August arrived and I began looking at audition notices again. I also re-started a practice I began when I first arrived in Chicago just over 11 years ago: Program Research. I see a lot of theatre - I love theatre. It's what I do. It's how I spend my time. It's something that constantly challenges me, encourages me, infuriates me, inspires me, pressures me, and reveals myself to me. Every time I attend a show, I take the the program home and research it. Who was in the show? What other companies have those people worked with? Are they similar to my type? If so, what other roles have they been cast in before? Note to self: Look at those plays & characters. Who directed the show? What other companies have they worked with? Do I know anyone who's worked with this director or at those other companies? Etc. I stopped this practice after I started getting steady acting work, probably a good 6-7 years ago. Between full-time day-jobs and back to back shows, finding time to see theatre, much less do all that leg-work, became increasingly difficult. But, boy was it useful! It helped me figure out who I wanted to work with and who I wanted to make sure I was on the audition list for.
And I couldn't do that if I was already focusing on something else.