I received my rejection letter this week. The letter stated:

“An independent panel of representatives from the theatre community screens all non-Equity applications…. The Selection Committee’s mandate is to select a group of professional and emerging actors who demonstrate a record of professional growth.”

I was rejected because “The committee believes there is not enough forward motion to receive new credits”. I don’t know what the “credits” are. Maybe part of the rating process. I have enough stage credits to meet initial qualifications; for non-Equity applicants, a minimum of 7 stage production. The resume I mailed showed 11, a partial list.

My resume is nothing but non-Equity productions. I read somewhere in an acting as profession book about being too heavy in this type of work. The perception is that too much of one type of work shows that you are not able to do other type of work, in this case Equity work. Perception.

Perception is a double-edged sword and a bitch to recover from if it is bad. So, what to do about this. I was rejected because the perception was that I am not advancing in my career to be worthy of being seen at the Unifieds. Not even for as an alternate. I am not a professional. I am not an emerging actor.

I did not receive any calls from the 2009 Unifieds. I did from the 2008 Unifieds. I was given two opportunities to impress people and I have failed. What to do about this?

First: rearrange my resume. Put emphasis on other areas.

Second: I need to get some references, some nice quotes, tag lines, sound bites from directors, casting directors, coaches and peers that I can put in a cover letter and on this website.

Third: It’s time for another mass mailing of this new resume with new cover letter.

If the perception is not an accurate reflection of who I am, then I need to do something about it. Now it is time to shower, I have an audition in a few hours.

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As I am driving down there I am trying to find the moment before in each monologue, tried to prepare as much as possible before going on, but that proved impossible. Or did it? I remember standing in the hall off stage left waiting for the person ahead of me to finish. My mind was shutting down. I was saying the first line to both monologues so that I would not forget.

OK. My turn. Walk out to just left of the big X on the floor and I announce my name and number “Jay Croft. Number 160.” Turn to the right to step on X to begin my first monologue. As soon as I moved after I said my name and number, I hear the time clock start. Yikes. I have not even said my first word and the clock has already started.

So I start. “A stroke of genius….” Or at least I hope I said it. I don’t remember now (about 2 hours later). I do remember that I was saying the lines, my body seemed to have gone on automatic. The lines were coming out. I was moving about the stage looking in various directions. “Degas vu.”

Then I turn as I always do in rehearsal to let Degas drain off and get into Marty. I remember turning but I do not remember changing characters. I hope I did. My mind had completely gone blank at this point. Automatic pilot had taken over. This is bad. I was no longer in control. I remember going though the emotions at the right points. Yes emotions and motions. “Ma, I’m gonna stay home and watch Sid Ceasar.”

So I finish, before the 2 minute alarm. As far as I could tell, a lot of people ahead of me were stopped by the alarm. I finished, said my name and number again and left. I have no honest idea of how I did. I don’t fully remember what happened. Hate that. As far as I know, it was a monotone monologue and boring as hell.

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BJ Hughes and Pat Hurley are the directors for Reps 1 and Reps 2 respectively, so the audition was in front of both of them. After introductions, BJ asked if I had any monologues. Monologues were provided if you did not have one. Well, I have been working with Pat on a comedic and a dramatic for the Atlanta Unifieds.

BJ asked me to do the comedic monologue and so I do. And then Pat turns to BJ and says that I know MARTY. So I do that one as well. When I finish, Pat gave me a thumbs-up hidden so that only I can see it. Pat tells me on Sunday that not only was that the best he has seen me do those two monologues, but also that BJ said it was the best he has seen anyone do MARTY. Sweet.

Both were satisfied with the monologues and did not want to see a cold reading. BJ even said he was familiar with my work. I don’t remember BJ being at any of my plays. But he seemed very please.

As I am leaving I hear BJ tell Pat, “Great start to the evening”.  It seems to have been one of my best auditions. There was very little in the way of lessons learned except that as I am waiting in the green room, I did not prepare for my monologues. Got lucky. Pat says my instincts are very good. I really should have been preparing in the green room with my monologues or even for a particular role if that is what I wanted to audition for.

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Outside of the play, I did get accepted to the 2009 Atlanta Unifieds. All hearsay is that there are 250 slots for the 2 days and over 350 people applied. Two people I know did not get accepted and 4 of Pat Hurley’s students at the Alliance did not get accepted. I really wonder what the acceptance criteria was and what the real number of people who applied was.

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