Working the Fringe?

This will be the 4th year for the local "Fringe Festival", which I think is modeled on Edinborough's. For about 2 weeks in July, individuals and groups present a very wide variety of theatrical and other presentations. I just auditioned for one such production, a variation on the Christmas Carol theme.

It was an unusual audition in several ways. First of all, it was at the MD's house, not a classroom, church hall or other such venue. We also had to sing a cappella, as there was no accompanist available. I wasn't terribly thrilled with my singing - blasted pollen! - and I didn't go as high as I might have in my range testing, but I didn't see them cringing or wanting to put their fingers in their ears, so I guess it wasn't too horrible. ;-)

The reading was one of the more fun I've done, especially as we got to read each scene twice. I got to read 4 different characters: a stage manager who was less than pleased w/ the props, a bit player considerably less than pleased with her role, a sharp-tongued jealous fiance, and a somewhat insecure actor. All of 'em were fun, and I could hear them reacting with chuckles, but the best bit was when I was reading that last character. My friend & fellow actor is trying to reassure me that I'll be fine in performance and "offers" to bring in some kids as a distraction during a rehearsal. My character thanks him for the laugh, then asks "Tell me you're not serious!" I couldn't see the directors' reactions, as I was looking at the person reading the other character, but I sure did hear them laugh at my slightly panicked reading of that "Tell me you're not serious!" line. And doesn't every performer love to hear the audience react!

They have 2 more nights of auditions, so it'll be at least Friday before I know anything, but the director did tell me before I left that she definitely wants to use me. The big problem is that I've got that 5-night cabaret workshop that happens to run right smack in the middle of the festival, and the festival organizers won't announce all the performances dates & venues for another couple of weeks. In other words, the director won't know until then whether that workshop is a conflict or not. (I'm hoping & praying "our" performance dates don't fall then!) She & I had already discussed the problem last week, as I wondered whether I should even bother auditioning. She told me then and reiterated this afternoon that she's actually willing to consider double-casting me in a role. I find that both generous and flattering, especially as she told me this when I was one of the very first auditionees, and it would be so much easier for her to drop me from consideration so she doesn't have to deal with that uncertainty.