Dipping My Toes Into Musical Theatre

About 7 years ago I auditioned for my first musical. Being new to the theatre world my mom looked online for anything she could find. She came across an audition notice for 'Will Rogers Follies' at Performance Riverside. Mind you we had no idea this was a professional theatre. We decided to both audition for the show and we went to the music store to buy sheet music. I had no idea where to start so my mom taught me "16  Going on 17" from Sound of Music. All day and night I practiced to the CD that was included with the sheet music only looking at the music to see the words. Audition day came around and I was ready to sing what I had learned. When I got there they split up all of the adults and children and had the children go into the theatre and learn a song that was sung by the kids in the show. The theatre seemed bigger than anything I had ever seen before. I was mad the entire audition because I didn't know the song that they were teaching us and I wasn't given the opportunity to sing my song. After I was cut my mom went to do her audition. We both left that day feeling unsure about doing musical theatre. I waited and waited to hear back from Performance Riverside and nothing. It wasn't until we received a letter in the mail from them. Little did I know is that they send rejection letters. Of course they don't do that anymore ... thank god. When I got that letter I was so mad that I ripped it into a thousand pieces. I told my mom I would never audition for another musical ever again. 

Well I sure didn't follow that vow. Mom made me try another audition but this time it was for a smaller theatre and for a show that we really didn't have any clue what it was about. The show was 'Pied Piper the Musical' at Chino Community Theatre. I practiced my song more and more hoping I would get to sing it this time. There was no telling what was going to happen at this audition. I get to the theatre and there are barely any kids there.... then I realized I was there the second day of auditions. There were only three boys and me. We all go into the audition room and I am terrified. We sing our songs (THANK GOD) and then we do readings. It was probably my worst reading ever because I thought we were just supposed to read the words....not act at the same time. 

The two directors said the first general meeting and read-through were that following day (on Monday) and we should here about whether or not we were in by the end of the night. I wait and wait ...nothing. No calls. I start getting dejected so my mom takes me to the theatre the day or the meeting to see if I was cast at all. We walk up to the director and ask if I was even cast in the show. She looks at her clipboard and says " Why of course! You are playing Melanie the Messenger". I was filled with excitement and felt soo accomplished. When I think about it now my mom is pretty intimidating and the director probably made up a role for me right there. But it doesn't matter now because that small role started a life that I never expected to happen.