Today I auditioned for 3 student films at the New York Film Academy in Union Square, and I have another on Monday. It's always kind of awkward auditioning for student films because you never know who you'll be working with, or if the script you'll be handed will be any good at all. I've had good and bad experiences, and I have to say that this was actually a good experience!
They were all very professional, encouraging, and friendly.
The reason I am auditioning for student films is to get as much on-camera experience as possible, and to get some good-quality material for my reel, which will eventually be on my website.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Bad Audition Day
Today was a bad audition day, but I am not discouraged! I knew it was too easy that I had gotten all the way to final callbacks on the first audition back from tour...
First I auditioned for the Jenny Wiley Theatre in Kentucky. One of their shows is Cinderella, which I thought I'd be good for now that I'm blonde. I also thought I could just pull "In My Own Little Corner" out of my pocket, without ever hearing the piano part, and use it for the audition. BAD IDEA! The accompanist was not very confident, and I was NOT confident, so it was the softest, quietest version ever. My friends outside the room couldn't even hear me- WHAT? It wasn't bad, but it wasn't hear either...
So I took it as a "warm up" and decide to kick some butt at the next audition.
I had an appointment for 2pm for FAME at Nola Studios. I was singing Vanessa Carlton's "Ordinary Day". The character I was auditioning for was shy and sweet, so I thought the song was appropriate. After I finished what I thought was a great audition, the director looked at me and said, "Kelsey, that was a great acting piece, but I would recommend using a song that showed more range, because I can tell there is a lot more to your voice. That said, it was a GREAT vocal audition, but I think you could find something that showed a bigger range vocally". SO I thought he was going to call me back because I thought if he was interested, he would want to hear me sing something else to prove that I had something with range. But NO. No callback. Weird.
So I guess that song will be taken out of my book. Right now.
Bad Day. Moving on- Yay!
First I auditioned for the Jenny Wiley Theatre in Kentucky. One of their shows is Cinderella, which I thought I'd be good for now that I'm blonde. I also thought I could just pull "In My Own Little Corner" out of my pocket, without ever hearing the piano part, and use it for the audition. BAD IDEA! The accompanist was not very confident, and I was NOT confident, so it was the softest, quietest version ever. My friends outside the room couldn't even hear me- WHAT? It wasn't bad, but it wasn't hear either...
So I took it as a "warm up" and decide to kick some butt at the next audition.
I had an appointment for 2pm for FAME at Nola Studios. I was singing Vanessa Carlton's "Ordinary Day". The character I was auditioning for was shy and sweet, so I thought the song was appropriate. After I finished what I thought was a great audition, the director looked at me and said, "Kelsey, that was a great acting piece, but I would recommend using a song that showed more range, because I can tell there is a lot more to your voice. That said, it was a GREAT vocal audition, but I think you could find something that showed a bigger range vocally". SO I thought he was going to call me back because I thought if he was interested, he would want to hear me sing something else to prove that I had something with range. But NO. No callback. Weird.
So I guess that song will be taken out of my book. Right now.
Bad Day. Moving on- Yay!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Final Callbacks, Lake DIllon
Final Callbacks for the Lake Dillon Theatre were this past Friday. First, the dance callback. It was a new combination to Mimi's song from Rent, so basically it was shaking your butt and acting sexy: super easy.
Then 2 hours later I came back after a lunch break at Subway, to sing cuts from the shows, but none of us could tell what we were called back for, it was such a mixed-bag of people. I sang "Fallin'" from Smokey Joe's Cafe, with about 10 other girls. They hadn't narrowed down the contenders much for being final callbacks. We were one group of ten, and there were two other groups as well.
After that I was told to stay and read for a play they were producing. No one was asked to read from the musicals all day except the guys- weird. They just sang the girls and then dismissed them.
And that's it. Pretty confusing if you ask me, but you never know.
So now I wait.
Then 2 hours later I came back after a lunch break at Subway, to sing cuts from the shows, but none of us could tell what we were called back for, it was such a mixed-bag of people. I sang "Fallin'" from Smokey Joe's Cafe, with about 10 other girls. They hadn't narrowed down the contenders much for being final callbacks. We were one group of ten, and there were two other groups as well.
After that I was told to stay and read for a play they were producing. No one was asked to read from the musicals all day except the guys- weird. They just sang the girls and then dismissed them.
And that's it. Pretty confusing if you ask me, but you never know.
So now I wait.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Lake Dillon, CO Summer Rep Auditions
Last night we flew back into NYC from LA at midnight, got home at 1am, then I woke up at 7am to for an audition appointment with the Lake Dillon Summer Theatre Season. Their season consists of: Rent, Hair, Smokey Joe's Cafe, 8-Track ( a 70's revue), and Rapunzel (a rock musical).It was held at Chelsea studios. I went in at 9:10am and sang the bridge of "Pocketful of Sunshine" and then they asked me to sing a second song. I chose "Mercy" by Duffy, and both went well. The asked me to come back at 3pm for a dance callback.They also asked me to come tomorrow for a callback for one of their theatrical plays they were also casting! The dance callback today was a simple combination to a song from Smokey Joe's Cafe, and I nailed it! They called me at 8pm tonight to tell me that they want me to come in tomorrow for a final callback: dance from 12-12:30pm, then read and sing from 3-5pm. We'll see! It'd be so nice to book a job on my first audition back from tour and the holidays! I'll keep you posted...
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
...Spelling Bee musical audition
Since I've been gone for 3 months and I'm about to leave for a week to LA to visit family and friends (and get new headshots!!!!), I thought I should try to throw an audition in the mix just to get back into things. Well it wasn't as easy as I thought it might be.
I woke up at 6:00am and got on the 6:32 A train leaving from my apartment at 185th and Fort Washington Ave. in Washington Heights. The studio I was going to is was Ripley-Grier Studios on 36th St and 8th Ave, which only took be about 30 minutes.
For those of you who don't know the "pecking" order at these auditions, here is a short summary:
Equity Actors with appointments(Actor's union)
Equity Alternates
EMC (Actors who have points towards their union card)
Non-Union Actors (ME)
So I arrived at 7am and things were looking good, since I was #3 on the non-union list. Then at 8am everyone and their mother, father, brother, sister (you get the idea) arrived.
At 9:30am the monitor allowed the non-union actors who had formed a line, to sign in "officially" and then I left at 10am to go back home.
I got ready for the day, and my husband Chris and I met with my sister at MoMA to see the Tim Burton exhibit (because I knew that it would be at least 1pm before they saw non-union actors. I called my friend, Liz Froio to check in and see how things were going, and she said it didn't look good. SO I went back around 2pm to see for myself. She was right. But the audition ended at 4pm, so I thought, "What's 2 hours after I got here so early this morning?" and waited patiently.
The monitor came out of the room at 3pm and told the non-union actors what we didn't want to hear after sticking around for 8 hours: that there was no way they would see non-union today. A few of us spoke to her and asked her if there was any chance at all they might see us at then end, if the magically got through everyone. She said that she would get as many people in as she could, and we were welcome to wait, but it was not likely. So since there was the smallest inkling of hope, I stayed. And then I left a half and hour later when I was absolutely sure it was impossible. How did I know? They turned away the EMC actors too!
So this is my welcome back into the world of auditioning? Thanks a lot New York City. It would be lovely if every actor knew their type so that everyone who was actually right for these roles was seen. Take a Type-Casting class people!
Try try again...next week.
I woke up at 6:00am and got on the 6:32 A train leaving from my apartment at 185th and Fort Washington Ave. in Washington Heights. The studio I was going to is was Ripley-Grier Studios on 36th St and 8th Ave, which only took be about 30 minutes.
For those of you who don't know the "pecking" order at these auditions, here is a short summary:
Equity Actors with appointments(Actor's union)
Equity Alternates
EMC (Actors who have points towards their union card)
Non-Union Actors (ME)
So I arrived at 7am and things were looking good, since I was #3 on the non-union list. Then at 8am everyone and their mother, father, brother, sister (you get the idea) arrived.
At 9:30am the monitor allowed the non-union actors who had formed a line, to sign in "officially" and then I left at 10am to go back home.
I got ready for the day, and my husband Chris and I met with my sister at MoMA to see the Tim Burton exhibit (because I knew that it would be at least 1pm before they saw non-union actors. I called my friend, Liz Froio to check in and see how things were going, and she said it didn't look good. SO I went back around 2pm to see for myself. She was right. But the audition ended at 4pm, so I thought, "What's 2 hours after I got here so early this morning?" and waited patiently.
The monitor came out of the room at 3pm and told the non-union actors what we didn't want to hear after sticking around for 8 hours: that there was no way they would see non-union today. A few of us spoke to her and asked her if there was any chance at all they might see us at then end, if the magically got through everyone. She said that she would get as many people in as she could, and we were welcome to wait, but it was not likely. So since there was the smallest inkling of hope, I stayed. And then I left a half and hour later when I was absolutely sure it was impossible. How did I know? They turned away the EMC actors too!
So this is my welcome back into the world of auditioning? Thanks a lot New York City. It would be lovely if every actor knew their type so that everyone who was actually right for these roles was seen. Take a Type-Casting class people!
Try try again...next week.
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