Yes ladies and gentleman, you read that right. The movie Flashdance has been made into a musical and will soon be making its debut on a Broadway stage near you. The musical already had a debut in London (see here) and is making the big puddle jump over to the USA. It is choreographed by Sergio Trujillo the wonderful choreographer of Memphis, so I was excited to go audition and see what he planned on doing with the show. Getting back on the audition scene was a little bit of a shock to the system, there were just sooo many girls there. They refused to see any non-equity dancers and the even closed the call to equity girls promptly at 10am.
I signed up on the chorus call list at the Actor's Equity building before hand, and made it to the audition in time to here the list called*see note if you need further explanation* I was number twenty-six and made it into the first group of dancers to be seen. When we get into the room Sergio wasn't there but two of his assistants were. They began teaching us a contemporary ballet combination! What a surprise! The combo was not at all what I was expecting for Flashdance and I immediately had to lose my shoes because it was so slippery in there. The routine was fairly short and was a mixture of ballet, body rolls, and off the leg kicks to the side. So much fun, but a little hard for me to do since I am NO concert dancer.
After we all learned the combo we went in groups of five and I was in the last group to perform. We did the combination twice and it went fine, but I had a hop on my double pirouette which is never good and felt a little awkward all around. They made a cut and I was not asked to stay, boo! They kept a lot of shorter girls, but there were a few taller girls in the mix. I know that afterwards they did a second combination which was a mix of hip-hop and jazz and that no one sang that day. While I was bummed not to continue on I am excited about what Sergio Trujillo is going to do with the show. It looks awesome so far!
*side note: For every equity chorus call, both singers and dancers, there is a list that is put up at the Actor's Equity building about a week before the audition. Anyone who wants to audition can sign up on the list. Then 30 minutes before the start of every audition the names on the list are read and those people are given numbers in the order in which they are called. Anyone who does not sign up on the list, must wait until all the names have been read and then they will get a number. Signing up gets you a lower number and better odds at being in the first group, thus less waiting around time. But you must get there in time to hear the list read or you miss your spot and have to wait until the end like everyone else.
At the end of my previous post, I was hoping to get a callback for Chicago. I should tell you, now that it is all said and done with, that what really happened at the end of the audition was that the casting director told me they were going to call me back in the following week to sing and dance again. I hate to jinx myself so didn't want to mention it beforehand. Anyways, the following week I was invited back in for a replacement call for Chicago. We were supposed to sing and dance in the morning and then possibly be available to sing and dance later that day for Walter Bobbie! I was super duper pumped!
The callback happened Friday morning, which also happened to be the first night of previews for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (RCCS), so I had a lot going on that day! I decided to wear the same black unitard I had worn to the previous audition, but this time I wore my hair out and put a red lip on. I arrived to the audition in the morning and there were about 25 girls there. I recognized several of them either from previous auditions or other broadway shows they had done. This was seriously the big leagues!
We went into the room to dance first and were taught the same combination I had learned previously except it had one small eight count change and they added on a little more to the end. We all got a little more into the details with the dance captain and got a chance to go over it several times. Then we did it in groups of three. They didn't make a cut then, but asked us all to go over and sing for the musical director. We ended up having to wait awhile because the boys weren't done singing just yet. Finally, after sitting around for a minute, it was my turn to go in and sing. I sang Come Down from the Tree for just the musical director and Duncan Stewart , the head of the casting office. It didn't go as well as I wanted it to, when does it ever, so I wasn't feeling all that confident afterwards. The musical director was also giving me the evil eye the entire time I sang which didn't do much to help me feel any better.
After all of that they asked us to wait around so that they could make a cut. Those who made the cut would perform for Walter Bobbie. They also stated that they had somewhat changed what they were looking for and there were only 2 slots available at this time. For both men and women! Anyways, cuts were made and, true to my intuition, I didn't make it. Boo! They kept about 5 girls out of the 25, none of whom were tall. I have to tell myself stuff like that to deal with the rejection better. I went about my merry way to have a burger and then make my debut as a Rockette! So honestly I can't really say it was a bad day and plus, its all about the small victories. Today I'm getting called back for Broadway and tomorrow, I'm booking the gig! One step at a time, one step at a time.
I love the musical Chicago. In fact, I would dare to say that it is my favorite dance musical. Not sure if I can give it favorite musical status, especially after just seeing Follies, but it is THE musical that I want to be in on Broadway. That being said you would think that I would have been in to audition for it a million times in the past three years. However, getting to the audition has never worked out until this past week. I noticed that there was an upcoming chorus call for the show and knew they were actively looking for replacements, but the audition time was at the same time as rehearsal for Radio City. So I emailed the casting department and asked if I could come to the boys call earlier in the day and they agreed!
I have never gone to a boys call before, and even though I was equity I still had to wait to be seen with the non-equity boys. Boo to the waiting, but I was just happy to get seen. I also wasn't the only girl there, in the end there were four girls who came to the call. Glancing around I got a chance to do my usual audition outfit survey and there was a unanimous decision to wear all black amongst those auditioning. Some of the girls had chosen two piece outfits, but I myself went with a black unitard. I was also too lazy to wear a red lip or put my hair down. Don't judge.
Anyways, the non-equity group of boys and all four girls finally got into the room as one big group . There were probably around fifty people all trying to learn the combination at once so it was a bit crowded. The combination was taught by the current dance captain of the show and was a little bit from the overture of the show, but primarily consisted of the number All That Jazz. He taught the combination very quickly, stating that he needed to see how fast we would be able to pick the movement up. We were given a chance to practice it once in smaller groups, then it was time to audition. The boys went in groups of three and the girls went last, as a group of four. I had a great time doing the combo and didn't make any mistakes. They made a cut and I was given a chance to sing.
I sang a new song at the audition, Don Juan from Smokey Joe's Cafe and then the casting director asked me if I had something else a little more soprano like. Much to my dismay the accompanist was flipping through my book of music and selected the song for me! That is like audition nightmare central! Luckily he picked Come Down from the Tree from Once on this Island, which I have been working on in class. I sang the song and then casting told me that I should sing that song next time I come in as it is more what the musical director was looking for. Who knew that Chicago didn't want to hear you belt!? I love feedback at auditions because that means they are actually interested in you/think you have potential. So here's to hoping I hear from them soon!
If you haven't read the super long pt.1, scroll down and read that first. Done? Cool.
After eating a substantial breakfast of sausage and oatmeal I returned to Radio City for day two of Rockette auditions. I didn't arrive too early, the audition was at 10am and I got there around 9:30-9:45, and when I walked into the holding room BAM! There were about 40 additional girls in there than the twenty that were left from yesterday. Joy. It was obviously going to be a rough and tumble audition day. I spent my time in the holding room, warming up, reviewing material, and trying to chit chat with people, but everyone was a little stressed understandably. Thankfully, although running a little behind, we were ushered into the audition room to begin the 2nd day.
The first combination we learned was the one from the previous day. Everyone who hadn't learned it moved to the front and we ran through it all the way through. No stopping in between the first and second sessions like yesterday. After everyone felt comfortable its time to perform it for the panel and wouldn't you know they want us to go two at a time! Now, there are over 60 people in the room so this is going to take forever! I wait and wait for my name to be called. (I definitely prefer to be in the beginning or soon after, so that you can just get it over with no standing around letting your mind get the best of you.) What in the world is going on? Oh, I'm at the end, its a bummer to stand around so long, but at least my name is in the pile. Right before I went out, I decided to let all the nerves go. I asked that God's will be done and remembered that this was not the end all be all of things. I stood out on the floor, the music began, I danced, and it was good. I was happy and felt much more stable in my shoes than yesterday. Hooray!
They didn't make a cut and we moved on to tap. They added onto the combination from yesterday and then we danced again. Good. Still no cuts. Now it was time for the last jazz combination. For the past few auditions it has been a combo from the number Shine and today was no different. It was great to already know it and really get a chance to sell it. In May after we did Shine, Linda told all of us auditioners that we had frozen up under pressure and not performed to our full potential. I was not going to let that be the case today. So I just went for it, arabesques, leans, kicks, and all...and...I had fun. Don't tell, but I actually had fun at a Rockette audition! After that, it was time for kicks; which, went off without a hitch (see what I did there?) and it was time to go. She didn't make any cuts on the second day, so we all went back into the holding room to complete our paperwork and then I scurried out of there to my next audition. (more on that later).
Now the great thing about August auditions is that you don't have to wait months for a decision to be made. RC made calls with offers just two days after auditions.....and I got one!! After screaming at the poor women on the phone, I confirmed that I would be in the New York cast of this season's Christmas Spectacular! I am thrilled, in a way that could never adequately be described in writing. After turning it down last year to go on tour I was afraid that I had missed my opportunity, and after not getting the job from the May audition I was pretty sure that was it, but somehow I am going to be kicking it up for Christmas this year!
Blessings have literally been raining from the sky for me. I am incredibly humbled and grateful for it all. I'm checking something ridiculous of my bucket list with this one. Four years ago I was sitting over at 380 Greenwich in a button-down shirt and trousers making pivot tables in excel. Wearing sequins is sooo much better!
Signing off with my senior year h.s. yearbook quote: "Do what you love and love what you do"
P.S. Man this entry got sappy towards the end, sorry about that.
P.P.S. Jeremiah 29:11
This will be my last blog about Rockette auditions. I mean seriously, I've talked about the process so many times my teeth are falling out of my head. But for those of you who want to hear it one more time...here we go!
I didn't get a call from Radio City after the May audition. I flew myself all the way from Nashville, missed part of my last week with Young Frank, did really well at the audition, made it to the end, and nothing. Really? REALLY? When calls started going out, and I didn't get one, I was bummed. Really bummed, but unlike two years ago, I did not breakdown, cry, and feel bad for myself. (Ok, maybe I felt a little bad for myself) To be honest I was a little fed up with the whole process and when people asked me if I was going to go back and audition again I just wasn't quite sure. Truth is, it was a really tough year to get a job. Radio City had to cut two of the out of town shows for the upcoming season and that meant that 40 rockettes would be without work. Any open slots from the three remaining shows would most likely be given to one of the 40 with no place to go. After not getting a job at the first audition, I figured there were just no spots available for me.
When I saw they were going to go ahead and have an August call, I debated with myself if I should go. First, I would be missing some other great auditions happening those same days. Second, rumor had it that there were only around 13 spots available still and that many of those were actually being reserved for current/former rockettes coming to the audition to earn their spot back. But, eventually I just decided to go for it. The Monday of the audition I rolled out of bed, did my hair and makeup, grabbed the same pink leotard I've been wearing for the past 2 years and headed to Radio City Music Hall. As usual, there were far fewer girls at the audition in August than there were in May. I was about #180 and was in the last group of girls to be seen. So there couldn't have been more than 200-220 girls there.
I got into the audition room and they were teaching the same combination from May. Well, almost the same. They love to change up little details like head movements and arms, just enough to keep you on your toes if you'd been to the earlier audition. After learning it we did it three at a time and a cut was made. I got kept. Then all the other girls who had been kept in the earlier groups joined us in the room. We learned the second half of the combination, but whoa! they were trying to change things up! Luckily it was a mish-mash of another audition combo that I knew so it wasn't completely foreign. After learning it, we performed it for Linda and Julie and then they made another cut.
Next was tap. Instead of learning the combination from May, we learned a portion of the dance from "Twelve Days". I had never learned this before so I got really scared, asked questions and made sure I figured it out. When doing a tap audition you always have to know it. Other times maybe you can get away with watching the girl next to you in the mirror, but in tap those sounds have to come from YOUR feet and if you miss a sound or get off the rhythm it is painfully obvious. I got the tap down, we auditioned, and they made yet another cut. Now usually at this point we get told to come back tomorrow but not this time. It was too tough of a year. Linda tells us to put our heels back on and learn a kick combination! NEVER in all 6 of my other times auditioning have I ever kicked on the first day, but here we were kicking.
At this point I was not feeling well. Chalk one up for being dumb and not having a good breakfast/drinking enough water/something. I got the kicking over with but was feeling a little woozy and nauseous. I was a very strange auditionee trying to sneak pieces of bagel out of my bag while other girls were auditioning. After the kicks no cuts were made; instead, its announcd that we will be doing the first jazz combo again! Oh. No. I do not have it in me. I did my best, but felt crappy, and on the final pose when you are supposed to stick the landing like Kerri Strug at the Olympics... I bobbled. Like started to fall off to one side bobble. Oh Lord...come on! Fortunately they let it slide, I made the cut and we were finally told we could come back tomorrow. At this point there were about 24 girls left, but tomrrow, oh tomorrow, would be the day when the rockettes were coming to get their jobs.
A few weeks ago, I went back to the Mary Poppins audition for the first time in almost two years. The last time I went in I made several cuts, so I have been dying to go back in for it, but the timing has never worked out, until now. This particular call was for the national tour. (Do I really want to go on tour again so soon? I don't know but I really like the show and it could be a way into the Broadway company) I made it to the call in time to hear my name called on the equity list (yay for finally being 30min early) but was still in the second group of girls to go into the room. The call almost always starts out in tap shoes and this day was no different. They tend to teach the same thing at these auditions so the more times you go back the more you know the combination. Luckily for me I had been keeping the tap combination in my head, so I remembered it and was able to perform it well. Then they made a cut, and I was kept.
After they went through the rest of the girls, they did see non-equity ladies, we were brought back into the room and taught a second combination. This combination takes place when the statues in the park come to life (Jolly Holiday). We had to pretend to break out of our stone poses and then go into a dance that was one part jazz and the other part ballet. It was really cute, but not the combination I learned at the previous audition which was Supercal. I learned the combo, and really focused on a couple of small details that were giving me trouble. We all danced for the casting folk again and I managed to get through it without any mistakes! At that point I can see that they are making piles for a cut, but instead of announcing it to us they just tell us they will call if they want to hear us sing.
A few days later I get a call to go in and sing for the music team of Mary Poppins. Hooray! I added Happy Working Song to my book last summer with Poppins specifically in mind, so I knew what song I wanted to sing right away. I had a week to prepare and then I headed over to Ripley Grier. I got there slightly before my call time of 11am, only to find that they were running early! So no sooner than I had arrived I had to go into the room and sing! The song went well, the people at the table looked generally pleased and I was told that I did a great job, but I haven't heard back from them.
Sidenote: I know that some people were called back to read sides the following day and I also know that some people received offers for the tour, some leaving this September and others for the tour in 2012. I'm also pretty sure that casting isn't finished yet for 2012 so hears to hoping I still have a shot with them!
A couple of weeks ago I was in rehearsal for a small gig I was doing. Rehearsal was supposed to run from 10-6, but we got out early around 4pm. So I hustled my butt down to Pearl Studios to audition for the New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF). NYMF is a fairly new event in New York City that gives a lot of budding writers/composers/directors/etc. a chance to put up their new musicals in the city. Now this year was the very first year that they held an ECC (equity chorus call) for dancers, and after going to the audition I can see why.
I arrived just barely on time; given that I had to rush from rehearsal to the audition. I checked in with the monitor, changed my clothes, and was attempting to make myself look decent, when someone from the casting office walks into the room and tells us that they will be seeing us all at the same time. Whaaaaaaat???!? Yes, they were going to shove all the equity AND non-equity girls into the audition room at once. Great, its always fun to learn a combination when you are standing in a room so full you feel like cattle in the pen before slaughter. Oh well. We headed into the room and it was PACKED and not only was it packed but the sweet woman teaching the combination must have been about 4'11" so no one can see!
She introduced herself and explained to us that the combination she was about to teach is a mishmash of a lot of different styles of dance. You see, the room was filled with people from ALL the different NYMF shows in need of dancers. Each show of course had different needs and rather than teach several different combinations, they saved time by making one crazy schizophrenic combo that had in it: sexy jazz, tap, hip-hop, and a little acting. It was nuts. After all of us sardines learned the combination we did it in groups and they made a cut. I was asked to stay and sing, but was super confused because they didn't tell you what musical called you back. Which meant I had no clue what type of song to sing! I went with my standard "Waiting for Life" and that was it.
Then two weeks later I got a callback for the NYMF show Central Avenue Breakdown! They were looking for a "a whisky-voiced jazz alto" for a featured ensemble roll. If that doesn't sound like me then what does? I was told to bring a jazz/R&B song and to prepare an excerpt of music from the show. When I arrived at the call today, there was a mixture of both dancers and singers their, which was only setting us up for a long audition especially when we started late. The dancers had to wait while the singers did their movement combination and then approx. 15 of us went in to learn the combination. The combo was a super fun, low to the ground number. Borrowing a lot from the 40s, with basic Lindy steps and the sugarfoot, it also had a high kick and tons of opportunities to show your personality. We all learned the combination, did it four at a time, then were told to go back to the holding room and wait for our turn to sing.
After waiting for a while, I finally requested to be put at the head of the line because I had to go see a show later on that evening. I walked into the room and sang A Sunday Kind of Love. It went very well, but they didn't ask me to sing the music from the show. However, the director/choreographer told me that I had a great audition today and thats all I can really ask for.
Just a twenty something aspiring dancer trying to make it in NYC. I'm always googling to see if anyone has talked about the audition I plan on going to next and since I never find anything I figure I'll help someone else out by writing about my own experiences.
