Rutgers, NCSA: Waiting-College Auditions

Today Jessie has 2 auditions Rutgers and North Carolina School of the Arts. It is now 11:30 am. Rutgers is first and her audition is at 12, so we wait. Grier Studio is bustling with people! It's so fun talking with other kids who are getting ready for their College auditions. Everyone is so nice, we haven't met one diva yet. As a mom I'm grateful!  I find myself liking all the kids, and hearing there stories of how they have come to these auditions makes the time fly. I feel nervous for kids I just met as there names get called and they file in for there 10 or 15 minutes with the people who could possibly determine the next 4 years of their lives. Frightening....I  pray for each student and all the heads of staff at these Colleges and Universities who are doing the auditions.
Finally its Jess's turn about 12:15. This is when the butterflies in my stomach turn into some kind of flying wildebeest! The minutes tick ever so slowly by. It seems like an eternity and then she emerges with a smile  on her face. How did it go? Best one yet she says and with that were off, back to the hotel where she can fill me in on all the details of her Rutgers audition. " I felt like my monologues were just on, they get better every time" " The Head of BFA was named Barbra again just like CMU.  She was really nice and the other guy who was an assistant or faculty in the program was too. The questions were great for me ....what I liked about Rutgers- "Haha who wouldn't like to be a whole year studying and performing Shakespeare at the world famous Globe Theater in London. So amazing" It was a fast audition, only lasting about 5-10 minutes for each person, but I did my best and I can leave it at that."
So much for not meeting any divas. It is 2 pm and we have a information meeting with the North Carolina School of Performing Arts with The Dean and 2 assistant Deans. Everyone who was auditioning in the after noon was in the room, real nice kids. The "Deans" we'll call them all talked about different aspects of their program. They were very funny and passionate about their school, and what it had to offer. After we all went out in the hall for more waiting. We got to talking with all the kids and parents, quickly realizing that Jessie would be the last of the day. It also didn't take us long to realize that our 4 pm time would probably be more like 5 pm, at least. And then I started to notice this women who kept walking by us, it seemed she would stare at Jessie -funny I thought I know my daughter is beautiful but it just seemed strange. Then I finally saw her daughter also a blonde, at one point she goes in and talks to the "Deans" to see if her daughter can  audition with out an appointment. This is fine, it's just the staring that seemed unusual. I'm not sure where the daughter went, but the mom kept coming round, at one point she opened the door where the auditions were taking place and looked in....Yikes not good someone was in their doing their audition! The "Deans" said her  her daughter could have an audition, so why wouldn't she just wait? There is only one girl left before Jessie's turn, the waiting will soon be over.At this point the girl who just got an appointment comes and sits down she starts complaining about how she needed to be in Jersey at 7 and would never make it, while her Mom starred down Jessie. To make a long story short they ended up leaving in a slightly frustrated and unprofessional way, not waiting.
Jessie enters the room with the "Deans", does her 3 monologues, 2 classic and 1 contemporary and then they have her sing. She again chooses "Route 66". Jessie felt they loved it and then got to talk to them about her experience at NYU this summer and her passion for helping girls, another successful day of auditions. But as day 2 comes to end one realization starts to hit Jessie. I don't know who really will want me and the waiting is far from over, it has just begun ....she won't here from most school until April 1st.

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Carnegie Mellon, NYU:Breathe and let go.........College Auditions

"The question isn't who's going to let me; it's who is going to stop me"-anonymous.The alarm rings at 6:30 am. Day one: Carnegie Mellon(CMU) at 8 am and NYU at 2:30 pm. We are up and ready finding coffee sounds good, so we head out to Duncan Donuts grab some and a egg white turkey sausage flat bread hold the cheese(dairy is no good for the vocal chords)and off we go to Grier Studios a half a block away. In NYC you go into these very large buildings and they all have a security desk which you need to check in at so we do and the guard tell us Grier is on the 16th floor so we head to the elevators and up we go.  I really wish I had my camera out or had thought to take a picture when the doors opened because I did not expect what I saw.  There were young girls and guys literally camped out and jam packed in the corridor waiting for this studio to open. Many had cases, bags, and pillows -I almost tripped over a couple petite little things who were fixing their makeup right in front of the elevator doors. Yikes, this I did not expect. It was like a scene from a movie.  There are many studios at Grier and in addition to Carnegie Mellon auditions at 8 am there was also auditions for Mama Mia and the Apollo Theater. It was so exciting to see that room filled with people chasing there dream....I ketch Jessie's eye.........."what would Gerard say"(Gerard's Jessie's acting coach)with a smile she says"breathe"!
I love the fact that Jessie has her first audition with CMU because she was visiting in November and Jessie  got to meet the head of the Acting department and sit in on an acting class that she taught.  Jessie loved Barbara,(the head of the dept.)she is a passionate women who spoke of hard work and dedication.  Everyone who was there for the auditions goes into one room to fill out paperwork, hand in your resume and head shot. They also take another picture of you.  Barbara got up and spoke about there program and the reality of how many actors they would have in their  acting program.......last year they took 3 females, typically it is 5 or 6. They would  see many talented actors not everyone will get in.There was 2 different audition rooms that people would be seen in. God worked it out that Barbara would be conducting Jessie's audition. When you come in the audition room Barbara puts Jessie right to ease. Jessie does a Shakespeare piece from Cymbeline as Imogen. After She does it Barbara ask to do it again and explore more of the angry side of the character.  Jessie does that and Barbara says "oh good fiery I like that" .  Jessie does her second piece and Barbara asked to do one more and to sing.  Jessie does on of her favorites a jazz song called "Route 66" and then they have a great conversation for about 10 minutes. Barbara asks Jessie everything from about her experience at "Stage Door Manor" to what other colleges she would be applying to.  As Jessie was leaving the room Barbara said "you are extremely talented and  adorable" What a awesome way to end your first college audition.

The second Audition of the day was a NYU.  The format was much the same as at the CMU auditions except for there was a small group warm up before the individual auditions would begin.  Jessie went into the room and did her 2 pieces and had a 10 minute interview.  It was apparent the man conducting the audition was looking to get to really know her and to see what she was all about. He was very nice but not warm and fuzzy the way Barbara was. They talked about her experience at NYU this past summer and he asked things like her favorite books, plays and what would she do if there was no such thing as theater?  Interesting the answer she gave......"help girls see the truth".  He was curious about that and she told him about her group she started at school called "Pretty Little Lies". "It is a group to help girls see the deceptions they believe about themselves such as not good enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, you have to have a boyfriend to be happy, and be having sex with them, drinking and drugs are the norm and so many more. I love giving girls the ability to see there worth,, break away and heal from some of the lies they had believed".  When he asked what she'd be doing in 10 years she said "acting and helping girls." Colossians 4:3 "God will open doors"

Another chance to trust-College Auditions!

So we arrived in NY at 6:30 pm January 29th 2013-EXCITED! We had a driver meet us at JFK and he took us to our hotel-The NewYorker on 34 and 8th. We decided to stay there because of it's close proximity to the studios that most of Jessie's auditions will be at-Ripley Grier and Pearl studios. The Hotel is nice and of course the room is small but we settle in and we get the call.....you see Jessie's audition for her High School musical was Monday and she had a call back today right before we boarded our plane for NYC. One of the hardest things is hearing you didn't get the part. So the night before she was to start one of the biggest weeks of her life, her College auditions, she hears she did not get the part. She's in the show but the part she wanted, she didn't receive. Yes, there were tears at first.....tears, frustration and some anger, anger at herself you see she didn't prepare well for this audition. One day was all she had because of other commitments to dance and choreographing for a dance concert she was in this last weekend. She had also chosen to work solely on her college audition pieces for the last 3 months. A choice I feel she will never regret except in this brief moment. One day to prepare,monologue -check easy for Jess, the singing piece she wasn't familiar-no check there. I hate seeing my daughter disappointed and a blow like that could have sent her into a tailspin but not my Jess she is a worker and determined and she has this undeniable spirit that will not be dampened or extinguished. I feel these disappointments in life for her have been catalysts to greatness....At one point after hearing the news and letting it process she says-in her funny way "well I chose correctly straight acting not musical theater!  I know God has his reasons for me not getting that part it's OK he's got a better plan." And so again I learn from my daughter .....live with an open hand and believe. Isaiah 66:9 "I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born" says The Lord!

College Auditions

Today I found something very precious to me a gift my husband gave me 10 years ago.I found it when we moved our bed away from the wall to do some painting. I hadn't seen it for over 2 years, I thought I had lost it at the beach. It's a necklace-one of those charm necklaces each charm representing one of your children with there birthstone in it.  So much has happened since my last blog posting.  My hand has been opened and I have also clenched my fists at times wanting to hold on so dearly to what I've known and feel safe with but with age and children growing up and starting there own lives a mom is always challenged with this process of letting go. Trusting God for me  is not always an easy process but I this I do know-He remains faithful.

 This is my daughter Jessie. Today we start an adventure.........NYC for 6 days and 12 auditions and then to Chicago for a day for one more! I am going to write this blog from a mom's point of view on this process auditioning for BFA in Acting at some of the top Colleges in the country.  I will also be putting in some insight from Jessie as she feels she wants to share.  I feel compelled to share Jessie's favorite verse. Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Let the fun begin-NYC or bust!