Audition Journal #3: Actors Theatre of Louisville

Date: February 3, 2011, 11:25 am
Auditioned For: Michael Legg, Director of the Apprentice/Intern Company
Pieces: Joan la Pucelle from Henry VI Part I
Steph from Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil LaBute
Attire: Dark blue sleeveless blouse with lace yoke
High-waist brown pencil skirt
Gray lace-up oxford heels

I have drooled over the apprenticeship at the Actors Theatre of Louisville for years. When I found out they were going to be at KCACTF while I was there, I assumed I would not audition. I was there for dramaturgy, I was unprepared, and I did not want my first audition to be piss-poor. I went to Mr. Legg's workshop about networking and found out that he couldn't stand Neil LaBute. They're a theatre that does new and contemporary plays and what do I have to present? Shakespeare and Neil Freaking LaBute. I figured that was the deal breaker (along with the fact that I did not bring headshots and resumes to the conference) and I would go on my nerdy dramturgical way. My teacher thought differently, and probably wisely. She's aware of my willingness to back out of situations like that, so she made me turn around and go talk to him about an audition slot. He said he'd like to see whatever pieces I had, even if they were Shakespeare and LaBute and put me down for an audition.

I warmed up with Dan and Kelly as best as I could in a pencil skirt and quickly got annoyed about doing Joan in the clothes I had picked for my interview earlier that day. Joan la Pucelle does not wear pencil skirts. Mr. Legg spent a good fifteen minutes each with my friends, who auditioned before me as my tongue decided to get dry and mealy. I went in, not particularly nervous, but also not very hopeful. Michael Legg was joined by Bruce Price, Production Manager of the Florida Studio Theatre. I presented Steph followed by Joan and afterwords was offered a seat by Mr. Legg. While the audition was probably poop, getting to talk to him was worth signing up. I told him I was a dramaturg as well and he suggested the Actors Theatre's literary internship, but also said it would be insanely competitive and probably not worth my time to apply as a first-time dramaturg. (However, I am going to put the application together and mention the meeting in my cover letter and request advice for next time.)We also discovered that he is a huge fan of my hometown, to the point that he named his dog after it! It was an absolute pleasure to meet him and speak with him.

Mr. Price from FST gave me his card and asked me to look at their literary internship, which I am adding to my list of applications.

This morning, I received an email on behalf of Mr. Legg saying that now was not the best time in my career to apply to the Apprentice Company at the Actors Theatre. So my dream internship isn't happening just yet, but I did make good contacts in Mr. Legg and Mr. Price and learned the value of having a wide variety of monologues on-hand. I have come away from the audition and the conference as a whole with a determination to pursue the actor I want to be rather than settling for the actor I am.