Auditions: High School Musical

A local university is putting on High School Musical this summer. Usually they only open auditions to students or professional performers, but since this is High School Musical . . . they let high school students audition for roles, too. Auditions were last Saturday. My appointment time was 10:10 AM. (Perfect, so I could go straight to dance class afterward.)

For auditions, you were required to bring a headshot, resume, monologue, and 32 bars of music to sing. I used a monologue from the film A Cinderella Story. I liked it because it was contemporary (like HSM) and sort of emotional and intense and fun. I was really able to use some of what I'd been working on with Hallie and Glenn, and I felt super-comfortable and happy with it. The song choice was a bit trickier, because I'm used to being able to sing an entire one, and finding a mere 32 measures was difficult. I ended up using part of "The Wizard and I," mostly because it's comfortable for my voice and can show off my range a little.

The auditions were held in the university's theater. The audience was empty except for one person, just the director. She took my resume, headshot and form and glanced over it. She asked if I'd seen the movie, I said yes. She asked about the dance choreography at the end for "We're All in This Together," and if I thought I could do that. (Yes.) She saw my piano experience and asked if I thought I could play the songs the character Kelsi plays. (Yes.)

Then I went onstage and gave my sheet music to the pianist. The stage has a rounded front, rather than a normal rectangular edge, and somehow that made it seem much more vast. A single spotlight shone down on me. I picked a blank spot in the audience and started to sing. It went fine, my voice wasn't as wavery as sometimes (nerves weren't too bad) and I didn't mess up. (I'd been worried because I'm not used to singing the song with piano accompaniment, I usually use iPod and karaoke.) The director told me she felt like I had a really big voice that I'm possibly not aware of, and she wanted me to try singing part of it again and try to make it sort of deeper/richer/bigger. I did, and she stopped me after a couple of lines and said "Good, that's what I wanted to hear."

Next I had to switch modes to do my monologue. I took a moment to gather my concentration and get into the moment. I had a really good time performing it, and I could tell while I was doing it that the director was absorbed in and connected with what I was saying, which is the best thing. You know how sometimes when you're watching/reading/listening to something, and when something makes you think, you make a kind of thoughtful "mm" sound, as if inwardly nodding? Well, she did that a few times during my monologue, which was happymaking. The first thing she said when I'd finished was, "Where have you been, girl!?" I smiled and laughed gratefully. She asked what I'm doing after I graduate, and I said I'm taking a gap year to figure things out but ultimately I want to act, and she said "I'd love for you to come be my student." (She's a theater professor at the university.) I said thanks and I would definitely consider it.

One thing that stuck with me was when she told me "you have great emotional honesty;" referring to my monologue. I think this is perhaps the best comment someone can give me in regards to acting. It's something - the only thing, the most important thing - actors strive for. Honesty. To be truthful and believable in that moment. As E.M. Forster said, "Only connect..." It's also the most difficult thing, and something I've worked so much on, both in the work (shows and film) I have done and in the workshops I've taken.

She said she'd let me know results "within the next two weeks." It's been one week...so I should find out anytime now. The main thing is, I'm very happy with how it went, which is really all one can ask for where auditions are concerned.