You may have noticed a lot of talk about the State Library and not much talk about auditions here in recent days. That's because auditions were still happening and we were still thinking about various casting decisions and having long and detailed conversations over the phone about the requirements of various characters in the script.
Well guess what. We have a cast.
It's always a great feeling to cast actors in a show that you've been writing solo for so long. Really clever performers can bring a new dimension to something that you didn't even see yourself. It's going to be heaps of fun playing around with it in the next month or so.
However... it is always devastating for us to have to cull people from the pool of performers who have kept us entertained in auditions over recent weeks. I think this probably says more about me than it does about... you know... reality. Probably the reality is that people turn up, do an audition, forget about it, go home, hear back from us later and get on with their lives like the professionals they are. But for me, I imagine the worst case scenario: people might be disappointed, people might be annoyed, people might sit at home sticking pins in a director-shaped voodoo doll.
See, I can't help feeling in some small way like I'm breaking up with a whole lot of people, all at once (even though I still really like them). What's more, I feel like maybe they feel a bit jibbed because of course it's not like a normal break up; they don't get to scream at me down the phone and publically pash someone else just to make me feel bad.
I mean, they can, they're welcome to, obviously, but so far nobody has.
Of course, as I say, the facts are different. In fact, people have been lovely. People have written back to wish us luck and send their best wishes. People have said lovely things and signed up to our mailing list and promised to come to the show.
People are ace.
People don't feel like we're breaking up with them at all. Or maybe they do but maybe they're those mature kinds of people who manage to be friends with their exes and move on to more meaningful relationships elsewhere. I don't know, all I know is that I'm relieved and grateful and I would like to thank the people who auditioned for this show. It was a pleasure meeting everyone and seeing everyone perform. It's also good to know that people don't take these things as seriously as I do. I guess that means I should take my Telstra-employee-shaped voodoo dolls and put them out with the hard rubbish. Oh well.
Also, welcome aboard to our cast and crew. This is going to be fun.