Fun Day at the Lake... In the Snow

Sunday I went kayaking in the most beautiful, lovely spring-like weather. Then Tuesday I watched marvelous fat snowflakes fall and blanket my yard with an inch-and-a-half of cold beauty. The street in front of my house was slushy. My 55-pound, sweet, mixed-breed dog did not find the weather as delightful as I did. She refused to walk far, even (or maybe especially) in her doggy parka. Tuesday also happened to be the day I auditioned for a boat commercial. The casting call said to wear clothes for "a fun day at the lake". Thankfully the audition was not at the lake, but at a hotel meeting room. Like most sane people would, I wore snow-appropriate clothes to the hotel, then changed into my lake wardrobe in the lobby bathroom. At least two people I saw walked into the lobby (from the snowy parking lot) in shorts, tee-shirt and flip-flops. Maybe they were raised in the arctic north and thought that Tuesday's high temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit was toasty-warm. Maybe I'm a wuss about the cold.

There were kids at this audition too. Some cuter and much better behaved than others. One little dude was very professional and polite, waiting patiently with his mom in the lobby and following directions to the letter. The young man who auditioned with me was a bit more spirited and wily. He was six-years-old, and told the casting lady that he liked his backyard pool, but that there was NO way he would get in a lake. Of course the boat to be featured in the commercial would not fit into his pool, so I doubt he'll get cast.

While in the waiting area, I witnessed two siblings (a girl and a boy) arrive with their harried-looking mom. The children squawked noisily at each other and started pulling on doors despite the audition facilitator asking them to please have a seat and wait quietly. Finally the facilitator had to say, "Please don't go in there yet. They're filming other people right now. You need to be quiet." The little girl puffed out her chest and cheeks and pronounced loudly to her mother and anyone else in the captive audience, "this is no fun at all. Let's go." The she swanned grandly down the hall. The mom did not apologize for her daughter's haughty proclamation. I'm guessing that neither of those siblings will be cast.

As a former receptionist, let me tell you that when arriving for a job interview or audition, you should behave appropriately and politely to everyone. EVERYONE. Whether it's the doorman, the receptionist or the other people in the waiting area, word will get back to the hiring/casting powers if you behave poorly. I know at least one casting director that admits to placing spies in the waiting area to help identify brats of all ages.

My audition went well. No face spasms from forced insincere smiles! During the tell-us-a-little-about-yourself segment I think I got bonus points for telling about how I spent my summers at my grandparents lakehouse learning to water-ski and slalom. (Nothing but the truth.) I should know by Tuesday if I got the part -- fingers crossed.

In the acting world, no news is actually bad news. The "don't call us, we'll call you" line is true. Also, when auditioning to be part of a family, you have to look like you belong with the significant-other and like the offspring could be yours. I'm up against luck, skill and genetics for this particular commercial since it will feature a pretend family. Please, please don't make me be the pretend mom of that haughty little girl from the waiting area.