Community Theatre Circus Rides Again

Auditions for the next play Rumours by Neil Simon, were yesterday and today. The play has ten parts, five girls and five guys. Because the cast is so small, the director, CrisT R., has decided to double cast it with a young cast and an older cast (Friends and Fogies, she calls them).

I really wanted to be cast with the Fogies, because I know more people in that group than younger people here in town, especially from the last play I was in, Annie Get Your Gun. I feel more comfortable with them too, because they don't giggle about every little thing, and they don't talk about Orlando Bloom and some other teen idols that I have no idea what they look like. At the end of auditions yesterday though, CrisT R. made everyone line up and stand next to each other so she could tell how people look next to each other, because this play has five couples. She had me and a couple other girls stand aside though.

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Bobby J: Awww, we don't get to stand next to the boys.

CrisT R: That's because I'm considering you for the younger cast.

Laura: (internally) Dammit!
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So, regardless to say, I was coming back the next day when most of the younger people were planning on auditioning.

Fast forward to today. I show up a little saddened by the fact that I'm going to be cast with the teeny boppers, but still excited because I think I have a good chance at being in the play since the turnout yesterday was so low (only seven or eight people showed up.) I got there early, because I thought I was going to be late driving from work. At first, there were only about five people there. Then, all within five minutes, the number of teeny boppers grew from five to fifteen. Panic begins to well inside me as I realize that I don't really fit with the teeny bopper crowd, and I don't really fit in with the older crowd (as CrisT so tactfully pointed out.) I'm on the age cusp and in danger of being sent home without a script!

So, when I auditioned, I try not to make it seem like a big deal. I read with two guys who are probably eighteen or so, and I was LOUD. I only read twice in the first thirty minutes, then I sat around for the next two hours talking with CrisT's husband PatT, and one of the guys I read with, Theatre Kid. Auditions were only supposed to go until 9:00, but it wasn't until 10:30 when CrisT came out of the back room to announce her selections. She announced the older cast first.

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Laura sat back as nonchalantly as possible, listening as the names were called.

Nope...nope...nope, nope nope. Okay...not cast in the older cast. That's all right...There are still five more chances for me. She's reading them now...nope...nope...nope...Aaarrrggghhh!!!!...oh hey! That's me! Hurray!!!!
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CrisT read the parts in descending order from big to small. So I don't have a big part, but I'm not the littlest part either. I'm just glad I got a frickin' part!

At home, Mom was worried because I hadn't called.

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Mom: Where have you been?

Laura: At auditions!

Mom: Oh thank goodness, I was so worried. So, did you get a part? (Laura holds up her orange paper script. Mom doesn't say anything. Laura stands there smiling and waving the script.) So? Did You Get A Part?

Laura: Yes Mom! I wouldn't have a script if I didn't.
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So, I've got a part. The play is two acts long, but CrisT is breaking it up into three and Cassie (me) appears near the end of the second act. It's actually a pretty good part and I'm playing opposite of Theatre Kid, who is actually pretty cool (Don't sound the alarms. I already tried to make Stink Pants #5 jealous. It doesn't work. He has faith in me. *pooh*)

The best part about it?... I get to be sexy! Yeah, can you believe it? Me! In a sexy part! I wasn't cast as a cutie pie ditz or a child below the age of fourteen. Hurray!