A few weeks ago over a conversation with a friend I was expressing the desire to be in a theatrical production. I felt joyful and inspired by the idea of getting to perform in a play, especially something funny. I scoured Nowcasting and Actors Access on a daily basis for the following week looking for theater castings. After complaining that theater castings in LA have come few and far between lately and that I hadn’t done any theater in almost two years I came across two breakdowns. One was for a comedy play at the Write/Act Repertory in Hollywood and another for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. I submitted to both and I auditioned for both. I did not get a call back for the Write/Act Repertory, but I received a call from the director of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” offering me one of the “Church Lady” parts. He wasn’t sure exactly which one yet, but he would let me know in a few days. At first I was miffed because I auditioned for one the leads and the Church ladies barely say anything according to the Actors Access breakdown that was posted. I was actually worried I’d been offered a part as a theatrical extra, because I hadn’t read the play and was unfamiliar with all the characters. I accepted anyway, because I’m practicing this Taoist idea of “going with the flow.” Perhaps I should have done more research for auditioning, eh? Then I realized I was being pretty ungrateful. The very next morning after feeling this way the e-mail Quote of the Day I received was “Better to light one small candle than curse at the darkness” – Chinese Proverb. That really put me in my place! That got me thinking about the saying “There are no small parts, only small actors”. I kept saying that to myself over the next few days. Last Friday the director called and said he wanted me to do the part of Mrs. Armstrong. I replied “of course, no problem.” After I hung up the phone it dawned on me Mrs. Armstrong isn’t one of the Church Ladies per se…she’s actually somewhat of a villain in the play, a control freak that breaks her leg and is unable to direct the Christmas Pageant, but still wants to put her two cents in from her hospital bed. Last night we did a table read, which is the first time I got to see Mrs. Armstrong’s lines. I get into the 3rd paragraph of her lines, on page 11 of play and she says “And I tell them, there are no small parts, only small actors” Whoah, that’s trippy, and an example of how my life is magically delicious. My first rehearsal is this coming Thursday. Opening night is the day after Thanksgiving. I will post more details later!
