COOL KIDS

This morning before work, I bike to West 21st Street for a voice-over audition.
It's for Lowes Hardware.

I'm not really sure if I should go. My ability it articulate words is different each day.
But I was requested by the producers.
Maybe it will be easy, a goofy son buying flowers for his Mother.

Going to these audition studios around the city is always the same.
There are multiple auditions going on.
In the voice over world (if you've been around a while) you know every person in the room even if you don't know their name.

And, you know that your agent has been neglecting you, when one or two actors give you a warm hello! with a look in their eye that says, you must have been out of town on a job? you've been in LA, right?

This happens to me today. Normally I would be buggy about this but these days, I feel like I'm eves dropping in a world that I may not be a part of (soon).

Today, there are auditions for Lowes, for American Express, for AT&T and others.

The audition areas often feel like a cocktail party without alcohol. (Or for theatre graduates?- when you're in rehearsal for a show in school, and during break you come out to have a smoke in the lobby with the other shows that are in rehearsal, the other show folks) -you know?

Everyone feels chummy. It's a sliver of a rare community in New York.
It feels good to be apart of these little parties.

No-one know when they will be, or who will show up.

If there are fifty people in the room, I've done a spot with twenty-five of them.
(I've been in auditioning for commercials in New York since 1975)

I'm not so great at these parties.

I'm a problem reader so I have to spend time staying focused on the copy.
If I work on the copy and then start talking to someone, and my name is called, all my preparation is lost.

But I'm an old timer, an old timer with a worried youngish face.
I'm good once you get me oiled up.

Actors are grinning and guffawing and talking about our unions and recent movies and TV.
These show folk don't talk theatre as much.

They all, have always seemed... so much more successful than me.

When I am there, in the waiting room, this fever comes over me, this need to succeed, to win this job, to win MANY jobs. It's like a gambling addiction or walking into a party and having a beer and knowing immediately that you want six more.

When I'm away from it, I don't care about it. But when I'm there, I want to be in, I want to be with the cool kids.

And I am! for a tiny part of this Voice Over world.

I see Steve B. from college days. We did an episode of "Spencer for Hire" together. Steve was a good looking kid who has aged like he had a bad blood disease. I mean... for years I thought it was alcoholism, but now I don't know why he looks so tired.

Then there is Thom S. who carries himself the same ways he did in college, like he's an S.A.E and doesn't really have to lift a finger to do anything. Just grin and keep it easy. Everything is easy.

There is Tim P. married and full of humor and a little unsure and can't ever remember my name (fine by me) so he calls me the character name I had in a spot we did together years ago. This joke is dull and I get a bored look when I run into Tim.

There is Amanda who I have partnered with for many spots but is the kind of girl that wouldn't be seen with me in High School.

These are the cool kids.