A (somewhat) daily rambling on the life of a polymer Clay metal clay and Fused Glass artist/teacher/author.

Very soon my blog will move to my website...as soon as it is done that is. This blog will be my Theatrical life of directing The Secret Garden

Monday, April 6, 2009

So you want to be in community theater....?














Click on images to enlarge

So, after a lot of my friends 'urged' me to get back into theater.... for therapy.... I auditioned last weekend.

Our local community group, Imagingation Theater!,had auditions for the musical Beauty and the Beast. And to get my self prepared - I hadn't tried out for a show in ??? years, I called on my dear friend and acting/vocal coach, Chrissie Addison. She had directed me in Fiddler... what, almost 30 years ago? All my recent shows with my drama mama's had been pretty much pre-cast, so this was going to be a 'new' adventure. We set up three one hour coaching sessions and she worked me gently but firmly.... " T's & D's at the end of words.... don't wrinkle your brows (when singing the higher notes)....find the purpose of each scene... why are you there?"... Oh I could go on. She gave me a gazillion discs to take home to listen to and practice to.... a lot. Well, I didn't do it a lot because of the redecorating I have been doing to my home. I am having new front and back doors installed as I write. So, I just practiced my audition song and Mrs. Pott's solo ... over and over. Over and over. And I remembered the final consonants, thank you very much.

By she way she is fabulous. I recommend her to all for general vocal and acting classes. She is doing it full time now. Also, she is one of the best directors I've had. She directed us drama mama's in "... A My Name is Always Alice".... go see that one if you get a chance. It is an incredible ensemble show about women...

So, Saturday morning I showed up at 8:45 in the morning for auditions... let me tell you it was a
cattle call. I was number 58 and I think there were over 70 people auditioning. It was freezing in the theater but I immensely enjoyed watching all the nervous Nellie's and Normans up on stage risking it all for the love of trodding the boards. There was a four year old... he was so cute I almost cried. Yours truly didn't get to sing until after 1 pm!!!! And then he didn't let me finish my song...Yikes! The director had me read the part of the Wardrobe a lot and it IS a funny role... We danced and read parts all afternoon and I didn't get home until after 4pm..... Sheesh! What a long day. I was so tired that I ate junk food and fell asleep in front of the TV... several times. I was so zonked that I was thinking about not doing this ... this silly thing called theater. Then, about 8 pm, I went online and read the call call backs... cool! My name was there. "Show up to call-backs at one pm on Sunday." I called Chrissie and we talked for a long time and she pretty much wanted me to sleep on it.

I did. Then my N.Y. friend, Debby Kirkwood wrote me the clincher.... basically she said that it shouldn't really matter what part I got. Just so I was busy during the Holidays next Winter. My dearest friend/therapist, Ellen Mechling agreed. She was more excited about the call backs than I was... Wow!

That was the clincher. I went to Call-Backs with an incredible attitude. That - what would be ... should be. And had so much fun reading the parts. The director, Peter Wolf, (no kidding!) was very inspiring and creative. Made me want to be in the show even more. So we worked our little tushes off for about three hours. Then they had us wait around to about 5pm for the cast list to be posted. Peter wanted to talk to the cast right away... so we stayed and hung out for about an hour.

You can call me Mrs. Potts! Huzzah! She has the lovely song, 'Beauty and the Beast' that is sung as the two young leads dance for the first time. Very romantic.... sigh. This was a very nice thing to take place yesterday. It was the four month anniversary of my sweet Phil's passing. I met another auditioner who lost her husband in December too.... we had some talk time. Click Here is the final cast list.

We have our read through on April 20th and rehearsals start in earnest in July. We were told that we had to be off book at the start of practice. This is going to be a new thing for me. I normally learn my lines best along with the blocking. My movement is the motivation for the lines and the lines are motivation for my movement. But, some actors do push the limit by not getting their lines down, so I can understand why he has this in the schedule.

o, with the Metal Clay World Conference coming up in July in Chicago and rehearsals right after... I am going to be pretty darn busy. Jackie Truty, the head woman, chief, top honcho, president,major inspirer-er at Art Clay World wants us to sing a duet together.... it WOULD be fun to do that at the conference. Hint - hint Jackie. She has done a ton of theater too. We'll see. Double dare you Jackie... lol!

I am going to use this blog to be a little journal of my theater journey. I will try and grab some images during rehearsal and post them. If you would like to get the updates... just sign on to receive the blogs as I write them.

Oh, don't forget to feed the fish and to tell me to 'break a leg'.


10 comments:

  1. Oh Lorrene, how exciting! It sounds like you'll be having so much fun! And pleeeeaaase, tell me that Jackie will do a duet. I'm going to write to her I think....

    Break a leg!

    Petra

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  2. Oh, Petra. Thanks... I need all the encouragement I can get. Hope to see you at the Conference in Chicago... I am going early to participate at the IPCA retreat just before the MCWC.

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  3. Way to go Lorrene - I am so happy you were chosen for the role of Mrs. Potts. The lessons paid off in spades! Of course, we already knew you have a great voice - as evidenced at GCAG's Xmas party a few years ago!

    As the saying goes, "Break a leg!"

    Pam

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  4. Oh, Pam. Thanks. That WAS a fun Christmas party. Since the show is running in December, I just might miss it again this year.
    It was terrific working with you at the gallery.

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  5. A singer too!!! What can't you do lady? I can't wait to see you in July and I am double double daring you with the duet with Jackie! Hugs to you. Oh and "break a leg"!
    Diane Parson

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  6. Diane, Yes I am looking forward to seeing you again at the MCWC. It has been two years!!!! Way too long. Thanks for the super words.
    Lorrene

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  7. I'm so glad you are doing this for yourself. And you definitely have the best song to sing! I'll try my best to come see you perform.

    And we're going to hold you and Jackie to that duet!

    Hugs,
    Pat Evans

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  8. That is really fun and wonderful news Lorrene! It is a kick. You've got a lot of personality and enthusiasm. Break a leg and I fed the fish!

    Catherine

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  9. Catherine... feeding the fish can get addictive. Plus,it is really weird, but I feel like I am overfeeding them... ha!

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  10. Well hello, dear Mrs. Potts! This is Madame Bouche aka Wardrobe, aka Sister Mary Leo, circa 1994...You played my "Mother" and now my daughter Trinity will be your "son!" I couldn't think of a better person to play Mrs. Potts than you, and I know Trinity is going to absolutely love working with you. We auditioned a week early because we were out of town during auditions...and we only just found out our parts on Tuesday. I am so excited to be in a production with you again! Peter is a wonderful director. I have so much respect for him. I look forward to seeing you Monday at the read-thru (but Trin unfortunately won't be able to make it that night).

    Love, Michelle

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