Every actor knows that auditioning is the job, the average actor spends hours preparing for the 1-minute they may spend in the room. Every second counts! You prepare for what you can control and let go of what you can’t. With R.Evolución Latina, they dared to break the traditional audition routine and Dared to Go Beyond.
From the top of the audition, it was clear that the R.Evolución Latina team goes against the grain of traditional, capitalist, practices of auditioning. In the 4 hours I spent in the call-back, they were able to grasp the kind of person I am to work with, how I receive feedback, and stretch my bandwidth of play.
There were many points when I even forgot that it was an audition! I felt respected as an actor and treated like a fellow colleague. Surprisingly, I never thought auditioning in front of my peers and with my peers would be so liberating. You may be wondering: Wait, auditioning in front of the people you’re supposed to be competing with? Treated like a fellow colleague?
The team at R.Evolución Latina thoughtfully designed an audition that encouraged devising- a collaborative process of producing a theatrical piece without the boundaries of a traditional script. Facilitating scenarios where actors were encouraged to devise their own interpretation of a scene, a song, and a monologue. Each personality in that room had an opportunity to shine and demonstrate their ability to work as a team. By the end of the first day, everyone wanted to see each other at the callback, and by the end of the second callback, everyone felt like a second cousin!
The diversity in the room was rich and the Latino diaspora was fully present. Learning from each person in the room was a gift. There was a flow of different Spanish dialects and an exchange of stories- a skill us Latinos do very well. We shared how the intersection of Latinidad can show up differently for everyone, but how the ever present kinship of our shared roots keeps us united.
By the end of the second day, the team made it a point to have a closing conversation reflecting on magic we all created. The insistence on inviting joy and humor into the space reflected the kind of environment we should all strive to create. Redefining what musical theatre should look and sound like emphasized the need to reframe how Latinidad is introduced into popular culture.
As a freshman to the New York theatre scene, building relationships with Latinos within the theatre industry was an investment in curating my support network and feeding my joy. After leaving that audition, I knew I had grown 10 feet taller. The imposter syndrome that generally accompanies a post-audition became a ghost, and I felt empowered to Go Beyond.
By Amaris Rios