I'm going to combine two auditions into one since I started this blog today and not yesterday.
1. Carnival Cruise Lines 10/4/11 (or the audition I bombed)
Now for most of you that know me, you know how much I hate pop songs. Well in case you didn't know I HATE singing pop songs. My pop repertoire sucks to begin with, and I can't riff to save my life but I have been recently trying to fix those issues.
Anyway, a good friend of mine and audition buddy Marianne Haggar text me the night before this audition asking if I was available to lunch with her the next day. I said yes and then she asked if I was going to attend the call. I said maybe if I could get some sheet music to print, which I couldn't.
So the next morning Marianne texts me at 9:45am asking if I was coming. I didn't hear my phone and subsequently didn't wake up till 11:45(hey I work till 2am so my sleep schedule sucks). They were moving slowly at the audition so I decided that since I was getting ready to go to lunch and meet Marianne downtown I might as well make myself audition.
Well I did.
It was a train wreck of a piece and the auditor was over the day. Apparently, they stopped calling people back after like 40, which is why I usually get to auditions early, more of a chance for them to like me. The only pop song I had to sing was Michelle Branch's 'Everywhere' remember that gem of a pop princess? I mean I sounded fine(well sort of) but the auditor was more interested in his granola than my cute polka dot dress and broadway-belt-trying-to-sound-pop-and-pretending-I-can-riff-voice.
2. Jean Ann Ryan Productions 10/5/11 (or having high hopes and falling flat)
The call read: Prepare 2 contrasting pieces. One Classical, one Musical Theatre Andrew Lloyd Weber Preferred. I was praising the Lord for a cruise line that didn't want pop. YAY! My natural element!
I had had a voice lesson on Monday with the talented Christopher Stephens and he helped me pound out Prima Donna from 'The Phantom of the Opera' as my classical, with not one but two high D's! Yay! I was classically golden!
The singers call was at 12:30p.m., boo. I never know what time to leave and sign up to ensure an early spot. So I woke up at 8 and was out the door by about 10. I got to the call and was number 72, not too bad considering I didn't sign up when the unofficial list was up early in the morning.
I rented a room at Ripley-Grier warmed up and made sure I had the pretty, rich sound I wanted and went to grab some lunch.
I arrived back at Ripley at 12:15 to change and get ready and the first group was called early. So on and so forth until my group came up. I got in line and when they were ready they marched us into the room, all 20 of us... YUCK!
If there's anything more unbearable than singing a pop song, is an audition in front of everyone else... whatever. I went to a conservatory, it's just like singing in class right?
So I get up there to do my 16 bars of 'Prima Donna' hand the pianist my music and he then groans about how small the score of my music is, and asks if I have something else... I mean seriously? It's the Phantom of the Opera and the chords are right there... I think you can manage.... so once he accepted the fact that I didn't have another piece he said "Fine, I'll guess I'll try" and I smiled a great "Thanks!" and waltz over to the X.
Well I sang out my guts, I mean that song is fun anyway and very operatic and High so it's my best friend. (The pianist played it perfectly, btw).
What followed was a "Thank you, Jillian" and that's it. Well I held my own and said "Thank you" and waltz over to the piano collected my music and turned toward the door. Everyone against the wall was gaping and shaking their heads and mouthing good job, because honestly who goes in and sings 2 high D's at a Musical Theatre audition, it's not a common thing. Then I walked out of the room and 3 people told me I sounded awesome. And I trotted back to the room.
Such is the life of never knowing the reason for not getting a callback. I mean honestly it was probably because I wasn't the same size of whoever was in the part before, but it still drives me crazy.
Ever Hopeful,
Jillian
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