I Auditioned for Theatre in the Park Today

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Theatre in the Park (TITP) is located in Johnson County Kansas. in Shawnee.  It's a big, outdoor grass amphitheatre where you either sit on a blanket or bring your own lawn chair.  The seating capacity is 4500, so there is huge crowd potential.  Each year they do 4-5 huge Broadway-style musicals over the summer. The casts are made up of local area volunteers. The casting calls are "open." Any one can audition.

So last year, I did.

Now, I boxed myself into a corner.  I couldn't come to the call-back and there was really no part for me in any of the shows. I just wanted to share the experience of auditioning with the boys.  Eric, Jaron and Christian auditioned as well last year.  But Christian and Jaron were in the same boat as I.  We were all doing Godspell and had an important rehearsal the day of call-backs, so that effectively eliminated us.  Eric was called back, but he opted to take summer classes at Longview.

Although I had been on the casting-side multiple times, I had not auditioned for something since 1987.  Needless to say, I bombed.  I didn't prepare well.  I picked the wrong song ("Out There" from Hunchback.)  And I basically blew it (even if there was no part for me-I still sucked.)

It was fun, however; the waiting, the warming up in the hall, the butterflies, the nervousness, the sitting in the chair waiting to go in.  It gave me some good empathy experience for the next time I have to be in that casting chair.

I must say, the worst was the Dance-Call.

"Comical" would be an accurate term for me doing a dance-call.  Even when I was doing shows (28 years ago) and I was 80 lbs lighter I would never be mistaken for a"dancer."  Amy was a dancer. I could do "choreography."

I knew I was going to look ridiculous, so I just embraced it.  I did my routine with Christian, and I was watching him to see what to do next.

I had no intention to Audition again, then I saw the list of TITP shows for 2012.

There are really only two shows where I could reasonably have a part; Les Miz and Sweeney Todd.  Both shows have three characteristics necessary for me to "qualify"

1. They need big, loud, obnoxious vocalists who sound quasi-classical.  And no one sounds more obnoxiously loud than I do.
2. They need old-dudes who can be fat. Check, and Check.
3. No dancing.

This year TITP is doing Sweeney Todd. There is a reasonable chance that I could be in the chorus of that show.  Sweeney has a very important ensemble that propels the story throughout the show (If you've only seen the movie, you've missed out on a key aspect of the storytelling.)

I'm not saying I'm getting in. I'm just saying that the Sweeney ensemble would be a good fit.  There are complicated, high harmonies that fit what I do.  Plus, they could dress me in a dirty london-esque costume, smudge my face with soot and wha-la! I come out on stage with a scowl on my face (my favorite acting technique) and belt out, "Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!"

So this year I actually prepared.  I picked two songs and worked on them for a number of weeks.

The first was a portion of Valjean's Soliloquy from Les Miz.  I picked out a portion that had some contrast (Yet why did I allow that man...etc) that went into some range and intensity (take an eye for an eye. turn your heart into stone.) and that went to a good high note for me, in this case, a "Bb" (this is all I have lived for, this is all I have known.)

The second was Too Many Mornings from Sondheim's Follies. It is generally a better song.  There is build, imagery, a more beautiful melody-line, and most people are not familiar with it.  I wanted to show that I could sing Sondheim (the writer of Sweeney.) But it only goes to an "F" and is a bit "sleepy."  So I went against Eric's advice, and I sang the Les Miz number.

I have been working out.  I have cut my soda in-take by 80%.  I have been drinking tea and actually practicing.  I  felt prepared.

At the auditions today there was not really a wait.  I went into the room and sang the song.  I could tell the directors liked the big notes.  Some times when you are listening to multiple auditions, you can get into a lull. So when something different happens, it snaps you back to the room.  There were a lot of kids and high schoolers when I was there, and only one other old dude.  So when I came in with the fog-horn, I think they were a bit taken aback (hopefully in a good way.)  Several people from the lobby came up to me afterwards and complimented me (yes, I was that loud.)  I felt like I had done what I came there to do.

The dance call, however, was a different story.

Of course, Nick Monaldo (an excellent CYT dancer who I have known since Bye Bye Birdy Middle School camp in 2008) was in my dance group.  I can't describe to you the depths of awfulness of that event (I don't dare cheapen the term by calling what I did, "dance."  I did get the grapevine to the left one time.  I really wish Nick would have videoed it and posted it on Facebook, I believe it was that funny.



chris

Theatre in the Park
Sweeney Todd (musical)
Jason's Deli