I see it, you know.
No matter how confidently you walk into the audition space, I know it’s there.
I know you’re walking that knife edge between ‘courage up the wazoo’ and the physical urge to throw up on your shoes.
We all experience it in different ways.
Your shaking hands gives you away.
I know you can sing. Your training showed in your technically beautiful presentation.
I know you can act. Your choices were strong, interesting and skilled.
But I saw many people who brought those things.
I was also looking for you.
Everything that makes you a person before you’re an actor.
The things we treat as flaws. They’re what I love.
You get up early to go over your lines for the 100th time, fighting the fear of forgetting them.
You overthink and question everything from what to wear, to your song choices.
Good grief, how I wish you could know the respect I have for what you do; how I was holding space for you to be…you.
I know what it is to want something so much.
To feel like you could change the world when you get the role.
How it feels like a stone in your gut when you don’t.
You’re ok.
The outcome of your audition is part of your story. Such a long story of emotion, resilience, courage, pain, change and growth.
Your story is not a straight line to the success you seek. It’s full of boring bits, the unexpected, the unwanted, the joyous, the tough, the high and the very, very deep.
Use it.
Use it all.
Hold it all protectively. Don’t run away from any of it. It’s who you are. It’s what sets you apart and it’s glorious.
Thank you for the privilege of being present at your audition.
You inspire me.
Keep.
Going.
The best you can do is all you need to do!
Sherryl-Lee Secomb writes her blog, An Idiot On Stage, specifically to encourage and equip community theatre to expect more and be extraordinary. Sher has been building brands for performing creatives in Australia since 2011 and now advises theatre organisations and performing artists in marketing their work and building awareness of their brand.
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