Outdoor Theatre Likes Me

This week was the week of impromptu auditions. Bambi is still rolling but I was thinking ahead to the summer. So Monday...
While the cast of Bambi was rehearsing downstairs, the musical Heidi was having callbacks. I thought, what the hell, let's audition for something just to practice auditioning. I popped in and read a small scene for the character of Eric. We read the same scene 3 or 4 times so the director could see different actors for the leads. As I was about to leave, the director (who could be described as kooky) asked me to read with one of the potential Heidis. I said....sure, why not. The end of the scene called for a solo song by Eric. I thought, we don't have a piano, I don't know the song, we'll stop the scene right before the song. But she said, try the song, speak sing, see what I can do with it. I said....sure, why not. I played with it, through some notes into the words. I have no idea what the song should sound like. Then I was about to leave but she asked if I would stay in the room while the little girl had her vocal audition. I said no problem. By the way, the little girl (who was about 9) was awesome, ridiculous pipes. Then the director said, Nate, do you have a song to sing? I said....uh....sure, why not. I sang a couple lines of a ballad I used in the past. She asked me for something up-tempo. I said....uh....um....sure, why not. My mind raced in unpreparedness for something up-tempo, without bad language (because of the nine year old in the room), and that I could remember. And my mind was a blank. The director asked what I'd been in and we picked a couple numbers from Charlie Brown. I haven't sang those songs in a couple years. Yeah, two more songs, only a couple lines. Not a big deal. I thought I was done but the director told me to go outside and learn the dance audition. I said....sure, why not. So after 2 hours of what was supposed to be a Bambi rehearsal, I was done auditioning for Heidi.
I was cast as Eric.
2 songs, fun character, 12 shows. She described me as "most fun".
So Tuesday...
While the cast of Bambi was rehearsing downstairs, Moby Dick: Rehearsed was having callbacks upstairs. This time I thought, lets get in this show. So I popped upstairs and asked if I could read for the director. He said word. Actually he just said, ok. I read for three characters: Ishmael, Stubb, and Elijah. I had fun. Played with accents, joked around with the other actors. I did two scenes and one monologue. Much less demanding than the previous night. I walked away feeling great about it and I made it to rehearsal on time.
I was cast as The Cynical Actor/Flask/Daggoo/Sailor.
Accents, swash-buckling, 10 shows. No notes about my audition but my roles were called an "assignment".
Theatre-Hikes is lovin' Nate this summer. Unfortunately, I can't do both shows. I've gotta make the call, deal-or-.... actually more like Switzerland or a big ass whale.

More to come mah babies...

nate