Dreadful Penny

In the past month or so that I’ve been getting back into acting, I’ve pursued all sorts of audition possibilities.  Auditions for the show that inspired my return are coming up this week and yesterday I made a tough decision: I’m not going.

I love performing in musical theatre.  I enjoy theatre people, I like the instant feedback of an audience, I love singing, and the broad physical acting of musical comedy is a lot of fun.  Why on earth wouldn’t I audition?

First and foremost, I don’t like the show they’re putting on.  I’ve read the libretto, I’ve listened to recordings, and even though it’s a long-running show held in high regard, it’s simply not to my taste.  I wouldn’t pay to see it.

Second, I’m not suited for any speaking roles and if I do the math correctly, that leaves five white female roles in the ensemble… and I believe they all have to be dancers (showgirls).  I can dance well enough for the back row of a chorus or the less challenging steps of a singing lead, but certainly not for a featured dance part.  Not to mention that my figure is not yet of showgirl proportions.  If this was a show I loved, though, I’d still be there giving it my best shot.

Third, I don’t know anything about this company yet.  It’s a non-profit community theatre with a nice location, but I don’t know anything about their reputation or what sort of budget they put into wardrobe and sets.  I’m guessing they use recorded music because I haven’t found any mention of an orchestra.  My last onstage gig was a dinner theatre in a strip mall - I’m not picky - but this lack of information figures into my decision.

Fourth, the time commitment is awfully high considering the items above.  Rehearsals three or four evenings a week for a couple of months, then performances Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until the end of November.  That would mean missing some of Kid Dreadful’s band performances and not being around to help with homework evenings at the start of another tough year of high school.  There would be very little time available for other projects.

Fifth, when all of that was added together, I made the decision that I would not accept a role if offered.  The question then became: considering the audition as an event in itself, should I participate?

I lost a lot of sleep over that, but in the end, I decided “no”.  While I’d gain audition experience and learn more about the company, I’d also waste time in prep and add unnecessarily to the work of the auditioners.

However, that gives me a few hours this week that I had already expected to spend practicing.  I’ll put those to good use.