The Audition

You sit in a waiting room, trying to be patient but feeling anxious. You glance over at the nearby mirror again for the fourth time in five minutes, confirming your natural blonde hair is perfect.

You notice your right hand shaking slightly, as it's holding a glossy 8x10 headshot and your acting resume. That page is mostly empty: a big role in a college play that convinced you that you were wasting time and money getting into debt for education, and since dropping out one small role as a cheerleader that was little more than extra work (there was an opportunity for lines, and higher pay, but that involved participating in the shower scene, and with rent now past due you were coming to regret your modesty). You had told yourself you had what it took to be an overnight success, but with rejections piling up you begin to realize being an actress wouldn't be easy.

You were lost in your thoughts when you hear someone speak your name. "Ashley Campbell?" You look up, smile and nod that it's you. The woman is a brunette, tall and slender, about 30, wearing glasses and dressed professionally. She gestures that you should follow her, and the two of you enter a large room with a makeshift stage in one corner and a camera set up beside the auditioning panel. You cross to them, smiling brightly, and hand over your paper and picture.

"Hello, Ashley," says a fat black man also about 30. "I'm the director, Andre Smith. You've met my assistant director, Julie Carncross. That's the camera man, Jeff. And these two are our producers, Troy and Dawg." You are surprised that the producers are black too, maybe as young as you (19), and dressed like gang members. They look you up and down in a way that makes you nervous. "Are you familiar with the script?"

"Yes," you say, smiling firmly. "I've read it many times now." He smiles, as if he knows a joke that you don't.

"And you're reading for the role of Kaitlyn?" You nod again, and Andre leans forward. "Well, there's been a change in the story... and sweet trusting Kaitlyn gets tricked into working ..." He paused, for dramatic effect maybe, "as a stripper." He watches your reaction carefully. Inside, your heart jumps, and speeds up a beat... you have doubts about this, but you need the money so bad. You're two months behind on your rent.