Okay, I want to talk about this a bit, since both rounds of UCB Harold auditions are done.
First off, I did not even get a callback this year, after getting one the year before, after not getting one the first year I auditioned.
And I’m perfectly okay with it. I was very happy with my audition; I thought I did great. I went in wanting to do two things: focus on the first three lines of my scene, and expand my world from there, and make my scene partner look good. I think I did both. I know I did the first one, and my second scene partner, who I did not know, complimented me in ways that made me feel like I accomplished my second goal.
I went in and pleased the most important person I have to please – myself. So I didn’t succeed in an audition. That just means that I have one more thing in common with every person I look up to in comedy.
Last year, I was super-stressed about how my callback went, and it was all because I didn’t perform in a way that I was happy with. Instead I played from a place of nervousness and uncertainty, and that’s not me. I felt like I let myself down, and questioned my talents as an improviser.
This year, I am not letting this setback question my abilities. I’ve heard TOO MANY TIMES, from TOO MANY PEOPLE, including decision makers at UCB, that I am GOOD. VERY GOOD at this. I’m also a member of a team that I am consistently told is a favorite of LOTS of people (Thank You, Robot, if you do not know). And I’m going to ignore all that because TWO scenes didn’t make 4 people laugh as much as I hoped they would?
Let’s break down the actual stats of the first round process at UCB from this year – there were 470 people who were eligible to audition and did. Of those, we know that there will be 64 callbacks. That is a 14% chance of making it to the next round, ASSUMING that you have two good scenes at the RIGHT EXACT TIME on the RIGHT EXACT DAY. You could have an awesome set right before your audition, and then have two crap scenes in the room. That’s the danger and excitement of improv – we don’t know what is going to happen on stage. FURTHERMORE, if you are part of that lucky 14% that advances to the next round of auditioning, there are only going to be, what, 16-20 spots open? And that’s probably being generous most years. You still have to have another GREAT SET at the EXACT RIGHT TIME OF DAY on the EXACT RIGHT DAY. Again, you could be dominating a stage at The Creek, then go to your audition and have a shaky set. We all have good and bad sets; it’s science. But do you understand how much the odds are stacked against EVERYONE that walks in there?
I don’t want to sound like I question the process they have in place, because I don’t. This is the MOST democratic way they could possibly judge talent for Harold night, given how large the community has become.
UCB is a high-profile stage, with a fun community surrounding it. But they created that by venturing out and doing their own thing. It wasn’t always an institution. You can do that too. I know you can because my improv team did it. We started our own show, and MADE ourselves a weekend team. Sure it’s only 2 Fridays a month, but it’s still a great time.
I’m not saying “get over it,” because that’s a little insensitive. Sure, it stings, it’s rejection. But don’t STEW in it. Don’t let yourself think you suck because of this process. Don’t dismiss every compliment you’ve been given by friends and colleagues. You are great! Use that knowledge to push yourself to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR YOU. Go start a team and have some fun doing improv on your own. If you’re on a team, start your own show – THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME FOR INDEPENDENT IMPROV IN NEW YORK CITY. Treat your show like it’s the best way that performers and audience alike could spend their time, then MAKE THAT TRUE. Try to get it listed in major event publications like Time Out, or The Onion. Scramble to get press. Tape your shows and put them online. Sure, there’s more work involved in doing it on your own, and it’s a tough process, but HONEST TO GOD, that’s only going to make you better at all aspects of showbiz. Plus, a few years from now when you have more important live shows where other people take over the (UGH!) marketing duties, and something should go wrong, you’ll know how to help fix it. Take control of your career.
Don’t be a target. Targets are sedentary; they sit and wait for things to happen to them. Be a weapon. Weapons are active; they move, they seek out what they want, and they attack it.
Be a weapon.
PS – if you go to Harold night after this, PLEASE don’t judge new performers as to whether or not you’re better than them. That’s the first step down the path of bitterness, and you don’t want to be that person. The fact that they’re on a Harold team and you are not has nothing to do with them. Instead, try to be happy that they accomplished a goal that you also hoped to accomplish, because then people are more likely to feel that way when it happens for you. Love breeds love.