Tracks to Clementine

The Pajama Game

Last night's five hours almost killed me, even though they included some highly entertaining moments. For example:

• the 11-year-old boy whose monologue was gleaned from Zelda and who sang Stacey's Mom
• the 13-year-old boy who did Tilly's ending monologue from The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds, including a bit where he lost a tooth
• the 9-year-old boy who didn't understand a monologue, so instead played, like, five different characters and every-once-in-awhile said "Uh, I can't remember...I'll just skip some parts"

The girls we saw last night were either good or average...which, unfortunately is often the way it is with girls. There was a set of twins who auditioned and both were afflicted with Musical Theatre Voice, but I'm still calling them back because, duh, they were good and that voice goes away with vigorous shaking. But I do continue to be horrified by the large number of teenage girls who have a clearly visible spare tire round their middles when the rest of them is entirely thin. I don't get it. It's a fairly recent quality and a few summers ago I thought it was due to Pants You Can't Sit Down In. But now I think it might be hormones in dairy products.

Most often heard monologues:

• that kindred spirits one from Anne of Green Gables
• a wide variety from a poorly adapted version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• far too many from Winning Monologues for Youth

Any monologue from a specially written monologue book is neither special nor well-written. Which makes it very difficult to tell if the poor choices are the fault of the actor or the writer or all the dumb adults who thought it would be a good idea to publish such a wretched tome. (But it also makes me think I should write one and include some auditioning tips in it because clearly they're in demand.)

And I very badly want a clips tape which includes every double take done towards the piano whenever a kid was horrified and shocked by what actual accompaniment sounded like.

All in all, it was a success. I have callbacks on Monday and I've got plenty of actors to give me a healthy cast. If all works out the way I'd like it to, I'll have a Circe who can play the trombone.

Posted by Ida at September 16, 2004 09:32 AM