Well this past weekend, my love for performance came OUT of the closet when I auditioned for the new Broadway musical, 13.
I found out about the audition through Red Mountain Theatre Company, here in Birmingham. It was an open casting call in search of talented triple threats (singer/dancer/actor.) The musical is about troubled middle schoolers looking for 'cool' but kind of figuring out that 'cool' is what you make of it. Anywho, the characters are between the ages of 13 and 17; however, the real Broadway cast had actors in their early twenties.
Now you understand why I went out for the audition... but now I'll tell you what I learned in the audition:
Clearly, this audition was not intended for people my age. I found myself amongst a crowd of true middle and early high schoolers. Maybe they just look young I thought. But the second I heard metal mouths say, "Wanna sleepover after this?" and "My mom won't let me on Facebook until I'm 14" and "Dad, can you pick me up?" I started to realize what I had gotten myself into.
Needless to say, my nerves for singing and dancing in front of children left me. I felt silly auditioning, but I had strapped on my converses and bought sheet music, so I figured I could at least practice for musicals I could pick on my own size.
So I danced, got whacked in the eye by some over-zealous red head, waited in line... constantly asking myself, should I leave now? this is dumb. Constantly thinking, ok well maybe there are some people my age, I just haven't figured out who... 'crack!' goes some guys voice. nevermind. I was certain he had to be at least a college freshman! (at least puberty allowed him to grow physically.) At this point I found myself on stage where the director asked me, "Carly Jayne... where are you from?" "Virginia," I said. "How'd you get down here?" "Well, I went to school down here." "How old are you???" he asked. Somewhat embarrassed in front on my new 14-year-old BFFs I whispered, "I'm 22."
And in his director like ways he shooed me on to sing my musical piece. I sang Part of Your World from the Little Mermaid which I now laugh at because, under the sea, I think my 22-year-old self was wishing my chest was even flatter than it already is, praying that my hips weren't yet developed, wanting to have braces, and that I was going home that night to get on my Clueless phone and call my 6th grade crush Daniel Powers who I was sure was impressed by my new water bra. I was almost wishing I was part of their complicated middle school world trying to be cool and make it to the popular table at lunch. Instead, I had to wonder if the director thought I was some sort of pedophile wanting to creepily ask, 'want some caaaandy, little boy?!'
Needless to say, that audition was just not intended for people above the age of 16, at least not the one at Red Mountain Theatre Company. At the very least, I had a great time re-visiting my adolescence, got a kick-ass dance workout, and got my performance fix for the year. Plus, I realized half-way through this experience, Carly! Do you really want to hang out with a bunch of kiddos at rehearsal every night? And while I may, and should not, get a role, I got a glimpse into what it is like to be 13, all over again. If I am remembering my 13-year-old self correctly, these auditions were a HUGE deal and if some early twenty-something came in and took my part, I'd be really, really upset.
So, enjoy the show and all that comes with it, little middle school friends. And enjoy being thirteen. LYLAS! TTYL!
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