Audition(s) Eight: The Shape Shifter and the Summer Ballet Intensives

The Talent Agency phoned at 2 PM to tell me that DB had a movie audition for some Fantasy/Sci Fi thing on the internet.  Happily, some movie company saw DB somewhere - I think from a previous video audition, and now want him again.  The thing is, he needed a NEW video audition, and he needed one TODAY.  Right now.  (Do these people think that everyone is a stay-at-home-mom?)  I had a meeting that was unavoidable and so Darling Husband agreed to make the trek.  I phone DB.  "But I'm at a basketball game - and if I leave, they will think I've been kidnapped."  It took a moment to realize that he rode the bus from school to some other location for the game.  At this point, I had to turn it over to DB and DH to work out details with Talent Agency.  

Apparently they did.  He's just hit the door, asked for a ham sandwich.  He said his role is that of a shape shifter, and that the REAL shape shifter is "some old man" but that apparently one of the forms he shifts to is to a boy.  Sounds cool to me.  DB had no time to tell me more, because as I type this he is shoving the ham sandwich in his face with one hand, and putting on ballet tights with another (this is a feat you'd just have to see).  And now, he's headed out the door with his dad to ballet.  I suppose we will hear if he will be cast as this shapey-shifter-y thing soon enough.  Assuming that there's funding for the project and that they like him and that now that he just got braces, they still want him, and and and..

And speaking of ballet:  Kids who dance with schools associated with professional companies at the level DB does are, at some point, expected to try for summer dance programs out of state.  Last year when DB was 13, he auditioned for only two:  The School of American Ballet in New York City (Balanchine's school - the one that the New York City ballet supports, located in Lincoln Center) and Houston Ballet, which is quite the top notch school, apparently (because the local Ballet Teachers here told us so, because of course, how would we know anyway).  He got in Houston, and not in NYC.  And so he went to Houston for almost 4 weeks.  It was really really hard to get back on the plane and leave him there for us.  He, on the other hand, waved us off with a "go have dinner or a date or something, because I've made these new friends here and we're going to the cafeteria."  I think we could have put him on a Grayhound Bus and he would have been fine.  That said, it was hard for us with him GONE.

I asked one of his teachers about the experience and what to tell him beforehand.  After talking with her, I sat him down and said "This is the first time you are going someplace where no one loves you.  Where no one has your back.  Where no one is particularly interested in your welfare.  You will need to keep your wits about you, and to seek comfort in yourself and also in us, if you want to call us anytime.  You will not know anyone and this is the first time you will be completely on your own.  Dad and I have every confidence that this will be a great thing for you and that you not only will be fine, but that you will love it."   He looked at me levelly and then said "It's the beginning of my leaving home for real isn't it?"  

Oh my God.  I cried later, away from him.  DH cried all the way back from Houston on the plane, because he is a Big Softie.  

This year, we had more notice about these programs.  He auditioned for Long Beach, California (they apparently take the kids to China for part of the summer), Chicago, Austin, Pittsburgh, Houston, and New York.  

And he got in them all.  ALL, and re: Austin, Pittsburgh, Houston, and New York, WITH SCHOLARSHIPS (which saves about $5,000 - yes. I know. $5,000.  Right?)

Of course, New York was the last audition and when he got the email he didn't whoop or holler (DH and I did) he just looked all beam-y and got a little tearful.

So, he's headed to New York for the summer.  Five weeks.  FIVE. 

I know we raise our children to leave us without a backward look, but oh the time - it's just going too fast.  

Way to go DB.  Way to dance your butt off.  Maybe you'll get this ShapeShifter Movie too.

Audition Seven: A Religious Themed Movie with - Surprise! More Bullies!

OK, so Wednesday, when I went to drop off the voucher payment thing from the Head Lice Commercial to the Talent Agency Office, they told me that Darling Boy has an audition for a small movie filmed in our state. The word "Bully" is in the title.  This time, however, he is going for the role of the Bullied, not the other way around.

In any event, I did get to update his resume so that the first category is "Acting" and has the Head Lice Commercial proudly listed there.  It's the only thing that's under the category and then there's another category called "Theater" which now that I think about it, looks stupid - because aren't they BOTH "Acting" or in the same category?  I will have to ask the Talent Agency about how to make it look less stupid because they are walking out the door and I'm not about to mess with it now.

In the meantime, I looked up the production company and it seems that this film is a joint venture between two very religious film making outfits, but their religions are very different from one another.  I find that in and of itself, hopeful because as organized religions go, especially ones that are traditional and opposite of one another, there could be trouble..  They have made a couple of small movies that run on the Cable TV channel that shows inspirational things for their viewers.  I think the casting call will be large but it's worth a shot.  It's another thirty minute plus drive, and again, in the snow. This time, Dear Husband will be taking Darling Boy for his noon call.  I just shoved them out the door, with DH saying "Wait, let me get my coffee" and DB saying "He is the slowest person on the planet.  It's as if he slows down right before it's time to leave to go anywhere."  But they are now out the door.

Interestingly, Husband was nervy last night - asking DB if he had "practiced his lines" and so forth.  Usually that Anxiety Projection Mechanism belongs to me, not Husband.  This time, I got to be the one who said "I have utter confidence in DB and he knows what he's doing."  Mind you, it's usually the other way around, with me being Princess of Neurotic Land and him being all disgustingly Zen.

So.  A religiously based film.  This would be lovely to get, if only to get the Porny Lice Ad out of his hair, so to speak.