Recently, I went in for a cold-read audition where all I knew about the part was that they wanted a Caucasian teenager. When I got there, I found out the part was to play the younger version of the antagonist (the bad guy) in the film.

A “cold read” audition is one where the actors don’t see a script until they get to the audition room. The casting director or director is looking to see how they can react quickly to direction, and whether or not they can create a character quickly. Thanks to LOTS of practice in classes with Nancy Chartier, Cathryn Hartt, and Lauren Lazell — and some tips from Del Shores — I actually like cold read auditions a lot.

It’s fun to create the whole back story for a character on the spot, and come up with your interpretation of how that character walks, talks, and reacts instantly. Sure, it can be scary to have to perform something you’ve just seen for the first time, but it’s also fun.

So I did the audition, and a couple of days later I got the casting notice. The script came today. Looks like most of my part consists of getting my butt kicked — which is part of the back story on how this “normal” guy winds up becoming a serial killer.  I’ve played a bully before, but never a serial killer. This should be fun, in a twisted kind of way.

Guess one of the reasons this was a cold read is that there isn’t much dialogue for my scenes — hope the guy who’s playing my father in the film is good at pulling his punches. I like staged fights, because they’re fun to do, but both actors need to be really well-coordinated so that nobody gets hurt.  I really don’t want to spend my Christmas holidays sporting a black eye or something.

Filming for this one starts after Thanksgiving, and finishes in mid-December — just before rehearsals for La Fete, the Lone Star Circus Christmas show at Dallas Children’s Theater, start.

So it looks like a busy December for me! I’ll post more about the movie and the circus show when I have details.