Auditions - the good, the bad, and the ugly

I had the opportunity last night to sit in on auditions for my university theatre's 2010/2011 schedule, as one of my written plays will be performed this October. It made me realize how much I miss the whole theatre 'life'. I miss tech weeks, endless rehearsals, work calls, lots of memorizing, getting that entrance and exit just right, and listening to what all the others have to offer. Thus last night it was like I had a VIP seat even if I was the playwright. It's always a learning experience not only for the people auditioning but also for the ones giving the audition. This particular one had people trying out for the musical as well, so I got to hear many snippets of monologues as well as a few bars of song. Some were inspiring, a few not quite there, and some... well I give them brownie points for at least trying.

Truth is an audition takes a lot of guts. I was once the typical nervous and shy theatre major who had to go up there and give them the stuff. Funny thing is I didn't freeze up in actual performances, rather they excited me and I loved performing. For some reason an audition was so much more nerve-racking than an actual performance.Sometimes I nailed it, and other times the nerves got to me. However, I learned a lot from the process. Of course you can't do anything without at least putting the effort out there and giving it a try. I can't say that I loved doing monologues but the experience gave me more confidence as an individual. (And it's a great exercise for memory.) Constant practice made me better and now I can say I feel more confident if I had to audition for something.

I enjoyed watching everyone and catching a glimpse of how people react and the persona they portray. Some work well under pressure, while others seem to crumble at the thought of a room full of people and themselves alone on an empty stage. It was in its own right a performance in its own. A jumble of people all put together to portray the flaws, the perfections, and everything in between. Funny how you look at things like this and see it as a way to identify with people. :)