Atlanta Auditions, Part One

This morning I did some further follow-up with theatres (this will continue throughout the next two weeks), pinning down dates and times for various future destinations. I had one audition scheduled today for the afternoon, at the Alliance Theatre, a very important pre-Broadway regional house. I was very excited to be considered by them. I also had been trying to get in touch with the Horizon Theatre, a small theatre in Little Five Points, Atlanta's answer to the East Village, that produces contemporary pieces. At 11:45 I managed to get a hold of the Artistic Director of the Horizon, an incredibly nice and laid-back guy named Jeff Adler, who said he would be happy to see me today. We settled on 1:00, I hung up the phone, flew into the shower and scrambled into Maxwell's Silver Hammer to make my first foray into downtown Atlanta.

The audition for Horizon was brilliant. Jeff was a delight to talk to and audition for. Very down to earth and personable, full of knowledge and thoroughly interested in the Salty B&T. He seemed genuinely impressed and entertained by my two pieces, and laughed in all the right places. I did my audition on the stage, which I adore, and really liked their space. True, they are a small company and the pay is probably less than I would like, but I would work there in a heartbeat! Very Boho and right up my alley!

From the upstart Horizon I made my way to the bastion, the Grande Dame of Atlanta theatre: the Alliance. Sitting in the administrative office just outside the office of the Artistic Director, I must say I didn't feel all that welcome. After some time spent waiting for a key to be found, I was ushered into a small "classroom" and my audition began unceremoniously. I was again pleased with the way my monologues went, but I felt the reception I received was rather chilly.

Afterwards I met up with my cousin Jamie, who also lives in Atlanta and works just a few minutes from the Alliance. We spent the evening together, and had dinner at a beaucoup Boho spot that was packed full of artwork by local artists - two of which were even there in the restaurant working on canvases as we ate. The food was so-so but the ambience was fun and the company was great!

I returned to my Atlanta base to find the kids all ready for bed but excited to get to see me. Adam and Ryan are both very interested in theatre and Carly is surely destined to be the greatest actor since Sarah Bernhardt. Margie asked if I would, for the boys' benefit, perform one of my monologues. I jumped right in and did my little Touchstone piece and my family seemed duly impressed. Then my cousins each took a turn performing something of their own while their proud parents looked on. It was fun to be part of this happy family scene.

From there, I checked my email, called my Mother, my Sister, my Grandmother and my Aunt and once again set about the task of blogging so that you, dear Bitches, could be fully caught up. From here on in I will try to make daily entries to keep us all up to date.