Auditioning while sick!!

3 Things I learned this week when motherhood and acting collided!

1. When you get the call that you’ve got a callback and will meet an iconic film director, don’t scream suddenly and do a manic happy dance in front of your 3-year-old.  He will spontaneously burst into tears and cry with fear “I don’t like that, I don’t like that.”

2. When your kid gets sick 3 days before said callback stay away from your kid!!!! I know, I know, wishful thinking. In truth all I wanted to do was to snuggle the poor sniffling mess.  However be warned you will then get sick (laryngitis to be specific) and despite a weekend in bed, an entire box of throat comfort tea, gargling, cloves of garlic, ginger and numerous hot showers you will meet said iconic film director sounding like a frog!

3. You can still have an awesome callback even if you do sound like a frog! It did occur to me that I could possibly reschedule my callback but I knew the director was only in town for a few days and I had no guarantee when my voice would return anyway.  I just had to stop stressing about it, my work was not going to be my best and that was gonna have to be ok!

When the casting director came to get me from the waiting room I told her (squeaked her) that I was sick.  She reassured me they had my original audition tape to refer to if needed.

In the room, I just focused on being my authentic self. I love Amy Jo Berman’s article about “meeting players,” to feel free to connect with people if you are excited about their work.

The icon and I chatted (well…he chatted, I croaked/squeaked) for a few minutes. I was thrilled to be there and told him so. We talked about university, about being sick; I even cracked a joke that the icon laughed at!! I did my scene and he exclaimed, “perfect.” It was a thrilling afternoon!

He is only the second cinematic icon I’ve done work in front of.  It brought me that much closer to my current goal of booking a feature with an exciting director and wide release.  I was on such a high for the rest of the day that I couldn’t fall asleep til the wee hours.  Despite being sick – it was a fun day – I’m very grateful!

Have you ever had to audition while you were sick? How did you handle it?  

Share your experience in the comments below.

Talk soon!