Audition for a play – who me? – no way! However, I did! My children have both been in plays. Multiple plays with varying roles. I have never been in a play performance and always wondered what it would feel like. Auditioning with cerebral palsy terrified me, but I didn’t allow fear to get in my way of living. Well, most of the time, anyway.
Auditioning with cerebral palsy terrified me because my body tends to take over when I feel nervous. Of course, a lack of confidence is a big reason, but when I focus on one aspect of an activity, my body will do the opposite. As a result, I might become spastic, and my speech impediment will worsen. Cerebral palsy does the opposite of what you would like it to do.
I decided to audition for the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night. The casting call looked for people who were unique with challenges and neurodivergent. So this might be the one of all plays to audition for; this one will be it.
To prepare for an audition with cerebral palsy, I read the book. The story isn’t my usual reading type, but I like the ending. Therefore, I will not spoil it for you. I also practiced lines. As I practiced with my husband, my friend thought I was telling a true story instead of acting. That was a definite confidence builder! I practiced as much as possible, practiced my speech, let other people listen to me, and remember to have fun.
Before my auditioning with cerebral palsy, I was sick and went to Disney World. So February ended up being an exciting month. The day of my audition, though, I felt good. My Mom was excited and proud of me. Jason had a lot of confidence as well as my friends. Jeff drove me, and as we parked, my nerves settled in. But I remembered no matter what – have fun, which I did.
When I went in, I saw a table of scripts to read through. Being alone, I couldn’t pick any up, or they’d all be on the floor. So, I didn’t worry. I’d do whatever I could. When they called me in, I was surprised how many would watch. The director told me what part I was supposed to read, and someone asked if I needed help holding the script. She was kind to do so and keep up with the reading pace. A man read the main character.
I kept calm as possible and began to be the character. Of course, I had the parts with foul language that I was not fond of, but I did my best. I enjoyed reading the part about the older woman who makes friends with the boy who has autism. The people laughed at a few details in a good way of my tone. Surprisingly, I felt sad when it was over because I enjoyed it. But I came out with a smile and a sense of accomplishment! Jeff took me to get lunch and a celebration milkshake.
Waiting to see if I got a part was more difficult than I thought. It took about four days to hear that I wasn’t in the play. Of course, I felt disappointed, but still happy I tried. The director said that I read very well and should try again. I plan to someday.
If you have something that you’ve wanted to try, I encourage you to go for it. Cerebral palsy or not, we only have one life to live, so make the most of every moment. Auditioning with cerebral palsy is possible.
