Thursday, February 14, 2013

Post Game

I am returned to the land of snow.

It was a very interesting week, which as you well know culminated on a Monday with a ninety second audition in Memphis, TN.

Of course, nobody but the people who are looking for actors see your audition; so you don't usually get any outside critique of your brief performance.  Your own opinion is usually the only thing by which you may go.

I thought it went pretty well; the responses in the right place....the highs and the lows feeling really good in the body....that sort of thing.

As you probably know if you read along, my plan was always to get up and do it.  To see if I could still do it.  I was not picky as to how or when I got up.

So, success in that regard.

The problem, of course, is that they've changed things around a bit....all the non-singers are placed at the end of the day...which means that anybody who is casting a musical will leave the room before you get on the stage.

So.  Not a whole lot of people in the room for me.

But the backstage was fun; lots of energy bouncing off of the walls.  The warm up room was just as I remember:  a bunch of young people mumbling to themselves, or striking a note on the piano and wailing as loudly as they can, or sitting in little cliques and having the same conversations that every single clique of actors have had in every single warm up room at every single cattle call since I was walking about, and probably even before that.

I warmed up my voice, shook the nerves out of my muscles and read my book, smiling like some demented troll.

I did not receive a whole lot of call backs; far less than ever before at this particular venue.  But my tastes have changed in the ten years I've been away.  I no longer NEED to do stuff; so I'm through with children's theatre, and touring, and cruise ships and the like.

And I didn't sing.  So naturally, people don't look at the resume to see if I ever HAVE.

I did have a couple of fun callbacks, though.  So, there may be some action coming down the pike.

There were visits to the places I've worked in the past; smiles and hugs and reminiscences and trading of paperwork.  I enjoyed that.

But four moments of fun......

Seeing Michael Detroit again after ten years.  A grip and a grin and a hug and a quick talk because he was quite busy running the show.  It was nice to see him.  Michael told me that a common friend from our Yooper days was in the theatre.

And the second moment of fun was then.....I walked the stage, checked the acoustics, and looked into the house and saw the woman, who's name is Valerie.  She was deep in thought, and paying no attention.

I stepped down, walked over to be in front of her, and simply stated, "Excuse me....did we date?"

It took her exactly a millisecond to give me a glorious hug.

We had a good talk, sitting there in the theatre, catching up briefly and talking about the strangeness that was our relationship all those years ago.  It was a series of near-misses, and she explained why.  Which was nice.  We talked about many things, and was glad for it.

And by the way.....Marty, if you're reading this.....the mystery of the appearance of the bra at an inappropriate time at that apartment on Fitch Street has been solved.  I hope you remember the story.  I told it to her, and she laughed.  And well she should; it was a truly funny story.

Third fun moment....came around the corner and a woman yelled, "John!"  Looked into the eyes of a lovely woman named Francene, who was in fact another Ghost of Girlfriends Past.....or, more to the point, a Ghost of Almost Girlfriends Past.

The last time I saw her was in Boca Raton in 198cough.  We spent a few minutes catching up.

You may not realize, but under the right circumstances, time travel is completely possible.

There was one other magic moment, but I'm going to save that one for another time.

So, we can call this a success.  I came, I saw.....I ate ribs at BB Kings on Beale Street, and listened to the blues; I took a tour of Sun Studios and stood in front of a microphone that Elvis used.  I bought souvenirs and looked out over the Mississippi River....and I found, after much searching, the stone that commemorates the loss of the Steamboat Sultana.

Had a great time.

And now, we'll see what the fruits will come of the labor.

But in the long run, as I've said before.....Enjoy the Game.

2 comments:

Kizz said...

Sounds glorious!

Misti Ridiculous said...

I felt like I was right there with you! YAY you for getting up and doing it again. I'm so proud of you! Do you love...when we open ourselves up to possibility...the magic that appears?

I love it.

I love you. You are awesome.