Sweat, insanity, heartbreak: Nothing like an audition

Have any of you ever been to any sort of audition before? Yeah, I didn't expect much of an answer.

Any who, I've got a few coming up in the next few weeks, and let me tell you that it is most defiantly one of the most nerve-racking experiences ever to dawn upon mankind. I mean you rehearse and rehearse, but you never know if you're ready.

You sit there and sweat and pant and oh God the waiting period before hand. It's enough to make a sane person explode with insanity. However, if the results are good and you're cast, you're golden, but if you're not, it's heart retching.

I've been on both sides of the spectrum and trust me the negative side is far from attractive. You know, I guess it all pays off in the end. No matter what the outcome you learn something new and improve upon yourself.

As I prepare monologues and music, my knees begin to quake more and more, sweat beads down my face as I wait for my turn. I can hear muffles of the auditions that precede me. The line slowly dies down in front of me. The director calls "Chris!" It's my turn.

I walk, and my stomach flutters intensely. The director coolly asks me what I would like to read for. I pick and choose my characters carefully. Each read through, my confidence builds little by little and I become more adequate at doing my chosen roles, until a certain character grabs my attention.

I feel like the reading went well. However, next came the song. Which to my dismay is not my forte. The accompanist begins to plan the carefully coordinated notes on the page. I begin to sing, my voice cracks subtly due to my nerves. As I continue to sing on, I can tell my character is pretty good, but my pitch (as usual) is shaky.

That could have gone smoother, but it wasn't terrible. We'll see soon enough how I did.

All of these things almost every young actor has to go through. Our nerves are constantly tested against the iron will of the director.

In our careers, we will all suffer victories and utter defeats at the hand of fate. The victories are sweet and wonderful. To the contrary, the defeats are crushing, heartbreaking and confidence crushing.

At times these defeats cause us to almost give up, but we must be patient. Just because you do not get cast does not always mean you where bad. It just means you were not ready for the role, you need more to learn or you just got beat by someone, simple as that.

In the end, this nerve-racking experience is all for the better. Theater is a wonderful thing humanity has been gifted with. It teaches us many things and is something I hope to enjoy for the rest of my life.

Well that's all I have for everyone today. Good day, good afternoon, good night and speak with you all later.

Christopher Damlo is a senior at Detroit Lakes High School.