What a Difference a Day Makes

Many of you saw on Tuesday that it was a bit of a defeated day for me. I spent all day (8 AM - 6 PM) running between buildings, trying to get seen for three auditions. I didn't get into a single one. Thus is the life of a non-equity singer in New York City.

I thought that finally getting my EMC card was going to help with the problem. To be honest, I was much higher up on the audition lists than I've ever been. (For those that don't know, the Equity members get appointments, then they slot in the EMC candidates, and then finally, the non-equity.) At one audition, I was number 13 on the EMC list. However, no EMC were able to be seen that day. Too many Equity members signed up.

My alarm went off on Wednesday morning, and I ignored it. There was an Equity Chorus Call and I knew that it would be packed and I probably had less chance to be seen. So I put all my eggs in one basket and left it to coming to the open call today.

I arrived around 8:30 this morning and was number 180 for the women's' call which ran from 10 am - 1 pm. Needless to say, I wasn't sure if I would make it. But I'm not about to show up at 6 am to stand in the dark for hours on end just to be number one on the list. Sorry, but I have to draw the line somewhere...but back to the bench.

I sat in the hallway (the holding room was just too crowded) and was just zoning out as I usually do. I heard the girls next to me talking about a particular casting agent who had walked by. I've never met her in real life, BUT she's the one who hired me for Les Mis! So the next time she walked by, I stopped her and introduced myself. It was great to finally get the chance to talk to her in person. (She came to see the show, but I had a commitment that night so I couldn't get out from backstage.) She's so nice and friendly.

As we're talking, she mentions a theater in my hometown that is doing South Pacific, and asks for my head shot and resume (which of course I always have extra copies ready.) Then she walks back to the audition that she was currently in. Not ten minutes later, she comes back down the hall and says that the director for the show is actually down the hall and would I like to come and sing for them? OF COURSE. As soon as I put my makeup on...which I hadn't done yet.

So I go in and sing the entirety of Bali Hai. I wasn't sure how I would sound to be honest. I hadn't touched that song in months. I was really happy with the entire thing though. Felt in the moment with my acting, and sounded like my usual (awesome) self. Every one thanked me and I went back to my spot to wait for the other audition, kinda freaking out and happy.

And I waited. And waited. I didn't get seen in the morning women's call. Luckily, there weren't as many men so the last hour was given BACK to the women. I was about 5th from last to be seen. I sang well and saw the director circle something on my resume (probably the national tour since it's at the top). They all seemed happy as well.

As I am bouncing my way out the front doors of the building, I check my email. I have a response from something I didn't think I had gotten...a national commercial! A few weeks ago, I had sent in my head shot, resume, and a few words about myself to a Barnes & Noble ad. They wanted real people to interview for a video segment that would be about how they use Nooks in their life. I'm perfect for it! So I wrote to them about being a singer and a writer and how I need to have my Nook with me on the road.

So my face and voice are going to be plastered all over the US in Barnes & Noble Bookstores!

I can't even.

How is my life even real right now? And the best thing of all? I totally made it to the post office ten minutes before it closed so I could get an application in the mail that HAD to be postmarked by today. I WIN! I WIN AT LIFE!

I just keep thinking back over this day and how it all lined up perfectly. If I had gone to the chorus call yesterday, I wouldn't have met the casting director or sung for my hometown theater. I might not have gotten seen for that one audition that I really wanted. It's just crazy how much a difference a day can make. And I am so glad.