The Salty's Over - The Final Audition: Washington, DC to Roanoke, VA to Abingdon, VA

I woke up very early, parted ways with Jackie, who was returning to Philadelphia that day, and Maxwell’s Silver Hammer and I began the trip to Roanoke.

We were driving into a winter storm that had everyone on all the news and weather stations abuzz. But in spite of the trepidation this generated in me, the day’s drive proved to be quite lovely. The sky was overcast, but for the most part the snow held off except for an occasional sprinkling, and I was able to enjoy the rolling hills of Virginia as they gave way to mountains that eventually revealed my destination.

Downtown Roanoke is a vibrant collection of restaurants and shops. The city’s Market Square has a comfortable and welcoming feel to it, and is pervaded with a youthful energy. An area of a few blocks is covered by what was the country’s first free WiFi hotspot. In the middle of all of this, the Mill Mountain Theatre makes its home.

My audition was for Patrick Benton, the Artistic Director, a large kindly man who peppered me with questions about my trip and my past as we made our way to their second stage. I would audition on the set of their current production of FULLY COMMITTED (a one-person show I would love to have the opportunity to attempt myself). Once there, I launched into my pieces, undaunted by an incredibly annoying and distracting noise coming from the nearby scene shop.

Partway through Doris’ monologue, I accidentally inhaled the wrong way and dissolved into a coughing fit that robbed me of my voice. Sounding far more verklempt than even Doris could have intended, I valiantly finished the monologue, much to Patrick’s delight. Touchstone’s blustery turn brought more praise, and Patrick not only discussed the possibility of using me in their production of the musical BIG RIVER this summer, but intimated that there might be some good possibilities for me in their next season (which was as yet undecided).

It wasn’t until it was over that I realized I had completed the last audition of the Audyssey! I was pleased that it had ended on such a high note (in spite of my esophageal gaffe) and felt a great sense of accomplishment.

I decided to stay in Roanoke for the evening to see FULLY COMMITTED. I spent the afternoon in a local coffee shop catching up on the blog, and ate dinner at a delicious Thai restaurant before the show, celebrating my achievements with a yummy Thai feast and toasting myself with Thai iced tea.

I was quite pleased to discover that the show (directed by Patrick) was very good. I enjoyed the actor quite a bit, although I kept wishing I was watching my friend Vince Gatton play this part (a brilliant actor in his own right, he is in fact about to open in a production of this play in the Berkshires).

The show ended early enough that I felt comfortable continuing on to my penultimate destination, Abingdon, VA. Again the weather and news outlets all had dire predictions for the entire area, but the night proved to be beautiful, with perfect weather for a drive. A full moon pierced the clouds and illuminated the mountainous countryside, keeping me company and bathing the weathered, tree-covered peaks in magical purple iridescence.