You're no exception to the rule...

 

Six months goes by fast. My best friend Thurston came to the city, stayed for 6 months and left again. We had so much fun. Whenever we’re together it’s like no time has passed since we did our first summer stock show together.  He’s a little older now. I don’t age. But we’re both a little wiser...

Thurston‘s been almost consistently employed, mostly on cruise ships for the last decade or so. Cruise ship work is legitimate work. It doesn’t compare to the several Broadway shows and national and international tours he has under his belt. However the Broadway work was years ago. Like most honest and humble performers Thurston questions his abilities and his role in Theatre today. He came back to New York City to try to revive his “almost dead career”, and prove to the nay-sayers (and that includes himself) that he does have what it takes.

From the first time Thurston told me he was coming I was happy and worried. Happy of course because I’d be reunited with my bestie for an extended period of time. The worry came from the possibility that he would shape the next portion of his life from a mere six month audition stint. And let’s be honest, without an agent, without connections, without knowing what auditions are going to be happening in the city, six months is not enough time to rebuild a career.

Me being me I told him so.

I fully supported Thurston in what he had planned. My trepidation came from the length of time. In six months the current casting people would only just begin to know and recognize him, if they had more than a few auditions. In six months, given his look and talent and the cache of currently running Broadway productions, the likelihood of him being cast in a Broadway show was practically nil.

And me being me I told him so.

After he arrived Thurston went to almost every audition he could, except those that called for monologues. He doesn’t do acting auditions because he doesn’t know a monologue. Outside of his refusal to find, learn and perfect one monologue, he was thoroughly invested in pursuing his career. He had no other distractions. His husband Noah was supporting him not only financially but emotionally as well. Thurston had no worry of money, no worry of a day job, no worry of a place to live, no worry of paying bills and no worry of losing his relationship. He did headshot sessions to make some extra money, saw shows, reconnected with old friends and ate at Boston Market, his favorite fast food restaurant, practically every day.

Through his diligence, Thurston got more than a few callbacks during his six month stint. There’s no denying that he’s very talented and with that kind of focus and dedication how could he not be noticed. He even got a call from a potential summer stock employer saying they were interested.  He had done everything right. Thurston left New York without a Broadway or National Tour contract and without having nailed down concrete employment. When he left I didn’t say “I told you so”.  I didn’t need to. My informed opinion had already been expressed.

I have no qualms about sharing my opinion, hence the blog. While I haven’t “been around the block”, theatrically speaking, I do have a ton of experience on stage, backstage and behind the table. I have a myriad of friends and colleagues that have been around the proverbial “block”. We talk and share ideas, war stories and triumphs, not only our own but those from actors who audition for us.

Sarah, a friend of mine is a performer who also works as a film and commercial casting director. She posted on Facebook that she was looking for sheet music. And me being me I didn’t hesitate to tell her what I thought:

     Sarah: NEEDED: Sheet Music!
     I Dreamed a Dream
     The Trolley Song
     A little Brains a Little Talent

     Me: IMO [in my opinion] those are three songs any woman should
     avoid unless specifically asked.

    

In fact I had just heard one of those songs.

The other day I was holding a call for another Backer’s Audition. The show is a new work that takes its cues from old school musical theatre, except the leads in the show are two drag queens. A guy who I called in for one of the drag queens chose to sing “The Trolley Song” for his audition. It was a great choice and completely appropriate for the show. Unfortunately the actor actually performed it as a serious piece without a hint of satire or a bit of tongue-in-check or acknowledgement of what he was doing. Not to mention he had hints of Judy Garland-isms in his performance. His audition wasn’t well received by anyone behind the table.

There are certain “rules” that apply to auditioning and pursuing a career in Theatre. These “rules” come from the people behind the table, those who are currently in power to make the casting decisions. For example, when I started in NYC it was seriously frowned upon to sing from the show for which you were auditioning. Only the uninformed did so and it was a risk that rarely paid off. In one of their telephone conversations Noah scolded Thurston for singing from the show that he was auditioning for.

As the people behind the table change so do the “rules”. Noah hasn’t been in the city auditioning since they left years ago. Today there are a plethora of audition notices that say singing from the show is acceptable. However there are still some people behind some tables that absolutely do not want to hear music from the show they’re casting. On top of this, there is still an unspoken list of material, songs and monologues, to avoid for both men and women. Every song Sarah asked for is on that list. An actor needs to be informed about who wants to hear what. Then that actor is in control of the risk he or she is taking at an audition.

A roommate of mine had just graduated from college and moved to the city. Kilian was told for his four years of schooling that his voice type was bass. He sang bass in all the choruses and even learned bass songs. His educators sent him into the world with “Some Enchanted Evening” as one of his main audition songs. Kilian at the time was 24. Very few 24 year olds should be singing “Some Enchanted Evening” for auditions. More importantly Kilian is not a bass. He’s actually a high baritone/second tenor. You can hear it when he speaks.

The last time I talked to Kilian he still hadn’t broken into what his true sound is. He wholeheartedly listened to his teachers and coaches. The fact that he is a bass is so engrained into his head that he fights himself when attempting to hit second tenor notes. The people he turned to for guidance provided him with, at best, their opinion of his voice and at worst, inaccurate information.

Kilian, Sarah, Thurston and countless other performers gather information regarding the craft of acting, both on stage and off. This information comes from their teachers and mentors, successful performers, the people behind the table and even their own peers. Kilian, Sarah and Thurston and everyone else needs to realize that all the information is purely subjective. All of it is based on each individual’s experiences. Every piece of advice comes from what each person behind the table, in the class room or on the street, has encountered or been taught themselves.

Nothing is written in stone.

And no one is right.

However performers need to listen to what they’re being told because...

Everything is written in stone.

And Every person is right.

If you have four different casting directors view the same audition you could get five different opinions about everything from the level of talent to the choice of material. The Performing Arts are a completely subjective field. And since it is, everyone’s opinion is valid. In Theatre the thing that is right is the thing that works for you. When something works for you it gets you noticed and makes you memorable...in a good way. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks about it.

My Facebook chat with Sarah continued:

     Sarah: I booked [role] and [understudy] at [Theatre] with I Dreamed
     a Dream btw. It’s all relative but you know I will always take your
     opinion into consideration

     Me: Oh please! My opinion is just that...mine. It only counts for me
     and what I do. In the end we all have to make our decisions. And ya
     know why? Cause opinions are like butt holes...everyone’s got

     one and everyone thinks everyone else’s stinks! LOL!!!

Sarah was completely informed. She knew the risks in singing “I Dreamed a Dream”. She believed it was the perfect choice for her audition. And you know what? She was right. That choice helped her book the gig.

Thurston’s half year audition trip happened to coincide with auditions for which he was particularly well-suited. Within a week of returning to Florida, he received a call from a theatre offering him 6 months of performing work (by the way this was not the theatre that had called him expressing interest). He booked the job from the audition where he sang from the show.

Thurston’s new job isn’t on par with the Production Contract he had hoped. The good thing is that he’ll make new professional contacts. He’ll build a reputation with the contacts at the new theatre and he’ll also build a reputation with a New York casting agency. Down the road that could turn into his next Broadway gig. His gamble could potentially take his career "off of life support". He could end up with that Production Contract.

My assessment of Thurston’s plan was based on my experiences. I shared them with him not only because he’s my bestie, but because he is a well regarded peer of mine. He took what I had to say as a point of reference, and proceeded with what he thought was the best plan for him.

Each performer needs to make his or her own decisions and form his or her own conclusions. The people in your life, your mentors, your teachers, your peers and colleagues, your idols and even the people behind the tables, merely provide points of references. Even this blog, however right and relevant for some, is just that...a point of reference. Hopefully it gives you something to think about. And that ladies and gentlemen is the whole reason behind it.

We as actors need to start putting some thought into the pursuit of  our Art. We need to lsiten to all the "laws of the theatre gods" to stimulate our brains. To keep us moving forward professionally and personally we must make informed and active decisions. Only through accessing information and individual trial and error will you find out what's written in stone...for you.

Because quite frankly, conquering the theatrical world these days takes "A Little Brains, A Little Talent".