Audition Frenzy

So today we went to "Register Day" for Haddy's art charter school. He is the only deaf kid so I am sure you can imagine it is a wee bit different for him.

All summer I have been asking for a specific interpreter who is experienced in the arts. We won't find out until right before school starts if he got her. If we don't that means I will have to make sure the interpreter he gets is qualified. The good news is the school is very supportive and the district is responsible. So he will have a certified interpreter but we need a person familiar with the arts.

As we went through the line we came to the table to sign up for the Fall musical auditions. The school has three plays every year, a musical, dinner show and drama. Last year he was the only middle school kid in the dinner show. I asked if he was going to try. He said no. His theater teacher was standing by and asked why. He replied, " I am deaf and this is a musical"

She pointed to the table and said,

"Go sign up"

So he did. I always tell him we don't say can't until we fail. He may not get in but I think he should try if he wants to. He can let the teachers decide if he is a good fit.

Today we had to hurry around and find a song and monologue for the audition. He will audition at 11am . This is what it looks like.

1. He needs a song.

He picks "Fireflies" by Owl City. Fun lyrics. We run to get the music and come home to print the lyrics. My printer is out of ink. Oops, a road block. He does well if he has the printed text for music.

I search youtube for a video with the lyrics on time. I find something close. He plugs in his "sckullcrusher " headphones to help find the beat. We work through the song several times. We plug the headphones into the stereo and work out the timing without the caption and my prompt. He tries to remember the song.

The song is sort of ready.

2. He needs a monologue.

This is more of a problem because we have several plays at our home but finding a monologue would take time. He picks a Deaf bit from a mentor's bag of tricks. His monologue will be a deaf story.

So in the morning with very little time to prepare he will audition for a musical. It doesn't matter if he gets in. Every-time the kids auditions they learn. A kid like mine and your's gains the experience of getting up in front of people and winging it sometimes.