"I want to get to know and to get you knowing me"

I have been having such a good weekend.

Let's see, it started out with, on Friday, going to see a dance showcase a bunch of my friends are in. It was a good show, but the afterparty was better.

Then, enter Saturday: started out kind of shitty, but then I went to go to Don and Bob's party. And, uh, got lost. For three hours. But I finally got there! It was mostly a ton of people I had never met before.
One of these people is a big player in Shakespearean theater (and probably theater in general) down in Washington D.C. When he found out I had been given a monologue from Master Harold and the Boys for my acting class, and more that I actually had the monologue sitting out in my car, he insisted that I perform it.
So I did.
And he told me he was impressed, that I was really, really good.

So, anyways, I went and stopped by Shimmer to see Josh before I went to work. Hung out there for a bit, asked him out for a typical dinner-and-a-movie thing (but I'm figuring, not in that order, so it gives us something to talk about at dinner if the conversation dies?), he said to call him tomorrow, and then I headed off to XS.

At the end of the night, I was talking to this one girl and my acting came up. And as it turns out she has all of these connections in the movie industry. Y'know, little people like M. Night Shyamalan. But, oh no, it gets better.

Todd, who started dancing this past Saturday and I, were both among the several people who went to a nearby diner (which was SUCH a nice diner). So he and I are talking and he mentions he's doing this touring show at a theater in Lancaster. We get to talking about theater and then he reveals that he's planning on switching over to film in the forseeable future.

(As usual, Matthias was there and there were lots of pictures taken of us.)

Uhhhh....so that's three industry contacts made in under five hours.

I told my acting professor and her jaw dropped and she got all full of praise. Which is funny because the first time I read any of that monologue out loud she basically said (not in so many words) "That was the worst acting I've ever seen you do."
Guess I improved. :-P

The one disappointing thing was that Josh got called in to work, so no date tonight. BUT he did apologize, and text me a little bit while he was at work. Hopefully we'll get to hang out at some point this week.

"We are dreamers. We are daring."

Okay! Let's talk about this audition thing!
My ride bailed on me. I was pissed. I haven't been that pissed in a long time. Fortunately, Ryan and Jake -- two of the amazing straight guys who live on my floor who I would be perfectly content marrying -- came to my rescue and gave me a ride there so I just managed to get there for 4:30, which is when I had been told (when I called the day before) that the audition was. It turns out I was there an hour and a half early -- but that worked to my advantage.

(That's my headshot, right there. My brother, who aims to be a photographer, took it. My brother is an amazing photographer, but more of scenes and scenery than of people. Not that this is a bad headshot at all, but he's capable of National Geographic level photography, and I'm not exaggerating.)

One of the women who worked there, a black woman who had a look that was vaguely reminscent of Oprah, came into the room and showed me how to do the runway walk I was going to be asked to do. I did it nearly flawlessly. I even walked in a straight line.
I picked out a script, a 30-second bit of commercial (it was an anti-drug commercial) and I memorized it. Line memorization has always been one of my strong suits, but it's really not difficult to memorize a 30-second bit. It's like four lines.
I spent much of the time talking to the woman's daughter, who is amazing, and her own daughter who is just a little baby but SO cute and who just found rhythm, she can't stop dancing. It's adorable.
I also talked to some of the people who were coming in when it got closer to time. Two girls that were sitting by me, and their parents (it was an all-age open call!) and this guy sitting next to me.
A guy was going around making sure he introduced himself to every auditioneer. His name was Jeff, and while I initially didn't know what he was doing there, it became clear very quickly.

They had brought in three professionals to watch our auditions, to take notes on us, and to ultimately make the decisions for who got the prize: to be invited to convention of talent and talent agencies taking place in Atlanta, GA this may. Jeff Rose, Vince Paul, Horace Bass (I can't find any links for Horace, but he models basically all of the socks you find in Target). When I say professional, I mean...these are people who are where I want to be. They make plenty of money in the business, most people have seen them in at least a commercial, but they're not in the tabloids every day. Maybe a little more fame than they have would be nice.

So, after all the younger kids went, I got in the front of the line for the 18-and-up auditioners. They started my runway music, I got up on the stage and I did everything right, except that I veered to left!! So, though I was mentally beating on myself for that one, I introduced myself in a loud clear voice and went on to say my bit. I didn't forget any lines, although I had the paper folded and in my pocket just in case. I said it clearly, I put in all the poses, emphasis, head movements, and facial expressions I had planned out. And then I sat down.
"That was great, it seemed so natural!" the girl behind me whispered. That was a great compliment, because I was feeling pretty stiff.

The best part was at the end. Always one to network, I went to tell the three professionals how nice it was to meet them. Vince and Jeff were still at their table. "It was great to meet you!" I said to both of them, and then I was accosted with complements -- not something I was expecting from such professionals.
"Are you with the Harman Agency?" Jeff asked me.
"No," I replied, a little shocked, "Uhm, not yet. I mean, maybe soon." Me with the speaking-English-good skillz. Woot.

Then I went back on the runway and talked to Horace a bit. Well, let me rephrase that. I tried to talk to Horace, but it was difficult to get a word in. "You were excellent! Very good!" He kept going. That was a little stunning. "I was very impressed!"
"Oh, thank you so much. It was nice meeting you!"
"You too. Don't quit!"
"Oh, I can't. It's in me. I tried to quit once, it doesn't work."
He laughed. A lot. And then we said good-bye.

And then I didn't get a call. They didn't pick me, but that's alright. Ultimately, that saves me money. The experience was great -- the best audition I have ever done, I swear -- and more to the point I networked. I went up there, played ball with the pros, and I escaped not only unscathed but with an even more inflated ego. How's that for coming out way on top?
Now they know who I am, and if I have anything to say about it (especially when Iget my car back), they won't be forgetting any time soon. There are so many opportunities before me right now....and I'm throwing open all the doors and windows and letting them all go!

Which is funny, cause that's what my horoscope on Yahoo says is going to happen, and it says that though not everything will work out, I have nothing to worry about.
I hate it when horoscopes are so eerily accurate, freaks me out. :-P

Okay, so Wicked late...

I had to throw that pun in there.

I'm finally going to share with you my amazing experience from last Saturday. There is back story to explain first...

I have more than seen Wicked. I was backstage, I was on the stage, I was in the costumes. I was all but in the show. Needless to say, I'm slightly in love with the show now. Moreso, since I was in love with it before that.
You see, my Crohn's disease, for all how much of a pain in the ass it can be, is loaded with perks. And I am never one to keep the door shut when opportunity is knocking...so when I was told I could have a wish granted by A Wish Come True Inc. of Rhode Island, I leapt at the chance and the end of July 2005 and the beginning of August 2005 saw my family in New York City, staying in the fanciest hotel, loaded with cash, and with a backstage tour of Wicked. (And Rent, but that is neither here nor there at the moment...)

Now, it just so happens that Wicked has come to Providence, RI, the hometown of Eugene Lee, the award-winning set designer for the show. In fact, he still lives there. It also so happens that my family is well connected in the theater industry (dear Lord, we are lucky devils sometimes :-P).
So we got tickets. Amazing tickets.
Now, knowing that the set is usually cut back and things often just aren't as good in the touring shows as the Broadway show, we were all a little prepared for it to be not as good as the Broadway show. We weren't going to be disappointed, because we had lower expectations for this performance.
It did not meet our expectations.
It wildly exceeded them. The show was the best touring production I have ever seen. The set was nearly exactly the same as the Broadway set (which makes sense, because you know Eugene Lee came to see it and you know he'd throw a diva-fit if his set was wrong :-P), and everything else....it was spectacular. Everything about this touring production was Broadway level.
If you have the chance to see this production while it is in Providence (which means you already bought the tickets :-P) you MUST SEE IT.