The Dreamgirls Audition

What’s good y’all?


I know it’s been a long time. I’m guilty of neglect. I’m been mad busy, on the grind. Let’s see, what’s been going on in crazy world of Raffeal. I had my first call back for a show. I auditioned for Gateway Productions' Dreamgirls. I was so excited. I went in there and showed them what I had or thought I had. I came into the vocal audition with Sam Cooke’s humorous but flirtatious song, “Please Don’t You Drive Me Away.” I lost myself in that song, I was making faces all over the place. Y’all know I can make some ugly faces when I sing.


After I sang the last note the director said, “Could you come back at 3:30 for movements?” “Yes,” I quickly replied. Yes, rolled off of my lips so fast that I almost ignored the fact that I had to go to work at 3. “Oh Lord, what am I going to do?” I needed to find someone to cover at least the first 3 hours of my shift so I could be able to come back to the callbacks.


I rushed down the stairs and started calling everyone at work; I was getting nowhere. I kept getting voicemails and the same answer, “Well, I can’t. I made plans.” I was about to go crazy. I knew that I couldn’t miss this opportunity. It would have eaten me up if I went to work and missed the callbacks. I couldn’t miss this opportunity, this is what I came to New York for. As soon as I stopped worrying about it, one of my co-workers decided to cover my shift. See, I need to quit tripping and trust that God is going to work things out.

So I get back to the audition, still wearing the same clothes that I wore for the vocal audition. I spent all of my time searching for someone to cover my shift that it prevented me from going back home, to the Bronx, to get some dance clothes. It was a funny sight. I was the only one in jeans and dress shoes. I was a mess. Everybody’s all comfortable stretching and all and here I am in some jeans trying to do “movements”.

The choreographer came in and showed us what he wanted us to learn. “This ain’t movements… this is dancing!" I said in my head. "I thought they said movements, not dancing.” I was expecting some Temptations or The Four Tops kind of “movements” not Alvin Ailey. Besides, I was auditioning for Cee Cee; Cee Cee doesn’t dance. I didn't do my research; in the original Broadway cast, Cee Cee dances in "Step Into The Bad Side." I was so off guard.


When I say that I was a mess, I was a mess. When the other dancers turned right; I turned left. They shifted with the balls of their feet; I shifted with my heel. Have you ever seen the episode of I Love Lucy, when Lucy goes to take ballet lessons? You know, the one where she gets her foot caught in the bar and she’s falling out everywhere? Yep, that was quite similar to what I looked like.


Umm...I don’t think dance is my calling and I’m cool with that. Well, at least they liked my singing. I know I was a mess, up there trying to be Mikhail Baryshnikov (do your research if you don't know who he is.) Shoot, if I was the casting director, I wouldn’t put me in the show either. I must admit, I need to take some dance lessons. Maybe one day, I’ll be as good as Alvin Ailey or shoot, Alvin Love (lol). I ain't going to lie, I was disappointed that I didn’t get into the show, but I was fine. I know what God has for me is for me. I just enjoyed laughing at myself. Man, I wished y'all could have seen it.


Peace,
RA
P.S. Keep praying for me...I feel them.