Audition Preparation

The equivalent of a job interview, the audition is the most nerve-wracking but important event an actor does. And an actor does it many, many times. Submitting headshots and resumes, getting the perfect cut of music, and dressign to impress. It's a never ending, always repeating cycle that we only get better at with age and experience. It seems like audition preparation has presently consumed my life. I'm preparing for three major auditions: Spring Awakening in NYC and auditions for next season's productions of Urinetown and The Physicists here at UMD. So over the past month I've selected, cut and prepared two music audition pieces and one contemporary monologue. I've also been working with Karalee Dawn here at Maryland to best prepare me for my Spring Awakening call. Karalee has immense knowledge on the business, having worked for agencies such as Richard Frankel Productions and William Morris Agency for numerous years before coming back for her graduates degree. She has even produced a play on Broadway starring Kevin Bacon. So, naturally, when she offered to help me prepare and train me in what to expect this Sunday, I jumped on it. She also said that I could list her as my manager, which I'm thankfully doing! But wish me luck! I've heard this call will be a madhouse. It's a very rare thing for a Broadway show to do an open call like this anymore. But Spring Awakening is a rare show. And that's why I'm excited about auditioning for it!

The 288 project, Can Can, which I'm directing, is well underway. We go into tech next week for it and I anticipate a beautiful performance. Everyone has worked so hard on it and I've come to understand a lot about the collaborative process. I'm directing the piece with Zachary Fernebok. I've also come to understand the importance of having designers adhere to the directors' concept. But in the end it will be a job well done on everyone's part. Tomorrow I'll print off a transposed copy of my sheet music, my resumes and get a couple more copies of my headshot made. Then I'll attend Maryland Day on campus. Yay free food and the best ice cream EVER!