The Launch – Revisited

This morning I came to a harsh realization. I am probably never going to get to do Regional Theatre. Or a National Tour. This may not mean much to you but it came as a crushing blow to my currently shaky psyche.

Last year, when I decided to embark on “Launching” a professional acting career, I eagerly added almost 400 Regional Theatres and Touring Companies to my marketing database and email list. I signed up for audition page notifications for over 360 different theatres. (changedetection.com is sheer BRILLIANCE) The plan was to try to market to every paying theatre out there in the country with the hopes that one would bite. I managed to get a few mass mailings out to the full list and had some nibbles and even an audition scheduled  (for Barter Theatre in Virginia).

Then life happened.

It is pretty difficult to tour the country when you are the mom of two small kids. It is next to impossible to do so when you are a single parent of said children. I could launch (no pun intended – probably) into all the reasons it SHOULD still be feasible but as things stand, it just isn’t. And yet every day those audition notices would come crowding my inbox with the hope that I could maybe do something about them.

And it was really starting to get to me.

So this morning I decided to stop torturing myself and I deleted all of the “out of area” theatres and casting directors. I sat and deliberated over my list, trying to justify keeping each listing but I just couldn’t. Oh, there were a few I just couldn’t bear to part with (Steppenwolf, Guthrie, Manhattan Theatre Club), but for the most part, I had to say good bye to that aspect of the dream. At least for the time being.

So, for now, I will focus on getting the attention of the amazing theatres that are in my backyard (Intiman, ACT, Seattle Repertory, etc.).  I will continue to market, self-promote, train,  submit and audition and audition and audition. I will just have to do it "at home."

And for now, home HAS to be where the heart is.