So yesterday Cynthia and I auditioned for the production of Midsummer with Kate's theatre company.

It's been so long since I have auditioned for anything, so long since I've had to audition for anything, that I have almost forgotten how. An audition is two things, one, it's to show the people that you are auditioning for who you are, and two, to show them who you can be. The real idea is to find out what they want and be that thing to the best of your abilities.

Well, as I said, I don't audition, so I am out of practice in selling myself as what you might want, but I've gotten really good at showing people who I am, and I decided that what I really had to sell here was myself--my personality, my charisma, and my unique quality. When you have pink hair, you can't pretend that you can blend in, you have to prove that you deserve to stand out.

So, basically, I was more eccentric than I have ever been at an audition. Let me re-iterate that, I was more eccentric than anyone was at any audition! And I wasn't doing it on purpose, I just took the pins out, and only think about it afterwards did I blush at how peculiar I must have seemed.

By the way, "took the pins out" is an expression from a very camp waiter that I knew a while back, who would act very subdued around the customers, and then when his shift was over, he would mime taking pins out of his wrists and letting them go limp, so it means being fully yourself, without company manners.

I'm starting to sound as though I spat in their faces and swung from the ceiling, swilling tequila and picking my nose, but it wasn't like that, it was just me being a little silly and friendly, that's all.

As far as the audition itself, I had been told to work on Quince's prologue, which is in two halves, the duller first half and the really fun second half. I didn't know which bit, so I worked on both of them, but when I got there and saw the sides, it was only the first half! So when I went in, I said that I was disappointed not to be able to do the whole thing, and they told me to go ahead!

I think I read it well, I really love that monologue, it's so fun and funny, and I think I did it well. I read it to Kate, who was really present with me, acting with me, listening to what I said, which was very helpful.

Afterwards, they said that I did it with a real sweetness, and that Quince needs to be sweet like that. I told them that the tricky part about auditioning for a role of a person who is a bad actor, is to not give the impression that it's me who is the bad actor!

When we left, Cynthia told me about her audition, which was all things to all people. She read two scenes, sang "Hard Hearted Hannah, the Vamp From Savannah", and then danced to "These Boots Were Made For Walking". No, they asked her to, she didn't just start singing and dancing and doing scenes spontaneously, she was auditioning for a fairy rather than a mechanical, and they have a larger range of things to do.

The funny thing was that she really threw herself into everything, because no matter how stupid you look, you look much stupider doing it only halfway. When it was over, they said to her, "Thank you for being so brave." She said that she couldn't figure out if it were a good thing or a bad thing at an audition! I said that they were thanking her for giving them hilarious stories to tell all of their friends.

I really want this show, and it would be so fun if both Cynthia and I were in it, not to mention working with Kate! And working outside of Love Creek for the first time in fourteen years, practically.

Lenten entries missed:

Spinny got sick, is not worth of her kitchen, went on vacation, had a snow morning, didn't vote remembered the day that her brother was born, and saw an old friend.

Today's horoscope:
You will be called upon to deal with some moral or ethical issues with family members. Balance compassion and principles.

One year ago today:
Molly is five and and I am three and it's Molly's birthday and it's my birthday and I am skating for Santa!

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Last Updated Sun 26 May 00:54:09 2002