New & Exciting Shores!

I got the part. I got the part of Sarah Black in On The Shore of the Wide World. Who in the world would have thought, freshman year, autumn quarter, i would step up and defy the odds this way. The list went up yesterday. I swear I talked and screamed to myself all the way throughout my bike ride home. Im ecstatic!

First of all, lets cover callbacks. I got there a little early, and its a good thing I did because people had picked up their scripts (or 'sides' as they called them - ive never heard that term before) a day in advance, I was just receiving mine then. I'm a total noob, and it was showing. They called us in, talked a little about the show, and we began. There were four girls going out for Sarah. I read for the first scene twice. I was called back in for a second scene. The third scene, they called me in along with two other characters. They rotated one of the other characters out about 4 times, but I stayed. We left, and we waited. Callbacks - majorly uneventful except for meeting a few people, getting an adrenaline rush, and then knowing I had to wait.

Callbacks for 'The Fair Maid of the Exchange' went very well also, although I did not get a part in that. The concept of the show ended up being very interesting and I would have liked to be a part of it. I'm almost positive it was the project of two graduate students. They described the show as a long shakespearian type script. But the scripts were very odd. Say two people were having a conversation. Well I would be given a script with all of my lines, and only the last few words of the person in front of me's line. So I basically have no idea what the other person is saying, and I have to make inferences about the scene from only my lines. Apparently this was used in Shakespeare's day, and they wanted to replicate it. Very cool. Also, they were following a shakespearian rehearsal schedule which means four rehearsals, then a performance. Thats a lot of work. Also involved was cross dressing, no lighting (as in... the audience has the same light as the stage), no fourth wall, and most likely cue cards. It would have been a very interesting experience and I would have learned from it a lot, but I don't think that it would have been possible for me to do two shows and thats why I didn't get it! Okay! So!

Tonight was the read through for On The Shore. Not only was it a read through, but at the shows here all of the technical staff gives presentations. The first guy to speak worked with the actual playwright himself when he was writing the script AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. He had original playbills, scripts, the whole thing. Pretty cool. The set. My god the set. It is going to be incredible! The Theres set designer got up to speak prepared with a powerpoint and one of those 3D objects that architects make of houses before their built.going to be windows coming from the ceiling and the wall going out into the audience... The floor is going to be painted like an earth. Really, I can't wait to take pictures. The costumes are very natural and modern. My character has eyebrow and lip piercings with a possible tattoo - I was described as 'the girl you do not want to take home to your mother'. The lights were researched very in depth and are going to be... hmm how do i describe it. They said - expanding and coming back in. Like at one point the whole room will be lit up and characters will be able to expand their stage into the audience. So the fourth wall is a little down in this play too. Like in one scene I'm in a taxi, lights will be flying by, flashing, they are really going to be amazing. Wow, I'm going on and on now but I'm just so impressed. I guess I didn't have very high expectations of plays beyond Notre Dame. For a team to surpass my expectations like that is not only completely surprising but EXCITING! I am thrilled to be moving a step up and actually for the first time in a long time learning something NEW.

The play itself is extremely deep and intricate and there's soooo much to learn just in that. Already I'm falling in love with my character. The cast seems to have a ton of talent and I'm so excited to bring it to the stage. I can't wait to record my progress and share the new things I learn because I know there is so much to come with this one!

Plus i get 3 free credit hours. WOOOO.

Thats my name alright.

^ I got called back for Sarah!

^ I got called back for this one too!

O-hi-lastminuteauditions.

(The Oval)

And thus, with the closing weekend of Cinderella, my performance motivation came to a halt and up until now have I had the opportunity to take up anything else of theatrical interest. But I'm finally here THE Ohio State University and I'm having a blast! I moved in on Sunday and everything has just been a whirlwind until about now. I'm finally settling in, classes started on Wednesday and it finally feels like home.

The other day was a huge event called 'The Involvement Fair' where almost all of Ohio State's 1,000 student run organizations set up a table on 'The Oval' (A large patch of land with criss-crossy sidewalks thats in the middle of campus). Immediately I headed towards the lane that contained the performance clubs! Two which really stood out were OUT (Ohio Union Television) and Off The Lake. OUT is an organization which works on the three parts of creating filming/broadcasting, content, production, and talent. They need talent? Sign me up! Its been a goal of mine to expand my horizon to film and television. The video clips created by this club are mostly blurbs about what is happening around campus, and they play in the Student Union on many of the televisions. Exposure, Experience, and Involvement! It sounded great to me. Even better is the club called Off The Lake. The University itself can only put on so many shows a quarter, so this club puts on a few more musicals that are more student run. They don't start until January, but any more opportunities to get me into a show is exactly what I'm looking for!

And then for the actual University productions. This year they are putting on a musical called Aida, and their main drama is called 'On The Shore Of the Wide World'. In the midst of this whirlwind of a week, I checked on the theatre website to see when auditions would be held. Well, this was Wednesday, and auditions were Thursday. No monologue prepared, no sheet music in sight. Luckily, in anticipation of a surprise audition I had a few monologue books handy and had lightly skimmed a monologue I thought would be good for any type of show. I picked a modern version of a monologue from Antigone because I felt like it got deep into a powerful and demanding character. I locked myself in the basement, and I read, and i read, and i memorized, and i yelled, and i got it done.

Auditions were last night. My appointment was at 8:18. Two hours ahead of time I'm practically pacing the halls, not knowing what to do with myself. I had the monologue down, my hair was done, i was dressed, and I just wanted to go. I decided to go about a half an hour early, and I was lucky I did because they were running ahead of schedule and I seemed punctual! I signed in with the stage manager, they took my picture, and I waited. Walking into the audition room was unlike any other audition I've ever encountered. There was a small stage with seats that resembled bleachers instead of a small incline that go far back. There was a woman on paino on stage for people auditioning for Aida, and there was about 20 people in the audience watching. I stated my name, my piece, and I waited for a nod to begin which never really came so I begun. First line, mess up, second line, worse. Ok Mackenzi, get in the zone. The third and fourth lines shakily took me there and by the sixth I was Antigone. I left that theatre and I was so engulfed in that performance that I couldn't see the lights, the walls, the people staring at me. I finished powerfully, thanked them, and left that room with so much adrenaline I could have screamed. I could have swore I heard a woman say under her breath 'that was great'. I'll never know but I'm sticking too it!

That was hands down the most invigorating and powerful audition I've ever had. I was so proud of myself, I thought I did great. (Which is going to kind of suck if I don't get a callback). The list is posted tonight at 11:00. I can't wait. I will be disappointed if I didn't get something, but I know I did my best. Next time I'll take a week to prepare at least!

And so begins my theatrical reign at The Ohio State University. Lets hope I got it right.