Back to the Grind, Moving to NYC and Auditioning Up a Storm

Hey there world!

So I did not consisently blog during the second half of tour…oh well. I was a busy girl touring around the country. Apparently it wasn’t the best time to start a blog.

But here I am now! A lot has happened since I last wrote something. I finished my tour, moved to NYC, and am getting back into the swing of auditions during the tail end of the season. It’s crazy and wonderful and I am constantly busy and spending money. All in all, it was what I suspected thus far.

So I moved into my apartment on 179th St. and Broadway which is right in the middle of the Washington Heights neighborhood. I really like it so far- I feel safe walking around, I get to practice my spanish, and the A train is express. What’s not to love? I haven’t been able to thoroughly explore the neighborhood but I hope to do so when my lovely boyfriend comes and visits me next week. We have a knack for exploration. My room is actually quite cozy, with a spacious closet and dresser. I pared down my wardrobe because I thought I would be lacking space but now I wish I had brought MORE clothes…and I will very soon! I also really like the kitchen, which is a big thing for me since I cook whenever possible. I’ll be posting some recipes soon! Also, we have cable television…like ACTUAL CABLE. I have never lived in an apartment with cable. It’s a whole new world!

Aside from the apartment, life in NYC is pretty good. I kind of hit the ground running as soon as I got here- I had 2 job interviews and an audition appointment in the first two days of being here. I got one of the jobs (yay survival jobs!) but I haven’t started working yet. The audition appointment was pretty bad…like, a very bad audition. I was surprisingly nervous and I had absolutely no breath control or support when singing. However, I guess I needed to get one really bad audition out of my system…thankfully I wasn’t too disappointed. The artistic director did tell me that I looked like Erin Davie. I don’t see the resemblance myself but the compliment was a nice consolation prize since I obviously DID NOT book that gig!

While I was on tour, I actually sent in a ton of video auditions which was a bit of a pain while on the road, but doable. I didn’t book anything (womp womp) but I learned a lot from those auditions and I got a good feel for how to tape them for the future. I really prefer in-person auditions, even though I despise the waiting and the cattiness of the audition room. Because no matter if I book the gig or not, when I am auditioning live I know that what I am giving is exactly what I am feeling in that moment, good or bad. I find it to be a much more authentic audition. The good thing about video auditions is that you can do as many takes as you want! But for me, that leads to overanalyzing and overthinking. But ya live and ya learn and then you get booked…that’s how the saying goes, right?

I am currently at Ripley Grier Studios in midtown waiting at an EPA, which, for all you non-theater folk, means Equity Principle Call. Equity is the theater union and as a non-member, you tend to sit around a lot and wait to see if there are any open spots. It’s a crappy waiting game but it is sometimes worth it since you could book a union gig- which means you get points towards your card! It isn’t looking good for today’s call…but I’m hanging out because I have nothing better to do today. I actually already had 2 auditions this morning. One for Princess Cruise Lines and another for Disney World Vocalists. The Disney call was actually a union call that was WIDE OPEN. Like, any and all people were being seen. I went in and immediately was put in line to audition and was out in 10 minutes. Both auditions went well though I didn’t get any callbacks in the room. Nonetheless I am happy. At least I felt good about how I presented myself this time! Honestly, I think I was too short for the one call…apparently the ladies are supposed to be 5’5″ and up? Eh, either way, they were good auditions so I can’t complain. I mean, I can but I won’t.   Because that’s just so toxic, am I right or am I right?

SO yeah. That’s my life at the mo. Crazy and spastic. I really need a coffee. And a visit from my boyfriend…but otherwise I am great! Just livin’ the dream and getting used to the city. Send me your tips for acclimating! I feel like I am doing well but I love hearing about little pieces of advice. Best resources for actors, best place for coffee, best place to sit and just use the wifi all day!?

Ciao for now peeps!
xoxo D

---