Two Words: Trophy Wife

About a month ago, auditions were held for an annual 10 Minute Play Festival that I had the privilege of being involved in last year. I wasn't sure if I wanted to audition this year because I have some tricks up my sleeve that I'm trying to master, but Perfect Friend said she was going to audition and it seemed like it could be our best shot yet at being involved in "something" together. Another dear friend of mine who I've been longing to work with again was also auditioning and THEN someone else said to me, "You ARE auditioning, RIGHT?" To which I replied, "Well, duh."

I had a blast at the audition last year; it was a big, giant mess of actors and directors and scripts and randomness and I loved it. This year, the process was entirely different. There were 9 directors present, and each of them was stationed at tables set up around the building. The actors got a list of the plays and what ages/genders were needed for each one. Then we found an open table and sat down with another actor or two to read from the script for the director. The system had its pros and cons. It was good to know that each director definitely got a chance to see me; it was also nice to get to read a bit of nearly every play being cast. However, it was odd not standing or moving much, and I was very easily distracted by what I could hear happening at the tables around me. I was also very distracted by the fact that I was leaving for Disney World the next morning and hadn't even started packing. For the most part, I felt very average about how I was reading...but there was one play that involved an amazing crazy lady that as I was reading I felt something switch ON in me and I was overcome by her very essence. So that was fun.

That night PF and I were talking it all over on the phone, reassuring ourselves and each other that no matter what we would be happy for the other and content with the outcome. While we were talking, she got another call. I waited for her to call me back...but then I had to go to sleep what with the early morning flight and all. The next morning, I listened to her voicemail. Guess what part she was offered? My first selfish, wounded, human thought was, "Come ON! Are you KIDDING me?" And then my second thought was, "I'm happy for her, I'm happy for her, I'm happy for her." Which I was. Am. Then I went to Disney World.

I didn't have access to email on vacation except via my crappy (at the time - I have since upgraded to a dreamy little number) cell phone. At the end of our first night, I got an email from one of the directors who said he liked how I had read for a certain character and he offered me the part. My first thought to that was, "Oh CRAP! I didn't even read for that character! He's thinking of someone else and didn't mean to offer this to me!" And I thought that before I accepted or got excited, I had to clarify that he did in fact have me in mind for the part. I didn't have his phone number so I fumbled out a reply on my phone that I hoped would not look like it had been fumbled out on a phone. He called me the next day and we cleared everything up...he DID mean to offer me the part...and I did accept it. And then I called PF and we rejoiced to some degree and then I went back to Disney World.

I read through the script when I got home from vacation, and was a tiny bit disappointed to learn that I didn't appear until page 8 of a 10 page script. However, my character is described as "absolutely gorgeous" so I just rolled around in that for a while until my ego threatened to kill me. We had our first rehearsal and by the end of it I was amazed by how well things had turned out. It's always best when I am not in charge of what the outcome will be. Our play has a cast of five which means, including the director, I get to work with five new fabulous people that I've never worked with before. They are fantastic, and since I don't appear until the end, I get to watch them and learn from them and laugh with them.

So, to sum up. First, if you have a friend called Perfect Friend, she will probably get the part you are crossing your fingers for. Second, if you have a friend called Perfect Friend, she will believe you when you say you're not bitter and will appreciate that for the sake of literary integrity you must milk the irony of a given situation for all its worth. Third, you don't know what's best for you so take what you're given and stop being such a baby.