An Audition Story with a Happy Ending!

I know, I know, most of my auditions stories are disastrous, but stay with me, folks!

So, Hello Dolly! is one of my favorite musicals of all time. Classic, great music, fantastic costumes, I love it! And when the Footlight Club (America's Oldest Community Theater and also where I performed last summer) put up a notice, I was game. I didn't really practice singing too much, just picked a song I was comfortable with and went for it.

I got there on Sunday, and it was the third audition for the show that they had (they did two rounds the day before) and there were still tons of people there! So, hopes were kinda diminished. We sang only in front of the casting committee, which I like, because I'm not the strongest singer and it depresses me to hear everyone else sing so much better than me. I went in and sang in front of the folks, and did ok. I was nervous, so I had a little breath trouble, but it gets easier each time, and I stayed on key well, and felt overall pretty good about it. Next was dance, which is usually my strongest of the three threats. The dance number they taught us was super-cute and pretty brisk, but I just put on my cutest little smile and did all the steps the best I could. I was on the end, so I wasn't sure the casting committee really even noticed me. So, I was starting to feel kinda "enh" about the whole audition.

Next, they announced that call-backs would be held in an hour, and I was on the list! I couldn't believe it, but there I was. So, I went on an errand with a friend and returned for readings. And then...what happens to me at every audition happened again. They seemed to forget about me. I only was interested in two roles: Minnie and Ermengarde. The third or fourth girl to read read for Minnie and she was AMAZING to the point that I couldn't be any better than that. A few others read for Ermengarde and did pretty good, but because I had watched the movie the day before, I knew that Ermengarde was supposed to be crying during that scene. So, I prepared to read and cry, but they never called me. I waited and waited...and waited. Then, a casting committee member in my row got the choreographer's attention and nonchalantly pointed at me. Then, I started to feel a little bitter, like I was only going to be asked to read as an afterthought because they forgot about me. And, sure enough, I was the next (and last) to read. First, I read for Minnie and did fine, but not as good as the other girl. Then, they let me read for Ermengarde. And, though I hate fake crying, I knew that it was do or die, since they forgot about me in the first place. So, I cried my little heart out and everyone laughed a lot. I left feeling that I would be in the ensemble for sure, but feeling good about how I read.

Sure enough, that night, I got a voice mail offering me Ermengarde (!) so I guess the do or die crying routine really worked! It's my first ever named role in a musical, because usually my singing automatically puts me in the ensemble. Now, Ermengarde doesn't sing by herself, so I'm not thinking that my singing got me the role, but she's a fun, silly character that my acting was able to pull off well, so I'm really really excited.

The show runs November 6-21 on Saturdays and Sundays, if you're in the Boston area!