Auditioned yesterday for a new musical based loosely on the film "Garbo Talks." I think it went well even though I completely screwed up the lyrics to not one but both songs. The actual singing part of the audition went quite well. The guys behind the table could not have been nicer. And, although it's impossible to tell what's really going on, I think I'll get a call back. It's not a super contract in terms of AEA, but it's a nice way to get seen by perhaps the most influential stage casting director in LA, Michael Donovan. In fact, the audition itself was held in his offices and Michael was there yesterday.
What's more important, though, is that I had fun. Angie dressed me, of course. Left to my own devices I'd wear shorts and wife beaters to every audition. She had me in new linen pants and jacket, vaguely reminiscent of Don Johnson in Miami Vice. Although in my case it was vaguely reminiscent of Ed Asner had he done Miami Vice.
I got there early and was the first to go in. I sang my two ditties and was asked to change them a bit. I did. This was, of course, the old "can he follow directions" bit.
Upon returning to the house I got another call from my agent setting up another audition for Bell, Book and Candle, an old gemstone from the fifties, at The Colony. Again, not a very good contract, but only a few minutes from my house. Plus The Colony is a beautiful theatre. Angie and I saw Jimmy Barbour's Christmas Concert in that theatre back in December of last year. Impressive space.
Saturday, I'm reading for a pilot called "Westwood." Network consideration. The role is a "bad ass lawyer with a good heart." Okay. The auditions are downtown Los Angeles and it's a long shot at best, but worth a try. It'll be my first "pilot" audition.
So things are definitely starting to heat up for me. I'm pleased about that, naturally. My nature is to be suspicious at all the good things happening in my life, but Angie is teaching me, slowly, ever so slowly, that we deserve good things in our life.
The heat in Southern California has been inhuman. Today, and this is no misprint, the temps are supposed to top out at 108. That's BEFORE the heat index is added in to the equation. Global warming a myth? Hm.
Meeting my old buddy, Johnny Bader, for breakfast today. We're at odds over this silly "community center" scheduled to be built in lower Manhattan. I think it's a travesty. He thinks it's just dandy. Not that anyone cares what EITHER of us think. I'm against it in principle. I believe fervently in religious freedom in this country, as manhandled as that has been over the past 250 years. But I think a Muslim center mere footsteps from Ground Zero is unacceptable. I think if it happens it should be a trade-off. Let this country build a Southern Baptist Church next to the royal palace in Saudi Arabia and we'll stop whining about the mosque. Even Steven.
Okay, enough about that.
The "Dream House" is still on the market. Angie and I have our fingers firmly crossed. We keep wandering over there (it's only about five minutes from our current house) to look at it. I've never had a "feeling" so strong in my life. We are meant to be in that house. I don't know how or when, but that's the way I feel. In fact, I wouldn't even mind a Muslim "community center" next door if it meant getting into that house. Of course, we'd have to come to some agreement about all the caterwalling at sunrise, but I'm sure something could be worked out.
See you tomorrow.
