If I Were A Bell (Guys and Dolls)

[originally posted March 20, 2006]

Those call backs I mentioned last blog? I nailed them. Overall, I wasn't nervous at all. I've never auditioned for an Orpheus show that I wasn't cast in. But I've been away for about 4 years now. Since I've been gone a new group of theatre lovers has taken over and I don't know any of them! Not that I was intimidated, but I definitely felt a little out of place. That said, I pulled out everything I had at the dance call back. I wasn't worried about not getting chorus. My call back for The Jazz Singer a half hour later I was what I was nervous about. I have never auditioned for a singing role at Orpheus and had never really broken out of the chorus. And while The Jazz Singer isn't much of a role, and is essentially part of the chorus, it's still a featured singing role. To make matters tougher, I was up against the fabulous Guylaine, the woman with the HUGE voice who played Diana Morales in my first musical production, A Chorus Line. So we learn the song together, and then it's time for the individual immunity challenge. Oh, wait, this isn't a reality show. Ok, so she sings for the directors first and sounds amazing. When I go in I'm told to play with the rhythm and move like a jazz singer. My only question "Can I use a chair?" Needless to say, I killed it. I sounded great, I moved like Liza in Cabaret. Hours later, I got the phone call. I'll be playing The Jazz Singer/Dance Chorus in Victor/Victoria presented by Orpheus Musical Theatre Society (the longest running amateur theatre company in North America, celebrating 100 years next season), at Centrepointe Theatre June 2-10, 2006. Yes.