I’m talking to you, kitchen dancer, hair brush singer, impassioned performer of the shower soliloquy. That’s right, day dreamers, script readers, dramatic bow givers. It’s time. Dust off your tap shoes, sip a little lemon tea and read on, because here, for your pre-auditioning pleasure, are seven reasons you are going to try out for community theatre this year:
1) For fun. Let yourself be someone else for a couple of hours each night. Dress up! Pretend! That life you live every single other day of the year will be waiting for you after the run. Yank on a hoop skirt and twirl a little, loosen up your hips and rock.
2) Because you’re just the right age. You can’t be too old for community theatre. You’re probably not too young either. Grab a script and take a look. The perfect part is right there waiting for you. Go get it. Now!
3) The director wants you to. Honestly. You won’t be wasting anyone’s time or infringing on anyone’s space. You deserve an audition spot and any theatre company would be happy to give it to you. Read the script, prepare, take a deep breath and…go!
4) Applause. Come on, in what other capacity will people applaud you — literally clap their hands together and hurrah for what you did? Everyone deserves to take a real bow at least once in their life.
5) Connections. You meet all kinds of cool people when you spend a summer on the boards. There will be actors, for sure. But there will be teachers, doctors, business owners, college students, precocious kids, and all kinds of interesting folk. One summer play can yield a lifetime of friendships.
6) It’s a brave thing to do. You’ll be nervous. Everyone is. You’ll see talented people whose warm up exercises alone intimidate you. Your first instinct might be to turn and flee. Don’t do it. Stand your ground. You’re going to feel really proud of yourself once you nail that audition. I promise.
7) You’ll learn. Community theatres have high standards. People pay good money to see these shows. They recruit talent to build sets, design costumes, play music, collect props and perform. The whole situation is rife with education and you’ll be in the thick of it. Maybe you haven’t auditioned for a play since you nailed the part of Miss Biddy the Hen Royal in the sixth grade talent show. Maybe you’re a theatre major who plans to make acting your career. Or, maybe you’ve always wondered how it felt to say a line, hit a mark, or line up for a curtain call. I’m telling you this is your summer. Go get it. No day, but today.
You know…. I never thought about this? No, I won’t be auditioning for on stage – I can’t sing, dance, or remember my own name, let alone lines. But sewing for a local theater could be really fun! Thanks for the idea!
Oh man, there’s a special spot in heaven for people who sew costumes!
Oh good – I need all the help I can get in that area! 😉