Recently I had an audition for a play. I came in for a specific role, although after seeing my work the director asked if I wouldn’t mind staying longer and reading for a different role. This isn’t unusual, and I have to admit it’s not my favorite occurrence as I am a big believer in hours and hours of preparation for each audition, but what can you do? I’m obviously not being considered for the first part, and I’d rather get a crack at something else then just go home.
As it turns out I must have shown them something good in the new role because the director complimented my work and did something very rare—she informed me that I would receive a callback, and that I should be thinking more about the new part I just read for, than the old part I had originally prepared. No problem! It’s nice to get that kind of instant feedback in an audition.
The next day my agents called and told me that I did indeed have a callback, but for the original role I prepared for, and not the new role the director had told me to think about. I reminded my agents of what had transpired in the room and as politely as possible asked them to double-check the information—I did not want to prepare the wrong part twice! They checked and assured me that the director must have changed her mind—I was to be seen at the callback for the original role.
Do you know where this is headed? I spent many hours preparing my callback material. I got to the callback early, warmed up, signed in, and was promptly pulled aside by a casting assistant. Apparently, there was a miscue between the director and the casting director, and you guessed it, I had once again prepared the wrong material. They handed me the callback material for the other part and I once again scrambled in my few precious minutes to get ready.
Now at this point I suppose I could have thrown a fit. I could have yelled at my agents for not checking more thoroughly, the casting director for making a mistake, and the director for putting me on the spot. Unfortunately, I have seen actors on numerous occasions and in similar circumstances do all of these things and more.
But wait a minute. To blow up like that would be a very short-sighted response. True, I got a raw deal. But let’s examine all of the facts. The director and casting director gave me a callback. They like my work! Both of them will undoubtedly be involved in the casting of many projects in the future that will contain parts for which I am or will be right. Is it really worth damaging my relationship with them and losing all of those future opportunities just so I can vent? Absolutely not. Plus, I’m clearly still in the running for this part!
Let us all remember that industry professionals are human and sometimes make mistakes. Were I to take them to task for an honest error I invite them to judge me by the same impossible standards of perfection in turn. It’s the Golden Rule in action.
