equity and Students.

I am non-Equity. So I had to have at least 7 stage plays to qualify. This year I have enough. Two years back, although I did not qualify, I might have received a slot due to lack of applicants. Don’t know that for sure.

Last year, I did apply but was rejected for not having enough stage plays. This year, I did qualify and I was accepted.

The Unifieds are two days worth of actors doing 2 contrasting monologues or 1 monologue and 16 bars of accompanied music. Each actor has 2 minuets.

I am on the second day in the afternoon.

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Callback and a Play

I received a call from Candy Spahr on my way home from work on Friday. She offered me a callback for Anne of Avonlea. The callbacks have been moved to Monday at 5 PM. This was interesting because as far as I knew, there were more auditions to be held on Saturday. But as I stated before, I was the only adult male to audition on Thursday night.

On Saturday, I received a call from the Artistic Director, IJ Rosenblum, at Button Theatre offering me a role in Barefoot in the Park. The Auditions were last weekend and I has assumed I did not get a role. The part I auditioned for and which I knew I did not get was for the older eccentric neighbor. The part I was offered, and accepted, was for the TELEPHONE REPAIRMAN. It is a paid role and my first role at a Professional Non-Equity theatre. All I have done before now have been in Community Theatres.