Massive Casting Office : Direct Call (!?)

I just took Tylenol with coffee.   I think on some level that has to be bad for you.

So it's a touch past one, and I'm presently perched on my couch with the day's edition of Hollywood Reporter and one massive Everything bagel.  The bagel is overly laden with cream cheese, in case you're curious.  Far more cream cheese than any human being can feasibly consume without some kind of intestinal malfunction in my opinion.

But the topic of this post is obviously not about my obese breakfast selection.

I had an audition this morning that happened, quite literally, out of thin air.  As in, yesterday at approximately 3:42 (actually it was exactly 3:42) my cell phone rang it's obnoxious default BEEP(!) and a 212 number popped up.  Having spent one year of hell in the real estate business (never... ever... ever...) I have issues picking up my cell phone.  Phobias of unknown numbers.  I'm finally getting over it after joining an online Blackberry support group. 

Just kidding.  But that's a business idea.

So anyway -- cell phone rings, 212 number, I hesitate with a brief moment of eyeball-bulging, and then pick up. 

"Hello?"  (insert Flashback of East Village studio client threatening to jump off his roof here).

"Hello, Ashley?  This is [so-and-so] from Lynn Kressel's office..."

My heart sprang out of my ankle-area and right back up with delight.

"We'd like to have you come in for a role in a movie we're casting..."

Now, I knew I'd been in that office to audition for Law&Order before, but I couldn't remember actually meeting Lynn Kressel.  I searched my nugget for old actory-seminar audition memories in an attempt to place reasoning for the direct call.  Nothing.

The exceptionally happy assistant sent me the sides, and even though they were short (i.e. very small role), I was delighted.  New office!  Get in front of 'em! 

So I set my alarm clock three times (I usually set it five), and defer on my Green backup alarm.  Here's where it all went [almost] wrong.  I always, always set two absolutely different alarms in two absolutely different parts of my room.  I sometimes place one under the bed, or ask my roommate to put it somewhere and not inform me of the location [induces searching the next morning -- similar effect to bad half-decaf Instant Coffee].

I've been better lately, though -- so I figured what the heck.  One alarm will do.

The next morning:  Alarm 1 goes off at 8:15am.  I call this the "Ambitious" setting.  I roll out of bed, trudge over to the offending device, and hit it a few times.

Alarm 2 goes off at 9:15am.  I call this the "You Need To Or You're Lazy" setting.  Though I characteristically stay up working until four or five o'clock in the morning on webdesign -- so early a.m. is tough for me.  This one usually induces flinging the clock behind my bookshelf.

Alarm 3 goes off at 9:45am.  I call this one the "GET THE $%*@ out of BED ALREADY" setting.  For some reason, I don't remember Alarm 3 going off.

Exactly 37 minutes before I needed to be in the casting office, my roommate toddles in and asks me something about an odd smell coming from our kitchen. 

I literally scream.  Just... scream.  Loudly.  I think the sound was an attempted expletive, somewhere between shit and... well, something extremely offensive in a different language.  One I don't know... like Norwegian.

I've never gotten ready so fast in my entire life.  I was showered, makeupped, and out the door with thirteen minutes to go to get from the East 20s to Chelsea Piers. 

Even though I almost had a heart attack, I somehow made it by two whole minutes.  And realized I did know the casting director -- the fellow who works directly under Lynn, named Kevin Kuffa (who also casts a bunch of amazing Sci-Fi stuff).  He ended up reading me, and was one of those cool CD's you have the urge to ask out for a friendly beer.  But don't.  Because then you'll look like the crazy stalker actor, etc.  I'd met him at One on One about a year and three months ago.

"Good to see you again, Ashley" he began.  Hurrah!  He did remember me!

So I read my little scene and that was it.  And I took a chance on one of my "takes" and went a completely bizarre and unintentionally pre-pondered direction.  He did say do it a few ways.  So we'll see.

I'm hoping Fabulous Manager and Awesome agent might be a little tiny bit happy/impressed/wanting to get me more work after this month's influx of self-obtained stuff.  We shall see, we shall see.

Back to my ridiculous looking bagel. 

-- Ashley Avis