I had Thursday off from auditioning, although I ended up spending that Thursday FREAKING OUT about my LAMDA audition. This is my third year auditioning for them, which is a little pathetic. I auditioned for them first when I was a senior in college, and I ended up getting wait-listed for their one year international program, but never got in. The second time was last year, when I got a flat out rejection, while my roommate and best friend got in (no hard feelings, Zoe!).
So, let's just say that I was feeling a lot of mixed emotions about having another shot.
Their auditions in Chicago are at the Chicago Dramatists building. I only got there about fifteen minutes early for my 9am audition, as the El during rush hour is the most frustrating, inconsistent public transportation system I've ever dealt with in my life. I curse it daily. I changed into my audition outfit (as it was too cold to wear it outside) and then did a few warmups and drank some water while I waited for someone to come out and get me. Soon after 9am, an ex-student brought me into the audition room, which is actually a small theatre (like, no pressure or anything...). You audition in front of Rodney Cottier, who is the head of the drama school. He is very nice but a bit reserved. He asks you what pieces you're doing, and then sits in the back with the ex-student as you do your pieces one after another -- one Shakespeare, one modern, one song. He then asked me for a third Shakespeare. He said thank you, asked me to come sit down, and then briefly interviewed me. I had auditioned for both the one year and the two year, so he asked which one I preferred. Unlike past years, I was able to confidently say I was mostly just interested in the two year program. He then asked about funding, and I was honest -- I'm not only blessed with incredibly generous parents, but I am also willing to take out loans, work during the summer, etc. etc. And...that was about it. LAMDA auditions an insane amount of places in the US/Canada, so he warned me that I wouldn't be hearing anything until at least mid-March.
To be honest, I left the audition incredibly disappointed. The interview portion is always strangely casual and business-like, so you don't really get a chance to talk about why you love acting, why you want to go to school, why you want to go to their school in particular... And, I knew that last year when my roommate auditioned, she had been asked for THREE extra pieces, so I assumed the worst and just pushed LAMDA into a dusty corner of my brain, and just reminded myself that I had Guildhall in May, and one more audition still to do...
Rodney Cottier
Rodney Cottier
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