Friday, May 25, 2012

#1. Titanic Theatre Company

I was a in Family (de)Values with Marc Harpin. He also played the Loving God in Theatre on Fire's Almost an Evening.

He invited me to audition for the part of Zygote in The Third Story, produced by Titanic Theatre Company. Zygote is described as being "grotesque, yet eerily beautiful". I think that describes me pretty well, and I considered it a compliment to be invited.

I was real happy to audition, especially because I realized that if I didn't get into something before Romeo and Juliet went up, the latest three entries on my acting resume will all be Brown Box Theatre Project productions. That's not the worst thing in the world, but I don't want people getting the wrong idea that I haven't been up to all sorts of other activities as well.

The side I was provided is a pretty great self-contained scene in which Zygote, a science experiment, confronts his creator. I actually came at it pretty seriously. I didn't research The Third Story too much, else I would've found out it's something like a gangster sci-fi B-movie, and I would've had more fun with it.

The audition was held at Marc's pad in Chestnut Hill. Chris Wagner was there when I came in. He was also trying out for Zygote. And he's a comedic genius. So I was a little anxious, but I tried not to sweat it.

While he auditioned before me, I looked over the information on my audition form. The rehearsal schedule was basically already set up for all of July and the first half of August. BUT. I wasn't sure if it would conflict with Romeo and Juliet. I knew they were both around the same time, but I'm playing Paris, so maybe it's not a big deal?

I had already come all this way. I was invited, and I'm in so few shows a year. I was kinda wearing rose-tinted glasses, seeing opportunity where there was none. We could see if this works!

I could hear that Chris was going big and funny with his audition, so I tried to keep it reserved and a little sad, hoping that would be funny, too. I actually tried to memorize a lot of it, and it turns out that it's tough to be in between memorized and not memorized at all. The director seemed to think it was painful watching me search for lines, and let me know that I could use the side I'd printed out.

He asked me what Zygote wanted from the doctor that created him in this scene. I said: "To admit that she's wrong." He said, though, Zygote wanted her love.

He let me have another go, and then we talked about callbacks. Could I come Wednesday night? As long as its before rehearsal for my play about a toaster who wanted his non-driver photo identification! They liked that.

So after I reviewed things, I found out I basically had no hope of being in the show without breaching my Romeo and Juliet contract. It pained me to mail Marc back telling him I wouldn't be showing up to callbacks. Break legs, Titanic Theatre Company! Also, you have a nice website.

Things always get so active in the theatre around this time of year. I'd love to get more audition offers during winter.



9 headshots remain.

Also! I got a new headshot. Check it out.

Oh, yeah, I'm in Romeo and Juliet.



Yeah, it's gonna be great. I'm Paris. I ain't in a LOT of scenes, I don't have a LOAD of lines, but I get to fight Romeo and die in the last scene. And I get to tour in Maryland. So! I'm down with that.