You're Up. The Big Audition...

I had an audition on Monday for the TV show Sense 8.

I got the audition on a Thursday.  Told them the time was wrong because I teach my clowning class at a high school.

I used to audition a lot.  I'd move life, kids, shows, school, seeing my mother...everything to go to the audition.

this time I didn't care.  I only get one or two of these a year so the odds are really stacked against me.

Which is no excuse.

All very good stories in my brain.

I had a script to practice.  I didn't even look at it till the day before.  Then did some small memorizing, thinking who cares anyway I'm not getting this.

It turns out, it is a really good part.  the person auditioning me, said I have a really good quality for the character they are looking for.

But I was ill prepared.

I forgot my rules.  if you are going to do it. Do it well.  You are not only trying to do a good job but impress the casting person. The casting person is the one that can think of you the next time.

I did not fully memorize the script.  I was ok but so so.  I also should have broken down the script, made acting choices on each line.

Blown opportunity.  I am so mad at myself.  There is no one to blame but me.  Preparing for an audition is really good acting practice.  Even if I didn't get the part, a good opportunity to just practice the craft of acting.

oy.

My New Friend...

Have I talked about being an extra?

No.

OK.  It's something I try to do because I'm in the Screen Actors Guild and it pays pretty well.  They are a little hard to land but it's sort of fun to sit around a movie set and eat M & Ms all day.

And sometimes you meet interesting people.

This is a movie called Etruscan Smile.  (of course subject to change.  That's a terrible name by the way).

We shot in a hospital in San Francisco.  I was in the background visiting someone in the hospital.

I sat in a room with fake nurses, fake doctors, fake family and fake patients.

we sat and sat.  I listened to as many podcasts as I could stand, then I struck up a conversation with the fellah next to me.

He didn't seem that interesting to me.  An older fellah. He was in a hospital gown with a fake I.V. and  a tube running up his nose.

We started talking acting.  It was pretty interesting.

Then he said, he had takes some time off to do a clown training.  I casually said, "who did you study with"

I don't tend to reveal my true identity.  It's a lot of work and explanation.

He said, Clown College then he toured with Ringling Brothers.

Me too!  says I.

We were off and running.  Because we were there for 9 hours before they needed us.  (yes NINE).  We talked and talked and shared memories and clown gags.

It was so fun.  He was from another clown era.  My training experience with clowning has mostly been very serious.  When I discuss clowning, I am often overly thoughtful about the concepts.

Len had toured in the 70s with Lou Jacobs and Otto Griebling.  Legends.

And Len just made me happy to be a clown.

We didn't talk about the state of clowning or my theories of why my income has gone down or why people "say" they are afraid of clowns.

It was just who we had seen, traveling in the circus. puns and laughing.

Len lives about 60 or 70 miles from me but I decided I'm going to be his friend.

I don't do this often.  But I need him in my life.  A clown that isn't serious.   Isn't that strange?  I just want to laugh about the old times.  I want to watch Buster Keaton with someone just for fun.

We've emailed 10 times since I saw him a few days ago.  I think we needed each other in our lives.

People are interesting.  The person next to you might be the most interesting person in the world.  And he is.