4 Days till 30- 2003

I started auditioning again and it was exhausting, but I loved it! I was non union at the time so the morning looked like this. Wake up, shower, run to the audition place, sign up myself and any other people that I might know and then run to the next place sign up and hope that it will be possible to run back and forth without missing my name being called. Once you miss it, you go to the end of the day (which means you can't actually get in before you have to be at work...) So on this early April morning I wake up for an audition with the Prather Family of Theatres. I had never heard of them before, but they have three theatres and what looked like a lot of opportunity. They also payed pretty well (that is, they pay well using actor's standards- you can get by, but truly it has never been about money for me. If it was, I would have left the business a long time ago!) Anyway, like most audition days I worked the night before and I was exceptionally tired. This morning I decided that I would go sign in at 8:30 and then go back home to Astoria, grab an hour more of sleep and then hopefully make it back in time to hear my name, audition, and then run to my callback for the Networks tour of Oliver. My number was somewhere in the 70s so I determined that they would probably see about 30 an hour, which was perfect because I had some time for that nap I so desperately wanted. I came back to the audition at around 1230 and to my surprise this audition worked differently than any other. When the monitor got there at 9:30 he called through the list and only took people who were physically present. OOPS! On top of that the monitor was lining up the last group to be seen. So, I panicked a bit and then realized that the monitor was someone I had worked with before (We had done Evita together). I told Shawn the abridged version of my story and he said "I'll put you last in this group, but hurry you all go in together." See, I was only half dressed. I was wearing my dress over my jeans and sneakers. I ran to the dressing room, threw off my pants and threw on my heels and got back in line just before all ten of us walked into the room. Now, I have to sidebar for a moment. Never do we audition in front of one another. This was a unique experience. They had chairs lined up along the sidewall and each person would get up in turn and go to the piano show their music and then sing. It was kind of cool, but I was last and I had a lot of time to sit there and get more and more nervous. I had decided that I would sing As Long As He Needs Me because I was called back that afternoon for Nancy in Oliver and it would be a good opportunity to try out the material. I had worked with the casting director of Oliver on the song the previous week, so I was prepared. Plus, I had played the role before and I loved it. I knocked it out! I was asked to a callback for that afternoon. Problem was I was already scheduled to be somewhere else for the afternoon. I told Shawn my dilemma and they agreed to see me through their lunch break. I had been called back for Aldonza in Man of La Mancha. I went in and read through a scene, was given some direction and then asked to do it again. Then they asked me to sight read a piece of music. The pianist played through it a few times and then I sang it. The director came up to me and actually shook my hand and told me what a pleasure it was to meet me. Now, for all you business types, this sounds like par for the course, but let me assure you in this business it is not. I figured I must have impressed him. A week later I was called and offered the job. It would be starting in two weeks in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Playing Aldonza was the best theatre experience I have ever known. My director, Seth Reines was so supportive and amazing. On the first day of rehearsal he came to me and said, "There are going to be some difficult moments in this process. If at any time you are uncomfortable or need to stop, say the word." See, Aldonza is whipped and raped in the show. But, Seth created such a safe rehearsal environment that I felt I could put myself in a vulnerable place and be taken care of. It was such a fulfilling experience. I opened my eyes that summer...