Actor’s Vacation!

Originally posted November 22, 2019

Last week I went to 5 auditions and was seen at 4 of them… (this includes the Dear Evan Hansen open call I blogged about previously.) I’m finally getting into the swing of getting up and going to make these auditions happen. I know it won’t always have a 4/5 ratio of getting seen but it’s nice to get a few in while the audition season hasn’t kicked in yet.

I really pushed myself to step up last week because a month or so ago, I planned a vacation… to Bloomington, Illinois… Yes, I actually chose to fly from NYC to the cornfields of Illinois where I’d already spent 4 years of my life. I needed to see my college roommate and best friend, Kalynn, first of all. It was the longest we had been apart in 4 years and that was just too crazy. I also really wanted to see my Alma Mater, Illinois Wesleyan’s production of The Life. So, I killed 2 birds with one stone and took a short Tuesday-Thursday trip to visit some important people.

So, back to last weeks auditions…

1) I learned that auditioning at the Actor’s Equity building is a LUXURY that I need in my life more…

2) I learned that just because the call is for Sondheim… doesn’t mean the accompanist can play Sondheim… Know your music and know it well!

3) I learned that I don’t really know how to warm-up my voice when I’m waiting outside in the cold or in a holding room or only have 5 minutes in a room and I have to be sort of quiet?? (Thank you Laurel Beard for giving me the TOOLS to conquer that one!)

Auditioning is such a practice and finally getting into the swing of it and being able to identify places I need to grow is huge… So, it was a perfect time for my little actor’s vacation as I’ll call it. I got to spend time with my best friend eating terrible college food and staying up way too late giggling and it was refreshing. I also got to see my friends create some really awesome and inspiring work that I’m going to humbly brag about…

First of all, Illinois Wesleyan is so cool for choosing to do The Life: The Musical for SOO many reasons…

1) It is a show that they have very little access to materials to try and replicate from. The show has only been done 4 times professionally (including off and on Broadway) before Illinois Wesleyan decided to take on the daunting task. So these actors and designers really had liberties to create a world for themselves and not many colleges do shows that give their students that kind of opportunity and challenge

2) It’s a show they may never get the chance to see or work on again in their careers and there is something so special about working on unique work with such an exquisite score by Cy Coleman! Not many college programs so work that is unique like this… Illinois Wesleyan is NOTORIOUS for picking interesting material that fits their students in a way that perfectly showcases and encourages them to grow and I was blown away how perfectly this material laid on these performers.

3) EVERYONE… and I mean EVERYONE had a moment to shine. AND IT’S A HUGE CAST! I couldn’t tell you exactly who was a principal, supporting or featured role. Partially because the material lends itself to that, but also, the direction and commitment to a truly educational theatrical experience.

***Also, they brought in alumnus Ian Coulter-Buford to Co-Choreograph who is an AMAZING mentor and friend and I’m so glad the students got a chance to work with him.

This was my first musical to ever see at Illinois Wesleyan I realized about 20 minutes before curtain… When I first visited the school, I saw the Faculty Choreographed Dance Concert, I worked on both of the musicals my first year in college so I only got to see rehearsal runs and I only got cast in musicals during my casting period in school! So, I was really excited to finally see a full-fledged musical at Illinois Wesleyan University!

What made my visit to see the show doubly special was the fact that I had seen every single person in the cast perform something before. It was a cast full of my friends that I haven’t heard sing or see in a production or class project in about 6 months… but I already had preconceived notions about what they could do.

I don’t want to write a review because, the reviews are in, it’s amazing.

I want to recognize the immense growth and confidence I saw from each and every performer. Everyone in that show exceeded my expectations and that’s only a 6 month turnaround. I commend the School of Theatre Arts at Illinois Wesleyan for empowering their students to take leaps and bounds and work on interesting material.

It was very special for me to get to see that. It inspires me to continue growing and create unique art when I see my friends in school doing such epic things in Bloomington, Illinois.

As I was writing this, I was also scrolling Facebook, Instagram, making my Thanksgiving shopping list and a million other little tasks. IWU Alumnus, Kevin Schuering, posted looking for a person under 29 years old to get a discount rush ticket for him to MCC Theatre’s The Wrong Man… It felt like a God wink. I was free and I’m under 29… So, I messaged and asked if he’d found anyone else to go with him. And it worked out perfectly for it to be me… We had to wait until 10 minutes before the start of the show to get our tickets since the show was sold out and we had to wait to see if all the tickets were claimed and we ended up with some of the best seats in the house! Amazing view!

It was an experience that was meant to be… Joshua Henry is a force that I wish to be even a fraction of. I love getting to see theatre that inspires me to be more than I am but also makes me feel like there is space for me in the business and that my heart and soul will be heard if I work for it. The Wrong Man was one of those shows. I saw the Illinois Wesleyan cast of The Life in that theater and I saw myself in that theater… It was amazing work and I see that kind of story telling and passion in my peers and friends.

I can’t wait to make that kind of art with them and others like them. It was really nice to take a step back and be proud of where I came from, and be excited for where I’m going.

P.S. — Thank you, Kalynn for letting me crash with you for a few days. I love you so much!!!

P.P.S. — Next week is Thanksgiving!!! My family is coming to NYC to my tiny apartment to celebrate. We’re probably going to see the Macy’s Parade and do other tourist-y things and I’m so excited. It’ll be my middle brother’s first time ever in NYC and I’m so excited to see him and show him where I live.

XOXO,

Texas Jess