Our new endeavor - a long story

The 1st of July I sent out 12 resumes and pictures of Z to some acting agents here in L.A.. Over the last three weeks we have met with three agencies.

The first one just wanted her for print and commercials. But Z really wants to act.

The second agency was run by a very nice lady. They gave Z a paragraph that was like a commercial about chips. Z went out into the hallways and read it, memorized it, and then practiced her delivery. This agent said she was "amazed" by Z's cold reading. She said that Z was a natural. I might have signed with them.

But the third agency has a very good record with young kids (there are some big stars signed with them) and the atmosphere there was great. Since we did sign with them I will tell that story.

We got there and there were two other girls a little older than Z already waiting to be seen. They played hangman together for awhile. The first girl was called in and was only there for like two minutes and then they said "Thank you" to the mom and that was that.


I was surprised and a little concerned. It seemed so short and then they didn't even want to talk to the mom.

Then the second girl went in and they chatted her up for a lot longer and then invited her parents back to talk. I don't know if they signed her or not. But at least it seemed hopeful.

Then it was Z's turn to go in. When kids do auditions, even with an agent, they go in by themselves. One thing the agents are looking for is to see if the kid is comfortable around other adults and can disengage from the parent. Z really has no problem with this. I heard them asking her questions and joking around with her. Then she did her Snug the Joiner/The Lion speech from Midsummer Night's Dream.

You, ladies you, who gentle hearts do fear
the smallest monsterous mouse that creeps on floor
may now perchance both quake and tremble here
when lion, rough in wildest rage doth roar

then she raises her "claws" up in the air, take a big breath and says "meee-ow" in a cute little voice.

They loved it. Everyone in the waiting room looked up startled by the peals of laughter coming from the agent's office. I smiled then and felt somewhat cheered. I really wanted this agency to represent Z, but still I wasn't sure.

They they got people from the other offices to come to hear her do her speech again. More laughter. I still wasn't sure.

Z told me later that they asked her her favorite book (Harry Potter), her favorite t.v. show (Buffy) and her favortie movie (Harry Potter) and had her speak some Japanese.

They asked me to come in and said that they really wanted to represent Z. They said she has an amazing memory. I asked them what they saw Z doing and they said "Everything!" (print, modeling, commercial, television, and film)

I told them that I did want to sign with them but I need time to think about it. That was Tuesday.

Yesterday afternoon I called them and told them that we wanted them to represent Z.

Today Z has summer camp. Right after that she had rehearsals for her Shakespeare performance coming up at the end of July. Then I drove to the agents to sign the contract at 4:00

I was on the way to the agents when I got a phone call. It was from the agency. They said 'Can Z go to an audition at 6:00?"

I said "Ummm, I am five minutes from you right now. I haven't signed the contracts with you yet."

She said "That is okay. We can take care of that and the audition is close to here. It is for a commercial."

Wow!

So, in three weeks we went from sending out Z's resume to taking her to her first audition.

I was really not prepared. I thought to myself thank goodness I had her dressed in clean clothes.

We went to the agency and signed the contracts and them drove straight over to her first audition. She was one of about 10 kids (at least that is how many I saw when I was there.)

To be honest I don't care if she gets it. I would be cool but we have other things going on too. And I know it takes a lot of auditions before you get a job.

I am doing this because Z loves to perform. And, apparently, she is very good at it. For now it is something she can do for fun, although I did impress on her today that it is not a game or play but a business and that if she wants to do it professionally she has to be act like a "big girl."

It was kind of funny because I never really used that phrase with her... "Big girl." She has always been seemed too mature for me to call her that. But it seemed to be the right phrase in this case. I gave her a chance to backout but she said "No, I really want to act."

I think she does. (But you never know when she might change her mind.)

She was so high when she came out of the audition. It took her about half an hour to to calm down to her normal state of over-exuberance.

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In other news Z started to learn cursive today. I wrote some sentences in cursive and she copied the words below them. Her handwriting was almost as good as mine!

She also had a great time rehearsing for the Shakespeare production. She started out with only five lines. But today they gave her some more and added a bunch of improv for her. She is going to be in the entire production. Titania, Queen of Fairies will be leading the audience through the woods during the performance and Z is going to be with her the entire time, reacting to everything Titania says and does. Z even added a bunch of interpretive body movements to go with Titania's speech. It is amazing really. I wish I was going to be able to see the performance.

here is a picture of Z as Titania's Changling Child