I Remember My First Time...

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Audition Songs

I love reading about the behind the scenes stuff of Broadway andthis article onPlaybill talks about performers first auditions. It's very heartening to know famous stars had less-than-illustrious first auditions!

My first high school audition for a leading role was greeted the comment: "Are you sure you don't want to try out for the chorus? You're such an animated chorus member. We really need you there..."

My first university audition (for Gladys Hotchkiss in The Pajama Game) went much better. Wearing my Commerce 86 jacket I overacted and undersang my way through "Adelaide's Lament" for the director (Michael Stotts) and the choreographer (David Ivey). I even brought a book (a prop!) to read from. They smiled and applauded -- bless their hearts. And I got the part.

Gary Beach who is now up for a Tony Award for his performance as Albin inLa Cage aux Folles had his first audition described by Playbill:

Gary Beach, the drag-diva old-married of La Cage aux Folles, drove up from school in North Carolina in the late '60s for his first audition when he read that Lincoln Center was reviving Oklahoma! "I walked into a cattle call and waited around for hours. Finally I had to use the facility so I went to the men's room. I was standing at the urinal whistling, for some strange reason, 'Pore Jud Is Daid,' and I looked to my left and there was Richard Rodgers staring me in the face, like, 'Have you lost your mind?' Needless to say, I didn't get into the show. My fate, you could say, was met there at the urinal at Lincoln Center."
By Suzy Conn on June 4, 2005 6:52 AM | | Comments (0)


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