Let it rain

I think if most actors were asked what the perfect state of mind going into an audition is, they would say something along the lines of what results from getting a restful eight hours of sleep the night before, listening to some calming music while enjoying a cup of tea and getting centered, having a stress-free commute, getting to the audition location with enough time to chill and take a moment, and entering the room focused and composed -- basically something that leaves them feeling like this as they enter the room:

img src: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9Hd-qCgVo7nkQucW1epqhX5am-O80krzoM-Y25CenPHQOwfobl72nUTKAFq97dtQ9Vuo54wUvTscmbyfGz56VRRuDB1wwmEGjjUCv6fxAwvMN3oeVeVcQdvePexbzWV8gUgiJwHomaZC/s1600/Day15.jpg

 

Probably no one in their right mind would describe the setup I had the other day, which left me entering the room feeling more like this: 

img src: https://lknbeautyinstrength.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/stressed1.jpg

But for me, I think it led to one of my most fun auditions ever.

After a stressful morning of dealing with a massive condo application that requires every piece of information about my life I can gather, followed by an on-camera audition where I was delighted that someone let me be funny, I had 45 minutes to make it from the Upper West to my 2nd audition, a dramatic theatre audition -- in Brooklyn, which I don't know at all -- so I ran out of the building into the windy rainy dark, ran to the subway while looking up how to get there, hopped on the crowded rush-hour train, got off in Brooklyn, where it was now windier and darker and pouring sideways, got briefly lost trying to find the address (and was ever-so-grateful that I'd just gotten a waterproof iPhone case); my umbrella broke; I was soaking wet; I felt like Joey in this scene:  

my rain-ruined mascara was probably making me look like this lady:

img src:http://genius.com/4754419

I walked in right as they were going to end and the monitor told me I made it just in time; I handed the monitor my headshot, ripped off my rain coat, took one sip of water, skipped into the room with a big smile (dumping my raincoat and backpack and pink umbrella by the door), answered their questions about the weather with a grin, and did my scene with absolutely nothing to lose and full of movement and life. The only thing that would have made that experience more fun is if it had actually been raining in the audition room.  Least stressful audition ever.  I would pick that experience over a waiting room full of overprepared, nervous, primping actors any day.  But maybe without the runny mascara.