Starting at the Beginning

Having the desire to be in a theatrical production is one thing.  Having the skills is something entirely different.  I have the desire, but what about the skills?  I mean, I have not been in a production since, gulp, junior high school.  With no formal acting or voice lessons under my belt, what I am thinking?

Well, the way I see it, you never know if you can or can't do something until you try, right?  So, I am embarking on this little acting adventure one step at a time.  My goal is just to do the best that I can to prepare for an audition, but how do I prepare?

First, I did some research and found out the name of our local community theatre.  It just so happens that the theatre is holding general auditions for the 2012-2013 season this summer.  I contacted the theatre and secured an audition slot.

Second, I do not know the first thing about the audition process, so I made sure to study the audition guidelines.

It read:


•  All actors should prepare one comic monologue. Actors over the age of 17 that wish to be considered for a musical should prepare one song (16 bars) with/without sheet music. An accompanist and a CD player is provided for all auditions.  Actors are given 3 minutes total to perform both the monologue and song; actors are stopped after 3 minutes.

•  All actors must provide two sets of headshot and resume.

All that I could think was, "Wow! Where in the world should I start in my preparations?" I do not even know where to find a comic monologue. I have not sang formally in years. Headshots? A resume (yikes)!

So, I started at the beginning.  I googled "comic monologues" and I found a roller coaster monologue that made me laugh out loud.  I can really relate to the character in the monologue because I HATE roller coasters, and well, who hasn't experienced or witnessed an awkward breakup at least once in their life?

I have been practicing the monologue for several weeks now and I almost have it where I want it.  It is challenging because I really want to make the audience believe that I am on a roller coaster.  I have to bump up and down when I am talking, scream on the "hills" and "turns" and try not to laugh.  I mean really, what kind of a girl would laugh in the middle of breaking up with their boyfriend on a roller coaster?  How insensitive!

Preparing the monologue has been really fun and challenging, but it has not been the biggest challenge.

I will tell you more tomorrow...

Hugs,

Melissa