Monday, August 14, 2006

Better luck next time

While I haven't gotten the word officially, I know I wasn't cast. They told us they'd probably be holding callbacks for all parts and I wasn't called back. Which I expected, based on how I did at auditions.

I think I held my own with the dance combination, and I read reasonably well (the laughter and applause when I finished seemed at least a little more than merely polite), but when it came to singing, I fell flat. The accompanist launched into my piece as soon as I finished introducing myself to the audition panel, and the piece only has about 2 very quick bars of intro, so not only was I not ready, but I didn't get into the piece's "character" until about halfway through, and I could feel myself shifting all over the place vocally. I think the bad habits I've worked so hard to unlearn were trying to reassert themselves. Sigh. It's very discouraging to think I was finally "getting it" technically, only to have that technique fail me utterly when I needed it. :(

It was the kind of audition that makes we wonder why I bother, that I should just take my place in the chorus (in those shows that have a chorus; this one won't) and be done with it. But then I remember getting to do a lead last summer, and how much fun it was, and start thinking I just need to stop whining and get back to work.

More preparation is part of it; I shoulda been ready for just such an eventuality. I've dealt w/ accompanists who played at a tempo that was too fast or too slow, who couldn't handle the piece; starting before I was ready is now one more thing to add to the list of possible audition accompanist surprises. That, and maybe picking a piece w/ a longer intro!

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