Today I went on another audition that really angered me. I'll have to explain a little backstory for you to understand, so bear with me. I have been trying to hold up a standard with myself to only do full-contract union plays from now on. It is a standard that I know is mildly prejudice, because there are many, many high quality waiver and non-union productions out there. I keep that standard, knowing in the back of my mind, that if a great show comes along and it happens to be waiver or n/u, that I would consider it. Today my standard was re-enforced. I went to an audition at The Complex for a play that I like. However, one thing you should know is that I have come to hate The Complex. The Complex is a collection of tiny waiver theatres on Santa Monica Blvd. They contract out plays (at cheap rates), so often times the shows that run there are strange and lacking a certain amount of clout. Now, granted, there is an occasional diamond-in-the-rough (I've known a couple). But, I digress. I still hate auditioning there. The audition I went to today was an open call. I go to a lot of open calls, mostly union ones. The union ones I go to are called EPA's. They are run very efficiently. Equity has a system that works very well for all involved, even the audition-crasher such as myself. (after all they've been doing it for 90 years) I love their system & therefore love going to EPA's. It flabbergasts me that more people, when holding open calls, do not run their auditions like an EPA. And don't say "how could they know?" This is the business. Ignorance is no excuse. So anyway, I walk up the stairs and the first thing that strikes me is the distinctive smell of sweat mingled with cigarette smoke. Tasty. Upon my ascent I realize the source of the aroma-- there are probably about 50 actors waiting in that tiny hallway. With about 5 chairs to go around, mind you. Most of them are sitting on the ground. The lovely smell is probably accentuated by the heat of this un-air conditioned room in June. Is the monitor sitting at a table in a conspicuous position? Of course not! He is standing next to the door, holding all his paperwork in his arms. Part of what makes an EPA so efficient is that they schedule actors in time-slots, 20 minutes apart. There are usually about 6 actors per slot, you arrive 10 min before your time, he/she lines you up, takes all 6 pictures in there at once, and then the actors all go in one at a time until they're done. The monitor does not need to baby-sit the door. Not so here. I signed up as a vague "#55" and when I asked how long was the wait, it was clear this guy didn't know how these things went. I guessed at about an hour (which is actually not too long of a wait). So I ran an errand and returned. Actually all this was only a minor irritation, a trouble I would be willing to endure for the right director/show/cast. Read on, if I haven't lost you yet. I used a monologue I love. It starts out real bratty and youthfully sarcastic and then near the end the character has an epiphany and all of a sudden starts meaning the things she's saying. It gets very sincere and heartfelt. (By the way, from the notes that the actors sitting on the floor had out, it looked like I was one of the few who didn't prepare a piece just hours before this audition) Anyway, I start my monologue and it's going pretty well. I didn't actually get too far into it and THE GUY FRICKIN' STOPS ME!!!!! Sorry to yell. You do not stop a monologue in the middle of it! The whole thing is only 90 seconds long! Let me finish! So anyway, he stops me and proceeds to give me direction! I was shocked. I've never have someone stop me and do that before. Usually monologue auditions are in and out, but occasionally one does see a director who wants to work with the piece. Fine. I don't mind that. I can take direction-- in fact, I take direction very well. But you do not stop the actor in the middle of a prepared piece and give direction on MY CHOICES!! What is ironic is that the direction he gave was exactly where my piece ends up at the end. So if he had just been patient, he would have seen what he wanted to see anyway. Well, you might say, maybe he just wanted to see if I could take direction. True. But he couldn't wait 90 seconds to let me finish? As a respect for the actor? As a mere courtesy for the human being who just waited an hour to come in an do this minute-and-a-half long speech? Andy said people like that totally need to be called out. But who am I? Do I have the fire in me to say all this when he stops me? Of course not. I am an actor, a mere mortal. If I would have, then I would not have gotten the opportunity to prove myself as someone who can submit and take direction well, EVEN WHEN HIGHLY INSULTED!! ...and very angry. If you have read this far, I thank you. It is probably very boring and must seem very trite. But I needed to get that off my chest. I swear, someday I'm going to write a book...
I started a new job working for Andy's "other" boss-- the movie locations company. I'll basically be taking pictures of buildings and putting them on the internet. Kinda fun, and I get to work at home, which is awesome! I also get to use photoshop, which is fun. I'm excited and it should be pretty flexible as well.
I decided not to take the summer school job I was considering. I just don't think I can handle my own class of middle-schoolers for five whole weeks. No amount of money is worth that kind of misery. So now I need to find a summer job. In the summers I usually balance subbing summer school and doing background work. But this summer doing background might be difficult now that I'm in the union. Not as much b.g. work available for union members. Besides, I hate doing background. I want something flexible and part-time, but that doesn't pay peanuts. I'd love to work just in the mornings, so I could still go to auditions in the afternoon, or run errands for my sis' wedding. I'd love to work in the arts, especially arts education, but I don't want to drive all over southern California. I know I'm picky, but after working in a job you don't like for 5 years, you're not really at that point where you'll "take anything." If I find a job I really like, I could even make it permanent.
Any ideas?
