The Audition, Part 2

As I sit here listening to the Next to Normal soundtrack, I realize I never did post a follow-up to the audition story... so to continue chronicling this journey of mine, here's how the second day of auditioning went.

I'll admit it - the second day was more nerve-wracking. I knew this was the day where they'd be testing your ability to pick up basic choreography and learn music. Having done mini-productions back in junior high school and having also been in an award-winning guys ensemble (haha, ok - so this was pre-puberty and in a competition of small Christian schools in the state), I knew somewhere deep down buried inside was the capability to "bring it". 

And then I walked inside and saw a girl in dancer's spandex and bending/contorting her body in ways that did not look comfortable to me at all... and that made me nervous. But all the kids/teens/adults around seemed fine. And I'd come to see we were definitely not going to be tested on our flexibility. 

Phase 1 of the night though was to pick up choreography. I've taken a few dance classes of the hip-hop variety and ballroom, and I'll say I'm in the DBNA-range when it comes to my capabilities in this arena, with the potential to be better after some liquid courage. But not too much - don't want to be sloppy! The steps we learned weren't too bad. The girls got it down rather easily, and I didn't feel so bad lumped in with all the guys. And luckily we didn't have to perform a dance solo! That would've been mortifying.

Phases 2 and 3 were learning songs from the show. Some people were obviously familiar with the music already. I mean, afterall it's Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice... serious theatre people tend to be familiar with their work. I, however, had no idea what was going on. I haven't held sheet music since 8th grade! So having to follow along with those pages took me back... phase 2 was seeing if we could learn to harmonize. Not bad, could do that before. Phase 3 was to learn a new song and sing it back solo, and to act it out. We had time to practice outside, so us guys went to practice. It was at this point that someone asked what high school I went to (Asians look young?) and if I played football (I guess I fill out my t-shirts better these days?)... anyways, when it came time to sing the solo, I didn't know that normally the song had a certain style to it... I just sang it straight/simple. I knew I could try to mimic what some of the other guys did, but then again, I wasn't trying to win a specific role. I just wanted to enjoy the experience and see how far I'd get in the process. 

And after that, night two was over and we were told we'd hear results the next day. And the next evening, I found out that I was cast as one of the brothers. It's a small part, but I do have a solo line to sing, and the brothers sing as a group quite a bit, so I still have a lot to learn! So far, it's been great. We've had two weeks of rehearsals now, and it's been exciting to be back in the thick of things. More thoughts on the whole process as the rehearsals progress!