THE PAST WEEK....Tuesday night:
I had an audition for the play The Diary of Anne Frank at a youth theater (I just made the cut-off age!) not too far from my new home here in Arizona. I used the same one minute monologue that I did for my HSM audition. Everyone went into the casting room in groups of four. We each did our monologues, and then the director had us cold read a scene and then do it again but switch around parts. Everything went pretty smoothly and quickly. The director stressed to us how this story is one that's very close to him and important for him to tell, so he wants it to be as real and honest as possible.
I loved the feeling of being back at a theater, although it was definitely different feeling like the new girl, the stranger, for once.
Wednesday morning:
I found out that I had a callback, although I didn't know for which part.
Thursday night:
Callbacks. There were a lot of people there, and we were there for quite a long time--three hours, at least. We cold read a bunch of scenes. I read for Anne almost the whole time, and once for Margot. Callbacks went really well, and by the end of the night the director was only having me and a couple of other girls read for Anne. I loved being back up onstage (it's been way too long!), so I had a great time. Oh, and everyone seemed to think I was 13, and no one believed me right away when I said, no, actually, I'm 19. Hah.
Friday morning:
I received an email with the cast list, and found out that I was cast as......Anne Frank. Oh my word. With the hope of not sounding trite here, I am truly thrilled and honored to be entrusted with portraying this incredible character and helping to tell her story. This is my biggest role to date (so. many. lines.) and I'm very excited and overwhelmed (in a good way) by it. I am so happy to be stepping into these shoes.
Saturday morning:
We had a cast meeting/script read-through. I was able to meet my castmates and it was good to read the script and get a feeling for what the play will be like. I have to say, while I've come across loads of lovely people in my time doing theater, the people at this theater are some of the very friendliest I've ever met. I've never felt so welcomed, even by some of the kids who didn't get in this show (they came to the theater near the end of our read-through to get ready for a matinee of Aladdin Jr., which a lot of them are currently in). I'm so happy to be meeting such cool, nice people.
Afterward, before I left, I was measured by our costumer for the show.
Monday night:
We start blocking tonight! In fact, I've got to go and get ready right now....
I've started memorizing my lines....a few of the longer monologues are voice overs, which will be prerecorded. But there are plenty more monologues and lines I must learn. There's not a single page where I don't have any dialogue. I don't have a lot of time to get everything down, either--we open in less than a month! February 19th, to be precise. We'll have three weekends--twelve performances--in all, plus a couple of school performances, I believe.
I read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank when I was 13 or so. I'm reading it again now--only I made sure to get the definitive edition, this time. I feel so blessed for the opportunity to play this role.


