Jazz Hands and Big Smiles: Audition Recap

UPDATE: Several of you have asked if I made the cut. Seeing as how I didn't get called back, that would be a negative ghostwriter. Oh well, I ain't gonna sweat it, because now it means I can start planning a possible trip to Denman Island this summer to visit my cousin Katy, whom I have not seen in 3 years. No rain, no rainbows! Peace, K

Today was audition day! My audition went ok. Singing wise I was fine, could have been better. Dancing wise... well, let's just say it might be a wise idea to take some dance classes in the near future! I DID have a blast auditioning and chatting with some of the other auditionees. And yes, I did see several people that I have performed with or knew, so it was nice saying hello.

I ended up singing Simple Little Things from 110 in the Shade which was ultimately a good choice. I didn't screw up the timing for once which is really funny; that's always been my weak point. Instead, I didn't quite hit the top note which wasn't too terribly high, but still. I'm kinda bummed that they only wanted 16 bars for the audition; had I been able to do 32, I could have really wowed them.

Kellie and I did an audition years ago for another show that was very dance centric and it was awful. But we smiled our biggest smiles and flashed our best jazz hands in the hope that the directors would be so distracted they wouldn't see our feet. This audition was not nearly so badm but it was close! For the dancing audition they basically had the choreographers show us a short sequence and then had all of us perform as a group, then as smaller groups. I fortunately ended up in a group of fellow weak dancers so I didn't look like a total ass. Dance auditions always kill me because I am not the most skilled dancer around. I've taken dance before, many years ago, but even then I wasn't always a quick study. My brain and my feet don't seem to move together in sychronization when things are taught on the fly!

They told us that we'd get a call on Monday night letting us know one way or another, and I am fully prepared for the "Thanks, but no thanks" call. Truthfully, I will be shocked if they call me back for further auditions or even cast me. Regardless of the outcome, my main goal was to have fun, and I did just that. I've rediscovered my love for singing and dancing and even if I don't get cast in this show, there's always others! My employer reimburses us up to $150 for anything that encourages physical fitness and wellbeing, and one of the HR reps told me that dance classes would count, so I think I may do just that. I'll kill two birds with one stone by improving my dancing, but also getting a good workout all the while having a blast.

I'll keep you all posted as to what the results are...so cross your fingers. Maybe you WILL get to see me treading the boards at Zilker this summer!

Love,
Kelly

Besides which, you see, I have (no) confidence in me

I saw this quote on my iGoogle homepage and it made me snicker:

All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
- Sean O'Casey

It's truly funny because right now I am definitely desperately unrehearsed. I made the idiot decision to audition for the Zilker Musical a few weeks ago and at the time I thought, 'Why the hell not? It'll be fun! If I make it, awesome. If I don't, no big deal.' Well, apparently it is a bigger deal than I thought.

I put off rehearsing and practicing my piece for two reasons: 1) I had no clue what I would sing and 2) I didn't think that I'd ever get a spot to audition. The producers took so long in responding that I thought they lost my email. And OF COURSE I didn't follow up, so now I am wholly and totally unprepared and kicking myself for making such a dumb move.

Really, this wouldn't be so bad if I were still singing on a regular basis, but I haven't had lessons in a couple of years and beyond what I sing to my daughter every night, I am WAAAAAY out of practice. Kellie told me I should sing "I Have Confidence" from the Sound of Music, which is in my range and a good fit. It's also wildly funny in that I am singing about having confidence and yet, I really have none. Although, Maria didn't really either when she went to be nanny for the Captain's 7 kids. So maybe it is more of a perfect fit than I thought.

Still, I'm only allowed 16 bars and there's really not enough in the song to showcase my talent, but I ain't got time to learn something new! I thumbed through my songbooks to look at stuff I've sung in the past, but the closest I could get to something else that I could manageably pass off would be "Simple Little Things" from 110 in the Shade. I really wish I hadn't watched those YouTube videos of Audra MacDonald singing both songs. That woman is freaking AH-MAZE-ING. She was what I had hoped to be someday, but then I gave that dream up.

I guess what really makes Sean O'Casey's quote hit home is that again, I am painfully reminded of the fact that I am not making myself a priority. I let certain dreams slip by (not that I'd trade my husband or my daughter for ANYTHING) and I am continually finding myself in the background and on third string. By not taking myself seriously enough, I risk making myself the William Hung of Austin. Ok, maybe not that bad, but that's what it feels like! My health is suffering and my weight is creeping up and I'm tired of wearing the same damn clothes every week and being tired! I really want to be successful and happy and I have got to get my butt in gear and do something about it or else I risk even more: seeing my daughter be just like her mom.

I'm going to go through with the audition and I'm going to pray and practice my butt off for the next 36 hours and hope that it's passable. If I don't make the cut, no big deal. And if I do...weel, I'll breath a sigh of relief and go for a walk.

Fingers crossed,
Kelly