On Thursday I had call backs for a new musical at the State Theatre call Freedom. A friend dropped me off at the theatre at 8 in the morning, and I left at 5. It’s a long day to be constantly watched and considered. When I arrived I was roughly half an hour early. I wondered around at the empty reception desk until I heard another girl of approximately my age say ‘call back’. I introduced myself immediately, thankful for an ally, and especially one who knew her way around the theatre and who spoke about the director and producer on first name basis. As sweet as this lady was, it was kind of awkward when in the first ten minutes of knowing each other I was hit with the following: “You know, it’s like what it feels like when you have a pregnancy scare”. No. I don’t really.
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| View of Pretorius Street from the Terrace |
After checking through security we were then taken up to the Rehearsal Room in the State theatre. Dancing mats, a room without windows that are note-worthy and that could open, a sound system and a keyboard awaited us in the Rehearsal Room. After about 5 hours of dancing in that room with closed doors you start wishing that the windows were able to open. The man in charge of us actors was extremely strict in the sense that he needed to know where we were at all times. “You will get lost”.
Now to contextualize, we were roughly 28 hopefuls and I was the only white person there. This meant that half the time I had no idea what the people were saying, but I could gather most of what I needed from context and gestures. Every now and then when I was completely lost I asked, and everyone would be very apologetic about the language barrier. I suppose they technically have to speak English as the show is going to be English (as far as I know).
About half way through the audition I had been selected as one of the singers in the group as well as one of the dancers. I was the only person who was selected for both, so when they wanted to work the two groups at the same time. What ensued was a bout between the choreographer and the music director as to where I was to be placed, and I literally ran from one side of the hall to the other 4 times as they said the other could have me. Eventually I was sent to the dancers as they had only chosen to other girls. I couldn’t help but laugh as ran over to the dancing side again. "That’s right. Mess with the white girl huh”.
On our lunch break we sat on one of the building’s terraces over looking Pretoria Central from four stories up. It was a quite a sight for this small town girl.
All that remains is to wait for the phone call…
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| View of Pretoria Central from the windows just outside the Rehearsal Rooms |
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| Where we lunched |
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