At a callback for a theatrical role, I was paired with another actor for a scene. During our reading, the other actor made the choice to tap me on the forehead with his finger, but ended up poking me in the eye. It hurt, and left me disoriented for a few seconds while I tried to regain my vision. At the end of the scene, the director asked me to prepare a new set of sides with a different actor.

When I came back for scene #2, I asked the new guy if he was planning on doing any movement (I was trying to prevent another eye poking incident) and he said no. We started our scene and two lines into it, he walked off stage and delivered the rest of his lines from backstage. It left me totally confused.

In both scenarios, nothing was written in the stage direction about forehead tapping or movement. I felt like both readings went poorly.

My question: I may just have to chalk this up to a nightmare callback, but is there anything I can do in the future to prevent and/or mitigate the random choices of other actors? This was for a role I really wanted, and I don’t think the director is going to cast the abandoned actress with one eye.

Gotta take some improv classes... always thinking on your toes. Be prepared and make the most of it... it is poor taste that your scene partners were trying to get one up on you... like a wrestling match... oneupmanship.

Good tip. Thank you!

It sucks, but you have to be ready to cope with bad, competitive, or unresponsive actors when you read with them. Sometimes readers are no better.

All you can do is make the boldest acting choices you can and try not to let the stuff throw you. If they're not working WITH you, that's out of your control. Focus on what you can control.

I think we've all had auditions with an actor that did something we saw as asinine.

Of course it's best to do what you can with it... but it still sucks. It's always best for everyone if both parties are on their game. Sorry that had to happen to you.

Sounds like you did everything you were supposed to. What the hell was that guy doing touching you anyway? That's a big nono unless the director asks for it and you're okay with it. There's really not much you can do with it, but it is a good sign that he at least had you read it twice.

quote:

Originally posted by WhittakerParks:

My question: I may just have to chalk this up to a nightmare callback, but is there anything I can do in the future to prevent and/or mitigate the random choices of other actors?

In a cold reading with an unknown actor, it's always, "Catch as catch can."

You have no control over what your scene partner may do, nor should you. You can only rely on your own choices and hope that the casting director will see the truth in them, regardless of the antics of your inept co-reader.

This incident was indeed, a rarity. Just chalk it up to bad luck and move on.

On a related subject... be kind to your readers when working from sides. True story:

A few months ago, I volunteered to work as a reader for a "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" audition. As such, I know my role is to let the auditioner shine and go with the choices they make, it's their moment, but there are limits. Now, I'm a pretty big guy and you have to imagine this scene as it unfolded. The monitor gives a name and this tall, dark haired, Draconian actress enters the room to read for Martha. She sheds her knee length leather coat as she walks through the door, letting it pool on the floor as she crosses to the table. Rather than introduce herself, she asks, "Are we ready?", and then, "Where's my reader? You? I want you there" and points to a spot in the middle of the floor. "Self", I said to myself, "She's just being Martha" and walked to the appointed position only to be told, "Sit." Like a good dog, er reader, I retrieved my chair and parked myself where she had indicated.

As a reader, I try to look up, maintain eye contact, and offer the actor something to work from but this was hard because she began circling my chair in a smaller and smaller spiral until she was standing over me from behind. God's truth, she ended the scene holding me in a full headlock! Like an idiot, er trooper, no idiot, I continued to try to read peeking from the crook of her elbow as the director just looked on in horror. She finished the scene, looked down at me and said, "I guess I should have asked before I touched (touched!) you" then cheerily asked the director, "So, you'll call?", swept up her coat, and exited the room.

The director asked me, "Are you alright?" and all I could manage for a reply was, "Martha scared me" and scuttled my chair back to the table. She didn't get the part and I still cringe when I see tall women in leather coats.

The moral of the story is that the caveat of this thread doesn't just apply to fellow actors who are auditioning with you. Be kind to readers too, they're not furniture. A good reader is your ally! Take a moment to quietly discuss any unusual choices with your reader beforehand and ask them permission before you make contact. We'll probably go along with it as long as we can breathe and see the script.

Marthas still scare me.

I got a real kick out of reading your post, SecondB.

I could just see this drama playing out as a scene in a film, and I gotta tell you, I was laughing out loud!

On a more serious note, I've noticed that a lot of nightmare cold reading scenarios always seem to include some kind of physical touching of the unwanted kind. Seems to me that all physicality in a reading should either be planned well in advance or totally verboten.

Not a re-run of the World Wrestling Federation.

P.S.-- Give 'em hell in "Shrew."

You'd make a splendid 'Falstaff,' btw.

Thank you to all for sympathizing and offering insightful tips.

Second Banana, thanks for sharing your story. I was pretty disappointed after my callback, but I gotta look on the bright side… at least I wasn’t headlocked!

True... sometimes you just don't know what the *other* has in mind when doing call-backs or when paired as a scene partner at an audition.

I usually go through all blocking verballing with my partner when running our lines outside. I always make sure I let the other person know if I'm going to be touching, and where I will be touching. But in your case, touching the forehead verus poking the eyes... that was just...bad. (yes, Improve is important, but when you are physically being hurt? that's another story.)

SB, thank you for sharing that horror experience with us... If I were you, I would have screammed..."back off, back off evil lady!"

Second B I am laughing out loud... and I am not supposed to be on the internet at my job right now! You're going to get me in trouble!

Whittakerparks, i'm sorry you got poked in the eye. That is a piece of audition etiquette I'm surprised a lot of people don't know - that you don't touch your scene partner.

If I am reading with someone and think the scene calls for something, I'll ask my partner if it's okay beforehand. Would it bother you all to be asked at all? Or do you find it acceptable to be touched if the actor has asked you beforehand?