Acting 101

I believe it was from Gibbs that I first heard the analogy.

“Think of it,” he said, “as just going through auditions. A lot of theater actors—especially on Broadway—figure out sooner or later that auditions are really hit-or-miss things. There are just so many factors that affect one’s audition; a lot of it depends on luck. And timing. So what do they do? They go to as many auditions as possible. And if they don’t get the part, they move on to the next. They quickly realize that though they’re talented and good-looking and are more than capable for the part, they still will not be chosen.”

I remember nodding my head in agreement. Yes it’s like that; I’ve even found myself on audition couches before. What I didn’t bother to articulate anymore was this: unfortunately I’m not used to going thorough a lot of auditions. I’m not that versatile an actor; there aren’t a lot of parts out there for me, so I choose those parts for very carefully.

Plus a reality check: at my age, I cannot play ingénues, debutants and certain other characters anymore.

So when I don’t get a part, it still smarts—no matter how zen and philosophical I try to be. Though I’m still working on getting used to rejection, I’ve shortened my prerequisite emo phase. Even better, the people around me (officemates, for example) never know that I’m in a funk.

Since I cannot play a part, might as well just play Cheerful, Carefree McVie while being far from it. Hey, a role is a role. I get to flex my acting muscles while hiding the fact that I feel lost and confused.