Youth may be wasted on the young ... but they are willing to share!

Back when I first was divorced and I hung out with the young, mostly single crowd from my local community theatre, I noticed how much younger I felt. We met working on shows, and often went out socially after rehearsal or performances. When one group decided to frequent an establishment that offered karaoke every week, I joined in. I didn't sing all that often - these young people have trained voices AND know every song out there. But I enjoyed their company and they made me feel welcome.

After I started seeing the guy who is now my husband, I gradually stopped going to karaoke, as he performed early and close to home on the same night, and I usually went to see the end of his show. We  got in the habit of stopping in at another bar for half-off wine after his gig.

My guy stays young because he sings in college bars a lot, full of students and recent graduates who want to talk and share refreshments and stories on breaks and after the show. He truly enjoys getting to know them, and constantly amazes me by remembering names, faces and details they have related about their lives. He became so popular with the rugby team at the university here in town last year that we had a barbecue for them in his backyard the week before our wedding, and they invited him to play in their alumni game last fall. They invite us to their Holiday dinners and we happily join in. No one seems to notice that we are older than their parents. (Maybe they are just being polite!)

I was reminded how much I miss the energy and enthusiasm and lack of inhibition of the young when I went to auditions for The 10 Minute Play Festival at our community college last week. The event is the culmination of a class for directors taught by a woman whom I have been lucky enough to work with at the community theatre for which I am serving on the Board of Directors. She is known for the quality of her productions and I am hoping to work with her again in a show there someday. She has 14 students each directing a short play of their choice. Some parts were pre-cast, and there is one big audition for the remaining ones.

This wonderful lady created a Facebook event for the auditions, and I signed up as did several people of various ages whom I know from past shows. Little did I know however how few of them would actually show up. When I checked in and looked around, I realized that I was one of maybe 3 or 4 actors over 30 in the room. The room was teeming with 18 - 22 year olds who knew each other and greeted one another boisterously and loudly for the most part. It felt like a club and I was a little sad not to belong.

We were divided into two groups, each to audition for a set of 3 or 4 directors, in two different rooms. I was in the group that stayed in the black box theatre and I knew no one there. For the first hour, I watched these young adults read short scenes from each play. We had a one sentence summary of each show, and a few words about the characters.

You would not believe how creative and energetic the interpretations were and how much fun they had. Even though I only was asked to read once in the first session, I was enthralled by the process. Everyone seemed totally committed to getting a part in each play, even though the instructor explained you could only do two parts, at most. They celebrated and teased each other when someone did something particularly clever or even when we stuttered over the unfamiliar lines.

The second session was even more fun as I got to read with more people and for more parts. They made fun of me, playfully, because I kept missing my number when it was called. Sometimes this happened because I assumed I was not going to read for a character who was very young or listed as male. Besides that, at our theatre we use numbers to keep auditioners straight, but we usually call them up by name. I kept having to look down to remind myself what number I was. After I hesitated the second time, they started teasing that I did not want to be number 21, to which I replied, "It has been a long time since I was 21!" and everyone laughed.

The second night, we had seven more directors with seven more plays and I was assigned to the dance studio. Again, the energy levels were high,and there was a lot of laughter, despite the serious nature of many of the shows. Everyone read for many parts, and I began to realize what a monumental task it was going to be to cast the shows without conflicts over the best actors. I did not envy them those discussions at all.

My philosophy on auditions is to have fun at the time and to try not to worry about the outcome. I was resigned that I might not get a part. The student directors could cast each show several ways and unless the people who 'matched' me in a scene were also still available, I was out.

So, it was a very nice surprise to get a call that I had been cast in "Dog Lovers" by S. W. Senek as "Missy, a fitness instructor who loves her dog." The sheet says she is in her 20's, but casting is often flexible. I feel very lucky. Working with these young folks will help me stay young and active both mentally and physically, and I hope I can share something from my life experiences with them.

I can't wait to start. I will let you know how it turns out.