*After I came back from Hawaii, I had an audition that day for TWELFTH NIGHT. Yeah. Heard NOTHING from them. Damn! I really wanted to be Viola or even Olivia. But, I need to be Viola sooner or later. I forgot my first line (but not really, I knew what it was but it wasn't registering in my mind as my first line. How strange is that?). I was really nervous, too. But, I shouldn't have been. I believe it was because I had just gotten off the plane 12 hours prior and had to wait at the airport an extra hour or so for our luggage, also I hadn't eaten a thing, and I didn't really "rehearse" my monologue. Hm...but I was prepared. Doesn't sound like it, eh? They preferred a monologue from TWELFTH NIGHT. I didn't want to do anything of Viola's or Olivia's because I wanted to be "fresh" and different so I performed a speech by Fabian. I played the role in college. They seemed to like it. I guess not! *le bleah*
*The gig where I was exempt from the audition is no longer in production due to the other actress who did not want to drive all the way to the location. She dropped a day before we were to shoot.
*I had to drop out of the short film that I got through the recommendation of my good friend because I had planned on being out of town (forever, perhaps) but plans fell through when the apartment(s) I had counted on were taken away from me. I rang the director up straightaway and told him the situation and he told me that he still wanted me to be part of the film BUT he had to put me on tape to send to his casting director (since after I had told him I wouldn't be able to be part of the film he needed to find a good Asian actress that could cry and hired a CD to find one, but quick). He also wanted me to watch the tapes of the auditioners. I had to watch all the Asian girls vying for the role that was mine. I also watched other actors auditioning for other roles in the film. I watched a couple that I really liked. I'm horrible at auditioning (I think). So, we'll see if I'm even still truly part of this short film as the young woman that leaves her baby at the front door of a church. Hopefully, the casting director will be cool with me. If not, well...
*I had an audition for an all-female production of HENRY V. The director really liked me and wanted me at his callback but there was a condition: I had to already accept being in the play without knowing what parts he wanted me to read for. I was to blindly accept. What is with these offers I'm getting and having to blindly accept??? I felt rather odd having to blindly accept any role he would offer me upfront without even knowing what I was being considered for until I got to the callback. I rang him the next morning and told him my truth. I also said that the only role that I was eyeballing was Henry. I would have taken Katherine of France if this was going to be a "normal" production. Henry is the role that I for sure know would challenge me and make me sweat and bleed and feel like a failure.
*The playwrighting teacher I met at SCR emailed me and offered me a bit role in the project that she is doing for the Bowers Museum. I accepted. The short plays will be done radio-style. There are 3 short plays. I'll be in 2 of them, she told me. I will play, Thoth, an Egyptian mummy that comes back to life, I believe. She said that the role was probably a page of lines out of 14 pages. And the other role is of a Haitian Voodoo Woman in which I have 3 lines, I think. She told me the best thing about it is the exposure. But, I don't really mind. I've always wanted to be part of whatever projects she were to have. I adore the woman. For her, I would blindly accept anything. The end of October is when it'll go up.
*I've been keeping in contact with a director from NY whom I met when I submitted for his project that was casting in Paris. He told me that he was going to be in LA to cast another part of his film and that he would be interested in seeing me in August. We've kept in touch and in the coming weeks, I will hear from him (I hope). He sent me a clip of his work that was uploaded on YouTube and I really liked what I saw.
*I had to let go of my agent. It was a very scary thing but I did it and she was/is very supportive of me.
**
I think that's all.
Oh! Nope. I lied...
This does not even include some of the stuff I did BEFORE leaving for Hawaii. Here's what I can remember:
*A USC grad student cast me in his short film. BUT, when he sent me the script! Don't get me started. It was f'awful (the "f" in "f'awful" stands for...you know=)! First of all, I hated the role. Second of all, the girl needed cleavage. I don't have that. I never will. The thing is, if I liked the script, the cleavage thing would have NOT mattered to me. Mm.
*A UCLA grad student cast me in his short film. It was a very interesting script and I was all about doing it. BUT, my paranoia got the better of me. The location was very shady. I was to leave my car in a parking lot and get picked up by some or one of the crew members to the location. Maybe I was wrong, but still... I'm a big girl. I can drive myself and find parking (however long it takes...that's why you leave EARLY).
*I got an email from a producer in France. They wanted me to audition for their short film being filmed on location in Paris! All travel expenses paid! Yeah! They said I could just send a video/link/whatever to them of 2 scenes of my choosing from their script. I really liked the script. I rehearsed and was ready to film. No equipment, horrible lighting...nothing fell into place for me. And it was such short notice that I got. What an opportunity, though! Oh, to be in Paris!
*Not only do I, as a whole person get rejected BUT even my HAIR gets rejected! Ha! I went to a Bumble & Bumble "hair" call. The casting director was an hour late. I was the second one there. The CD was very cool and hip. She seemed to really like my hair ("You've got great hair!") but OBVIOUSLY not enough to cast me.
*There was a TV Pilot that needed a quirky Asian. I'm not really quirky (or am I?) but I got a ring from the director and he wanted to see me. I went and sucked. Not really. But...Ha! I'm tellin' you! It was for an untitled Paparazzi project. I liked the script. I didn't really like the character from my moral standpoint (but I always have to put that aside...HELLO!) but I wouldn't have minded getting cast.
*Right after that audition, I had an audition for a play. The guy said he put it up Off-Off-Off-Broadway (I mean, what does that mean? Long Island? The Jersey Shore? South Carolina? The outskirts of LA-county?) and he told me that he used to teach at Columbia. I kicked major ass in that audition and I thought he liked me. It seemed like he was going to keep in contact with me (as we were emailing back and forth after the audition). Yeah. No word. I know what you're thinking, "*EW*! What a jerk!" (If you're not, you should be=P) It's okay. I'm trying to get over communication! HA!
*A week before I left, there was another short film I went to audition for (I posted the rejection a couple of posts ago=). I REALLY wanted to be part of that. I felt like it was very Chabrol-esque. For true. A girl has a crush on a co-worker, he asks her if she could paint a portrait for him for his ... wait for it ... girlfriend, girl is crushed but says she will do it, girlfriend is dropped off by him to get her portrait done, girlfriend is gorgeous, girlfriend is murdered by girl! *le whew* The way it's being done is so... I would have loved to have been cast in it. The murder is not shown at all. The beginning is very ambiguous and then all the pieces of the puzzle come together! Yes and Yikes!
*The day before I left, I auditioned for yet another short film. I read with a guy that looked SO young. But, our audition together was fine. I just remember thinking: "Oh, my GOD! I feel so much older." I don't mind. It's just a strange feeling like I'm between the ages of 75 to older-than-dirt! Ah-hah! Really. Oh-la-la.
*I auditioned for a production of ROMEO & JULIET. I Know I Whooped major ass at that audition. A teacher of mine was there to help with casting. At first, I didn't like it but when we got together at the end of the week, she was able to give me feedback and the director's feelings towards me. They really liked me and were very impressed. They told her that my handle on the language was very impressive. They liked my command, understanding and presence. Yet, they didn't cast me. I mean, what are you gonna do? I would be a Very different Juliet. I must admit, with all my reservations about the role, I'd like to tackle it one day because I know it would be a challenge for me and all my world-weariness! HA! It was a very good audition. Right after I had finished my monologue, the director for R&J asked, "Do you have any Juliet for us?" (Thank GOD (!) my teacher told me to prepare a Juliet.) And I beamed, proudly, at them, "Yes, I do!" I didn't do the obvious choices. I did one that I could learn fast and get it over with! Short and sweet. That's how it should be. This audition was rather cathartic for me. I was so elated that I think I almost brokedown...or did I almost throw up? Maybe both! That audition felt so good.
*My agent got me an audition (after I told her about it) for Shakespeare Festival/LA's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. They needed a Helena. Mm. I was told to prepare 2 monologues. When I got there, I did them and the director asked me to sing. *ugh* I sang. Now, I can sing. I just freak out when I actually have to for an audition! Ha! I would be a Great Helena AND Hermia! ;)
**
It seems like I've been very busy. Nope. It just seems that way. I spend so much time on the damn road than at these auditons! As any LA-actor is all too-familiar with and will tell you. I need to be auditioning for theatre but as you can see, I've mostly been auditioning for short films. I don't mind. I'd just like there to be an equal amount of both. To be honest, I don't think LA is for me. I just don't have the "look," I guess, as people say. In truth, I don't have the feeling for it!!! I'm starting to think that, like community theatre, LA doesn't like me! Maybe I should stop putting myself down? I really need to pick up my French, again (from the beginning because, sadly, I've forgotten EVERYTHING), and get beyond conversational so that I can move to France, and make European films and act on the Paris stage! And right after I learn French...Italian, German and Spanish are next. Maybe even Russian! =)
I'm also spending too much time watching foreign films and playing in the devil's playground (meaning, the computer).
I Must really focus on getting myself a "regular" job so that I can save up clams-clams-clams and be on my way-way-way. (I've got a few prospects. Hopefully, I haven't jinxed myself by mentioning them ahead of time. I ALWAYS do that! Damn! Oh, well...)
NOTHING is impossible.
I can do ANYTHING (that is...except: Prostitution, Boxing, Politics, "Dancing" and Porn ;P).
I now leave you with a scene from, "Les Biches."
