Friday, October 4, 2013

Bring it into the room!

Friday musings...

Well,  I am busy with many projects at the moment - including getting this BOOK written, based on YOU the readers.  Thank god I have a supportive husband, and a daughter who know how to motivate me!

It is audition season,  and we are always preparing to get that job.  I am starting a class with DreamHonor next week about booking the audition - but from a different perspective than other classes.

In addition,  I have been doing things differently in my OWN world,  post-accident,  and wanted to share with you,  to perhaps give you another perspective.

We are told "don't do this", "don't do that" and on and on...but what CAN we do?  What are we there to do?

In the audition room,  we'd like a callback and book a job ultimately.  Let's not beat around the bush on that one.  However, isn't there more to it than that?

What do you want to show in the room?  And then,  what do you want to claim in the room?

If you are a Toyota and they want a Mercedes,  no matter how you TRY you will never be what they want.  And if you are a Ferrari and they want a pinto - same thing.

What do they want?  How do you know?  You'll drive yourself nuts trying to figure it out.

So how about saying,  "here I am.  This is WHO I am.  This is WHAT I do.  I am a SINGER(actor/dancer - fill in the blank) and that's what I am going to show you now."

Today - I bought a dress.  A sparkly one.  One that will hit, length-wise, just above my knee.  My knee.  The one that was damaged in the car accident.  "Total derangement" the surgeon calls it.

I am very good at slight of hand - I can masque things well.  I have done that with my scars and my pain and my inability to "do" as I used to physically.  However, today, I decided that it was time to simply enter the room with WHO I am.  What I do, AS ME.  Scars and all.  Those scars are well-earned.  They are part of my history and my present and will be part of my future.  If they show, they show.  I didn't ask for them,  but dammit, I will NOT let them stop me from claiming ME.

I do not use them as an excuse.  I would rather gracefully bow out than put myself in a position where I am unable to meet the demand.  I will not make excuses for them though.

I see that happening in the audition room,  and sometimes in the studio,  and on stage.

It's okay to recognize your strengths, and your weaknesses and your "I'm not quite ready for that yet".
Then you go right ahead and claim them all,  and lead with what you DO.

It's not okay to put yourself in a position where the scar leads and you follow;  where the scar calls the tune (all puns intended!).

The scar is a story.  You survived it.  Now you claim it.  It belongs to YOU.  You do not belong to it.

Scars can be visible,  they can be hidden,  they can be emotional or psychological.  They can be screaming red and hot to the touch, or they can be faded and still itchy from time to time.

It's part of our journey.  Mine certainly are.  I am not about to expose them and say "look over here look over here",  but I have decided that I am not going to let them run the show.

I will not excuse the scars.  I will not try to hide them.  I will wear them because their story is real.  I am real.  I will not hide them in plain sight.  I won't ride them, or let them call the tune.

I am an artist.  I am a singer and an actor.  I DO that.

What do YOU "do"?

Create your action;  weave your life and your craft into that action;  show them what you DO!  In showing them what you DO,  you reveal who you ARE and what you are capable of becoming.

No apologies, no worry,  no wondering.

What do you bring into the room?

BRING YOU!  ALL of it!  Scars and all.

happy weekend!