My first official acting audition ever was with an LA Based Casting Director on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. I would not have dared, if a friend did not suggest I tried it. I finally succumbed to her persistence and faithful nudging.
I was to have an audition before the main audition to see if I even qualified to see this Casting Director. It could be called the hierarchical glass ceiling of auditions (I made that phrase up). So while I sat in the waiting room area contemplating how not to jump of the 11th floor window, I decided to just leave (with the elevator) and forget I even made such a mistake of showing up.
Just then, the CD walked by the reception and asked if I was being helped. I answered that I was and sat back with anguish (written all over my face) as I continued planning my unconventional escape. Then surprisingly he asked me to come right in for a screen test and commence with the audition. In case you did not notice, we just skipped the middle man (qualifying-audition).
As soon as I stepped in front of the camera, I lost all sense of time place and reason. I floated along effortlessly with my script... I was in my element. All the nerves in the world did not trump the fact that it felt right and the time had come. As I traipsed in wonderland, I heard a voice calling me back to reality. I jostled my self and waited for the exit sign to start blaring and doors opening to speed up my farewell.
No such thing happened. The Casting Director smiled, shook his head and picked up a baby picture from a file on the table and said... "This is when you should have started this business, you were great."
Epilogue/Rewind: Some years back...The school was Corona Primary, the stage was the National Stadium. My teacher had put such high hopes on me during our successful rehearsals that we expected nothing to go wrong. Nothing did. Until I walked up to the stage, hit the spotlight and then froze. The curse was in full effect.
Prologue: A couple of friends watched me perform the other day to a very entertained audience. After the show, I asked them did I seem nervous or bothered. "Not at all". Was their reply, "we barely even recognized that Super Star..."
Thank GOD, the curse is broken.
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