As a witness to the state of the economy these past three years, I feel confident saying the American unemployed now understand what it is to be a performing artist. I hear from friends who are responsible for hiring at various companies that for every position they list on a job board or employment web site, they receive hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions during the first 24 hours, many of which come from people who are “highly overqualified” for the role. More importantly, they say it is nearly impossible to objectively review and assess every application for employment and its associated materials. For those who have made application, I’m certain they are constantly wondering, “How can I set myself apart? How can I get my foot in the door? How can I get the job?” I am also certain they find it spirit-crushing to repeatedly receive no response confirming their application, and never receive a request to interview, much less a job offer.
This, too, … Read more »
It doesn’t happen often that I have an opportunity to audition in an accent or language other than straight-up-neutral-American. However, I was pleasantly surprised to have an almost-last-minute invitation to an audition requesting an accent I actually know and perform well. (Unlike those auditions at which I am instructed to put-on an accent I do not know, cannot perform, and which remains unlisted on my résumé for good reason.)
The audition being almost-last-minute, immediately I got underway with preparations. It was evident which character I should prepare, so coordinating the various physical accoutrements was simple. However, it being awhile since I’d used the accent in question, I knew I needed to hit the books, as it were, hard. I began by reciting everything in sight. Bills. The label on my wood furniture polish. Magazine blurbs. Any commercial text I heard. And the instructions of the pasta recipe I made for dinner. One of the most important aspects of acting with an accent (besides producing … Read more »
After today’s audition, I considered writing about my efforts to memorize 40 pages, the large blister that developed on my toe from walking too far in heels, my realization en route that my stockings had lost their elasticity and kept collecting about my ankles, or the fact that I made two elegant fumbles (if I do say so, myself) mid-performance but kept going. (The show must go on!) Instead, I feel a need to remark upon the function of auditions in the lives of artistic individuals because I’ve noticed a trend towards lethargic inactivity among some of my counterparts.
As I noted earlier this year, auditioning is a talent’s foremost responsibility. Essentially, every audition is a job interview. Just as people seeking a job, upward mobility in a company, or a transition in the direction of a career make application to job openings and, when contacted, interview for the position, it is my responsibility (and, by transitive property, the responsibilities of my peers) … Read more »
A few days ago I tweeted about soliciting for a film audition for which I didn’t think I’d receive a glance of consideration. Well, on Wednesday evening of this week I received a call about this very audition, which would be held the following afternoon! So, I had little time to prepare and no time to waste on my waning cold. In reviewing the sides that had been provided, the scenes presented in a straightforward manner. The elephant in the room? The lines written in English marked as being spoken in another language–a language I have never heard of.
As the dutiful actress I am, I spent two hours researching this obscure-sounding language and came up empty. Nothing! I had found nothing and I excel at research. So, I took a break to review my options:
- I could always provide the lines in English since that is how they are written.
- I could ask, once at the audition, if the language for … Read more »
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