Third booking in a MONTH!

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OMG, COLOR ME HAPPY - I just booked a role on "My Name is Earl"!

Tuesday was a crazy busy and pretty tense day at work. As usual on "one of those days" I got a same-day audition call. I'm working in Mid-Wilshire, and the audition was as far north in Van Nuys that one can go without being in another little city. My audition time was at 5:45, so that meant that I didn't have to go back to the office, but it ALSO meant that I was driving in rush-hour traffic. In order to not shortchange the production gig, I planned to leave no later than 5PM (cutting it close), but the guy I work for asked for something as I was leaving, and I didn't get out of there until 5:15. I drove as fast as I could, but at 5:40, I had to call my manager and tell her I was running late. I wasn't that far away...I was just stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic and couldn't get there. The later it got, the more stressed out I became. I just knew I would get there and everyone would be gone.

I arrived at 6:15.

I was sweating bullets as I pulled my car into the little lot, took a drag on my asthma inhaler and jumped out. I walked in and saw a ROOM FULL of people. It was standing room only. I signed in, then a security guard came and got me because I had parked my car crooked or something (never did figure out the real problem). I moved it over a little bit, and ran back in just in time to hear the casting assistant ask if "Nicole" had arrived yet.

I handed her my headshot, walked in, greeted everyone in the room, and sat down. Since I didn't have time to stop by my apartment and grab clothing appropriate for a church scene, I was wearing a velour warm-up suit. I threw a fringed pashmina (that I keep in my car) around my shoulders and gave my best "church lady" audition. Everyone in the room cracked up. I was give some direction and asked to do it again. I did. They laughed even harder. I stayed in character until they stopped, then left wondering if I was really that funny.

I guess I was, because I BOOKED IT! This is my third booking in a month. My agent told me "this is great because NOBODY is working right now." Wow. I am hoping I don't get written out of anything and just really trying to enjoy the moment. This is one leg of a journey that has had some feasts and some famines. This is one moment. I hope for many more, but right now, I have this one.

--Nicole J. Butler