A handful of words to describe this weekend: bizarre, exhausting and exhaustive, inspiring, terrifying, soul-crushing, intense, horrible, wonderful.
The ACT callback weekend was incredibly well organized, which is something I could absolutely appreciate. They arranged your hotel, helped you get your flights (and then reimbursed you) and gave you a schedule of events which they followed basically to a T. I touched down in San Francisco for my first time at around noon and rushed into the city (and on the way rode the train with a very strange guy who was clearly looking for a casual San Fran weekend hook up -- yeesh).
I arrived late for the orientation, although everyone was incredibly chill and welcoming. There were about, 15 of us in total. I was about two hours into my weekend there, and I was already exhausted. Uh-oh. After a brief chat with Melissa, we were given about an hour, so I ran over to the hotel (only a ten minute walk from the school), checked in and washed my face. Despite the fact that we no longer live in an era of stagecoaches and days of travel, I think we may have too quickly retired the idea of a "traveling clothes." Whenever I take a plane, or even the El, I still feel like I manage to get coated in a thick dusting of grime.
Then, it was back to ACT for a final rehearsal of the first year's "Will on Wheels" show, which was an abbreviated version of Romeo and Juliet. Then, a small break before a reception with ACT staff and students (color me terrified). Luckily, there was beer and wine and snacks there, and everyone made a conscious effort to mingle and to make small talk. My fears of standing in a corner crying over a plate of cheese squares and crackers were not, thankfully, realized. Astoundingly, I had already started to make a small group of friends, with which I went to dinner after the reception. Then, it was straight off to Napoli!, the ACT mainstage production. I'm not going to get into a long review of it here, mostly because that whole weekend feels like a vague, blurry second of my life. Let's just say this -- the set, costumes & lighting were brilliant. All of the acting was really strong. The play itself...eh. Not sure if it was a product of the translation, or if the play in its original Italian was also a bit meh. (Ah, what a thoughtful, intelligent review. "Meh," raves The New York Times. "The play itself...eh," proclaims Peter Travers of the Rolling Stones.)
Afterwards, there was an optional cocktail reception with the students, which I went to for all of four seconds before I realized I was being far too ambitious and promptly returned to the hotel to go to sleep. Which I then did. Quite soundly. But only for about eight hours (which sounds like a lot, but it so, so wasn't) before we were up again to take a walk through the rainy streets to ACT's costume shop, a Tardis-like building: unassuming from the outside, inside a maze of rooms that went back and back and back. I got to touch the costumes used in their production of Taming of the Shrew back in the 70s, which I had watched many a times on Youtube. That was pretty great.
Then, we returned to the main ACT building for a vocal warm-up with Jeffrey Crockett, thus kind of beginning the official audition portion. I have to admit, for some reason, it was really hard for me to connect with the lesson or to relax. I think it was just the extra pressure I was putting on myself, and the fact that I wasn't quite sure when we were or weren't being assessed (a distinction that quickly became apparent to me later in the day, so I can safely say they are NOT really assessing the vocal warm-up. That is there for you and your benefit).
Next were the individual monologue presentations, which were actually the least stressful part of the day for me. That is something you have prepared for, you know what to expect and you're ready (or at least you should be). It was a lot of waiting around, and I of course was last. You just go in, do your two monologues and song, and walk out. I felt pretty connected to my pieces and positive about my performance.
Next, we had a meeting with Cary Perloff, the artistic director of ACT. It was really lovely to hear her speak about theater. She's incredibly passionate and eloquent (as you'd have to be as an artistic director). Then, a quick financial aid meeting. Then FINALLY THANK GOD LUNCH TIME. Some of the first and second year students joined us to eat and answer some of our questions, but honestly my brain needed down time, and my stomach need food ASAP, so I was more focused on that than I was on having a serious conversation with the students.
Next, we had a workshop with the head of physical theatre, Stephen Buescher. This is when I realized that we were definitely being assessed. A whole slew of the staff were in the room with us, lined up against one wall, with all the stacks of our resumes. During this whole workshop, and the next one, they were looking through the resumes and scribbling notes on it. It was terrifying despite my attempts to ignore it. The workshop started with just some general movement work in the group, which was fun. Stephen Buescher clearly knows his shit. However, it then transitioned into this improvisational work, and I felt incredibly subpar about my performance. I'm not very good at improv, unless I'm in a space with people I know and trust with a teacher who has worked with me and knows me. It's a slow process for me, so just being thrown into that situation was not good. But, there was nothing I could have done in advance to prepare, so... I tried to shake off my immense disappointment as we transitioned into a workshop with the co-head of voice and dialects, Lisa Ann Porter, which was a much more positive experience for me. I didn't necessarily feel like I stood out in any way, but I think I did a solid job. Then...just a few more Q&As with staff members we hadn't met yet, and then it was over.
I headed to a bar with some of the people from my group who were sticking around that night, and we drank and relaxed and watched the Oscars before heading back to the hotel and continuing the party there. It was really great to blow off steam after such an intense and stressful day. I woke up the next morning hungover, incredibly congested and with a terrible sore throat. I'm just glad my body held out until the end. I felt...empty. And sick. And a bit disappointed. But also incredibly lucky that I had gotten the opportunity to go to San Fran, meet incredible artists and be reminded why I love theatre. I left for the airport and returned home, where I found out that people had already started receiving offers. I heard back at the end of the next day, when I got an email saying I had been chosen as a reserve, and that I'd find out towards the end of the month if they would have a place for me. I still haven't heard anything back, so I'm assuming no one has dropped out.
So, a largely positive experience. It really is a great opportunity, and they treat you so well while you're there. They really made me fall in love with the school, so that did make the rejection a bit harder (rather than when you audition for a school you've never visited and they say no). And I was disappointed in myself for my performance in the physical theatre workshop (or, rather, lack of performance). But, in those situations, you just have to focus on the positive because so much is out of your control.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Stats
On February 26th, I heard back from George Washington University via email in regards to my application for their classical acting program -- I didn't get in. I was a little bummed, mostly because I knew that I could have done better at my initial callback, but I also knew that I hadn't done well and therefore my hopes were not that high. But, a rejection is a rejection, and it always hurts a bit.
So, going into my callback weekend for ACT, these were my stats so far:
Guildhall: final recall audition, two days between May 18th - 23rd.
Bristol Old Vic: shortlisted, will hear final decision in early May.
RCS: accepted!
LAMDA: no response yet.
Juilliard: no end of the day callback, rejected.
Yale: no end of the day callback, rejected.
TISCH: no end of the day callback, rejected.
ACA: end of the day callback but ultimately rejected.
ACT: final callback weekend, March 1st - 3rd.
Old Globe: no response yet.
So, going into my callback weekend for ACT, these were my stats so far:
Guildhall: final recall audition, two days between May 18th - 23rd.
Bristol Old Vic: shortlisted, will hear final decision in early May.
RCS: accepted!
LAMDA: no response yet.
Juilliard: no end of the day callback, rejected.
Yale: no end of the day callback, rejected.
TISCH: no end of the day callback, rejected.
ACA: end of the day callback but ultimately rejected.
ACT: final callback weekend, March 1st - 3rd.
Old Globe: no response yet.
More results!
The same day as I found out about RCS, I got a call while I was at work from a number in San Francisco. Too shaky and shocked to answer, I let it go to voicemail and hyperventilated for a moment before listening. It was Melissa Smith, asking me to call her back as soon as possible. After I had calmed the butterflies (a bit), I rang her back and she told me she would like to have me come for the final callback weekend at ACT.
Huzzah!
Then, two days later (February 14th), I received this email from Bristol Old Vic:
Huzzah!
Then, two days later (February 14th), I received this email from Bristol Old Vic:
Huzzah!
(More later.)
Monday, April 7, 2014
RCS Result!
A week after my Royal Conservatoire of Scotland audition, I received this email. The conditional offer was based on me sending in a transcript from my university so they could confirm that I'm eligible for the MA. So, basically...I got in!
George Washington ACA (February 9, 2014)
The last audition.
I can't even explain how burnt out I was at this point, and the prospect of waking up at around 7am on a Saturday was not a happy one. But, I was so close to being done... As long as I kept reminding myself of the celebration my friends had planned for later in the evening, I could muster up enough strength to get through this final audition.
The audition was at the Goodman, and the mandatory group warm-up started at 9:30am. I knew a couple of people auditioning, so it was nice to have friendly faces waiting for me when I arrived, making the audition more of a fun outing than a chore.
We had a really nice, long warm-up with Gary Logan, the director of the program, and Ellen O'Brien, head of voice and text. They were both really warm and lovely, and the audition room felt very relaxed and welcoming, including all of the other auditioners. The warm-up actually really helped, especially considering it was Saturday morning, and considering the week I (and most of the other people there) had. We returned to the lobby and were called in one by one for the initial audition. Because their program is specifically focused on classical acting, it required two Shakespeare monologues.
After the initial audition, we all waited around for the end of the day callback list to be posted. Luckily, all of my friends and I were on it, so there was no awkward goodbyes. I was really pleased to get called back; I had wanted to end the week strong, and it was especially nice to get some validation after my mental struggles with my LAMDA audition. Despite the program's reputation for wanting older actors, we were surprised to find that most of the people called back were pretty young. We waited in a different room for our turns, and in the meantime chatted a bit amongst ourselves. For the callbacks, they request that you have prepared a modern piece, as well as a couple extra Shakespeare. When I went in, they had me do my contemporary speech and then had me re-do one of my Shakespeare's from my original audition. I was then given some direction that was incredibly confusing to me in the moment, although looking back on it I think he was just trying to get me to say my Shakespeare piece in a more natural, contemporary tone (I have been accused in the past of "singing" Shakespeare). However, I think due to my split-second confusion, it made my re-do of the Shakespeare piece incredibly strange and muddled. I walked out feeling that, while it was no one's fault, I just hadn't jived with that piece of direction and probably didn't leave a very strong impression. When I talked to my other friends, none of our callback experiences were the same.
While I was slightly disappointed that I hadn't delivered my best, I was so pleased to have gotten a callback on my last audition and also that IT WAS MY LAST AUDITION!! That night, I celebrated with my lovely, supportive friends, first by going to the Carriage House (where we all stuffed ourselves on Southern comfort food) and then drinking and dancing. And then, of course, passing out in my bed without setting an alarm -- a nearly forgotten luxury.
I can't even explain how burnt out I was at this point, and the prospect of waking up at around 7am on a Saturday was not a happy one. But, I was so close to being done... As long as I kept reminding myself of the celebration my friends had planned for later in the evening, I could muster up enough strength to get through this final audition.
The audition was at the Goodman, and the mandatory group warm-up started at 9:30am. I knew a couple of people auditioning, so it was nice to have friendly faces waiting for me when I arrived, making the audition more of a fun outing than a chore.
We had a really nice, long warm-up with Gary Logan, the director of the program, and Ellen O'Brien, head of voice and text. They were both really warm and lovely, and the audition room felt very relaxed and welcoming, including all of the other auditioners. The warm-up actually really helped, especially considering it was Saturday morning, and considering the week I (and most of the other people there) had. We returned to the lobby and were called in one by one for the initial audition. Because their program is specifically focused on classical acting, it required two Shakespeare monologues.
After the initial audition, we all waited around for the end of the day callback list to be posted. Luckily, all of my friends and I were on it, so there was no awkward goodbyes. I was really pleased to get called back; I had wanted to end the week strong, and it was especially nice to get some validation after my mental struggles with my LAMDA audition. Despite the program's reputation for wanting older actors, we were surprised to find that most of the people called back were pretty young. We waited in a different room for our turns, and in the meantime chatted a bit amongst ourselves. For the callbacks, they request that you have prepared a modern piece, as well as a couple extra Shakespeare. When I went in, they had me do my contemporary speech and then had me re-do one of my Shakespeare's from my original audition. I was then given some direction that was incredibly confusing to me in the moment, although looking back on it I think he was just trying to get me to say my Shakespeare piece in a more natural, contemporary tone (I have been accused in the past of "singing" Shakespeare). However, I think due to my split-second confusion, it made my re-do of the Shakespeare piece incredibly strange and muddled. I walked out feeling that, while it was no one's fault, I just hadn't jived with that piece of direction and probably didn't leave a very strong impression. When I talked to my other friends, none of our callback experiences were the same.
While I was slightly disappointed that I hadn't delivered my best, I was so pleased to have gotten a callback on my last audition and also that IT WAS MY LAST AUDITION!! That night, I celebrated with my lovely, supportive friends, first by going to the Carriage House (where we all stuffed ourselves on Southern comfort food) and then drinking and dancing. And then, of course, passing out in my bed without setting an alarm -- a nearly forgotten luxury.
LAMDA Audition (February 7, 2014)
(It's a slow day at work, so I may as well keep updating...)
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...
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
Old Globe Audition (February 5, 2014)
After my jam-packed Tuesday experience, only having one audition sounded like a breeze! I only experience slight nerves on my way to the Hyatt Regency for my audition for the Old Globe program at 10:15am. (The nerves escalated slightly as I ONCE AGAIN got lost.)
They were running a bit behind, so I ended up waiting outside the room for about fifteen minutes. When I was called in, it went by in the blink of an eye. The two men inside the room were incredibly friendly and put me at ease. I introduced myself, did my two pieces and then we briefly chatted about them and about my resume, mostly just the fact that I played viola. And that was all.
It seems even unnecessary to blog about it, but for consistency's sake...
I did not have high hopes for the audition anyway, as Old Globe is notoriously selective (even MORE selective than all the other insanely selective programs for which I was auditioning). They also have no callback process -- it all rests on those initial ten minutes. I didn't feel bad about my audition, but I was realistic about my chances. I hopped on a bus and went back to work. They don't let you know if you got in until around the end of March, but I wasn't holding my breath.
They were running a bit behind, so I ended up waiting outside the room for about fifteen minutes. When I was called in, it went by in the blink of an eye. The two men inside the room were incredibly friendly and put me at ease. I introduced myself, did my two pieces and then we briefly chatted about them and about my resume, mostly just the fact that I played viola. And that was all.
It seems even unnecessary to blog about it, but for consistency's sake...
I did not have high hopes for the audition anyway, as Old Globe is notoriously selective (even MORE selective than all the other insanely selective programs for which I was auditioning). They also have no callback process -- it all rests on those initial ten minutes. I didn't feel bad about my audition, but I was realistic about my chances. I hopped on a bus and went back to work. They don't let you know if you got in until around the end of March, but I wasn't holding my breath.
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