SWS Auditions

The day after returning from NYC (5-7-06) I was scheduled to work eight hours to cover for a friend, and then at precisely 4:05pm I was slotted to audition for the 2006-2007 season of Southwest Shakespeare, one of the top classical theatre companies in the state. I had to audition in front of Jared Sakren, the company Artistic Director. Jared has decades of theatre experience in performing, teaching, and directing. Among former students are such names as Kevin Kline and Helen Hunt. I've been in two SWS shows so far: As You Like It (Charles the Wrestler) and King Lear (I got to tie up the Duke of Gloucester and help put his eyes out). One nice perk about doing a show with them is that you get paid a bit. Signing the contract was memorable ("...Zachary Taylor, hereafter named 'Artist, ' agrees to provide the following services for the company: Actor...").
I had prepared two pieces for the audition. The first was a monologue by Trinculo from The Tempest. I've always found it funny. I was gratified to hear a chuckle from Jared near the beginning of the piece. Upon finishing he asked me for my other piece (encouraging). So I did the Friar Laurence speech from R & J when he comments on how both poison and medicine can
be found in a plant, just as good and evil can both reside in a person.
It went well. Much better than last year for sure, when Jared told me straightaway that there wasn't anything for me. This time he simply said, "Great. Callbacks are in two weeks. We'll be letting people know soon." So, I am not totally certain he will call me back, but at least he mentioned them.