As an aspiring actress/singer, you think that I would be very comfortable with auditions by now and be so amazingly awesome at every single one.
FALSE.
Auditions can be VERY stressful. In fact, I don't think actors are appreciated enough for their struggles. Seriously, we got it bad. I mean, doesn't it scare you at all to think that a single note or a once-over is the only thing that separates you from a great part? We are judged based on appearance, the way we read, talk, dance, even the way we dress! And most of these judgments are made as soon as you walk in the door. Very rarely do you get to show the director what you can really do in an audition. Due to 'time constraints' (and the gorgeous skinny blonde next to you,) your chances of getting the part you want are pretty slim.
For those of you who don't know, most auditions consist of something called a "Cold Reading". This refers to the amount of time you have to look over a scene before you read it. Which of course, is no time at all. Now, THIS part of the audition is a piece of cake for me. I've always been a very good reader and I know how to deliver something without looking over it ahead of time. This just comes naturally to me.
But the singing and dancing?? HA.
As many times as I have stood in front of strangers and performed, auditions have a totally different kind of pressure to them. Somehow I manage to make an absolute fool of myself and all hopes of a good part are flushed down the drain. It's almost funny, actually. And sometimes, not so much.
Thing is, when you are at an audition, you aren't a character. I don't care what people say, but you come as YOURSELF. For me, that's really hard. I find it much easier to perform as a character when people are judging me. Why? Because they aren't judging ME, they are judging the character. It can be so much fun to be someone else, and that's what I absolutely love about acting. It's all about removing yourself from your own shoes, and it's what makes it so enjoyable. But standing there, just being "Lindsey" is much harder.
Most of you are probably really clueless as to what I'm talking about. But if you ever think about it, ask me! Even though I find auditions to be very stressful and hectic, I would do it over and over (which I do!) to be apart of this wonderful gift called Theater.
till callbacks are made,
lindsey.
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