Auditions! Auditions! Callbacks! Callbacks!

Holy cow, I don't remember the last time that I had so many auditions and callbacks in one week! Lots of commercial opportunities and even a TV audition too. And what's even more odd, is that I'm not obsessing about them and they're going well! I'm relaxed and focused, but I'm also having fun. I'm not getting all of the lines "right," but I'm making stronger relationship choices and it seems to be working.

I lost my 11th avail in a row last week (As Ann Hu might say, "Susan Lucci'd again!") and I had to turn down an opportunity to perform in a show at the Disney Concert Hall because it was non-union (a good story tho for another blog). And while there were no tears shed, I do think it kicked my competitive nature into high gear and perhaps reminded my agents that I was somebody they should send out again with a little more vigor and imagination--I even had a "pretty girl" audition this week!

A quick story about a callback I didn't think I was going to get but did:

I had a commercial audition last week and I arrived my usual 15 - 20 minutes early to check out the copy and breathe. I read the copy and there were only voice-over lines and two lines for the man who was my husband in the spot. I thought about the silent beats I wanted to hit in the audition and waited and waited. At some point there is usually a group explanation to inform the actors how the audition is going to go. Sometimes the explanation is pretty true to the copy. Other times, the copy is secondary and the audition veers in a completely unexpected way. There was no group explanation this time, so I settled in for a sizable but reasonable wait. Just before I'm up to audition, a girl comes tearing out of the room in a panic and informs all of us waiting that the voice-over copy is now going to be read by the women. It's about 12 lines of pretty boring copy. GAH!

I now have two options: ask for more time or just wing it. I've never been particularly assertive about asking for more time, although seasoned actors will tell you it's no big thing. I decided to wing it. The copy is on the board, after all, and I knew the general feel for the spot.

I go in the room and try to strike up a conversation with my potential actor husband while we're waiting. It's something I generally do to alleviate nerves and to bring a bit of reality to the scene. Well, he was having none of me. Not only was he kind of a jerk, but he professed to hating commercials and refused to even make eye contact. At this point, I'm thinking the whole audition is a wash anyway and I'm okay with that.

So I say screw it. I'm just gonna have as much fun as I can and make a good thing of a less than ideal situation. No use getting mad or frustrated or scared. I make a choice to deliver the lines as if I'm talking to my best friend. I say the lines off the cuff and as un-selly as I can make them and attempt to engage my stupid husband. I even had a witty tag line that caught the CD off guard because he cut mid-funny line. Ah well...we all laughed on camera, the CD apologized and that was that. No second take this time.

I just got confirmation for a callback for the spot tomorrow. Who knows exactly why they called me back? But I'm betting on what I like to call the "fun factor." I'm having fun and it's reading. I'll take it.

--Stacey Jackson