Chorus Call Chaos!

This morning I attended a chorus call - actually, I attempted to go to two. The following entry is a time line of my day and the chaos that unfolded...

Audition #1 = Chorus Call at Actor's Equity at 46th and 7th Ave
Audition #2 = Chorus Call at Nola Studios at 54th & Broadway
Mode of transport = N Train and feet

8:15am - - Left my apartment and hopped a train straight over to Actors' Equity for Audition #1. When I arrived I learned that the audition was in fact a chorus call - meaning that men and women were being seen separately (men at 10am, women starting at 2pm.)

* In order to be seen you had to acquire a chorus call audition card which would be distributed at 1:30 in the afternoon on the day of the audition. In order to get a card, you have to sign up on the Chorus Call list which is put up one week before the call and stays on the board until 5pm the day before the audition. If you put your name on the list, you then have to be present for a reading of the Chorus Call list at 1:30 pm on the day of the audition. If you hadn't signed up before the day of audition, you have the option of waiting in line to get an audition number and card.

8:40am - - I was instructed by a Equity monitor that I should leave and return at 1:30 to get a number and chorus call card, so I hopped back onto the N train uptown to Nola Studios to put myself on a list for Audition #2.

9:05am - - By the time I arrived to Audition #2, I was #100. Yikes! Come back at 2pm, I was told. (Cripes - how am I supposed to swing that?)

9:20am - - I left Nola and hopped back on the N train to my apartment & catch a couple more hours of shuteye before my auditions.

1:00pm - - I was back on an N train

1:30pm - Back at AEA for the reading of the list for Audition #1. It was 400 names deep and I wasn't even on the darn thing, so I got in line.

1:56pm - - I got my chorus call card and then bolted to get to Nola

2:01pm - - back on the N train

2:12pm - - Arrive at Nola for Audition #2. They were still running dance callbacks and running behind schedule. We were informed by the monitor that they should be finished around 2:30 and would then begin "typing people out" by head shot, 30 at a time.

The humid holding room and slightly cooler hallways were flooded with at least 100 hopeful auditioners. I waited to see what the official protocol would be, and after the first 30 people were typed out and 25 sent away for the day. Since they were only casting for certain roles, I didn't feel that my headshot would make it into the "must see" pile. At least I knew that I was guaranteed to be seen at Actor's Equity for Audition #1. If I stayed any longer, I might lose my slot, thus missing out on both auditions. I made the executive decision to leave and if I had time after Audition #1 for Audition #2, I would return.

2:52pm - - back on an N train to AEA for Audition #1.

3:09pm - - Found out that I had about another hour to wait until they reached my number, (I was #149.) They were barreling through all of the Equity members 8 bars of music at a time.

4:12pm - - FINALLY numbers 141-160 were called to line up. I had been keeping track of the numbers and had positioned myself right in front of the Equity monitor's desk to be at the ready. I lined up with the other women in number order as the monitor quickly collected each of our headshots and resumes.

4:32pm - - It's GO TIME! I waited patiently for each girl ahead of me to do their 8 bars and finally I was on deck. I entered the room confidently and sang my eight bars of "Someone to Watch Over Me."
"That was lovely, Robin" said the Casting Director.
"Thank you!"

4:38pm - - I was outta there! How had it gotten so late already? I rushed out of AEA and decided it was better to cut my losses and forgo the Audition #2 at Nola. I had already devoted enough of my day to running back and forth. At least I got one decent Audition #1 in, and sometimes that's the best that one can hope for! ...of course, I am still hoping for more!

I think that I learned a lot about myself today! For one, I learned that I am much more patient and determined than I used to be. My sticktoittiveness allowed me to get through this crazy part of my day without tearing my hair out or running screaming from a room full of 200 others auditioning for the same job. What's more - I still managed to put in at least a half a day's work so that I can pay the bills and more importantly, voice lessons!

Since I had gotten such a late start on my work day, I stayed at the office until 9pm before heading on down to the Magnet Theater for another performance of "The Made-Up Musical." We had a great show tonight! I think that today's earlier events propelled me to be a bit more bold and aggressive in tonight's show. I improvised a rap, for crying out loud! (Well, it was sort of a rap.) I felt really good out there! I think that over the last couple of weeks as I've been shifting into audition mode, it's really made me need The Made-Up Musical more now than ever. It's a great creative outlet for me because for 50 minutes, I get to do what I do best: perform!

Sometimes that's the best that one can hope for! ...of course, I am still hoping for more.