The process of auditioning can be a life changing experience and a whole rollercoaster of emotions. 

There are times where it can be very scary, fun, tough, and absolutely hilarious, especially when you’re auditioning to be in this year’s school musical, The Addams Family. Many students are seniors and juniors who have been acting in school plays and musicals since their freshman year. 

Between September 11 and 13, hopeful students auditioned with a song and one-minute monologue of their choice. Ms. Lesli Woods, the choir director, and Mrs. Myriah Araiza, the theater director, were very supportive of all the brave students who auditioned that day. 

Many students used different pieces from other musicals. Some, however, just used their favorite song. But in the end, everyone sounded great. Mrs. Araiza’s baby, Monty, was also there cheering everyone on and making students smile. From 4:05 until about 5:15, students warmed up their voices and their bodies, as this was the day for the dance auditions. Macaela Thoelke, junior, led everyone through multiple exercises that were similar to a yoga class. 

Once the teachers arrived back at school, they brought in the dance coordinator for this year’s musical. Everyone learned the full choreography to one of the songs for the musical called “Meet the Addams.” He alarmed some of the students there by telling the show choir kids that a dance move would look familiar. 

As it turned out, he did a very simple dance move, and the show choir students were relieved. After repeating the entire dance routine multiple times, everyone was then sent out into the hall in small groups to practice the dance, so they could audition with it. 

One by one groups were called back to the room where they performed the dance twice, once with the dance instructor and then while Mrs. Araiza was recording on her phone. When all the groups finished, everyone was all called back to the room to perform the dance as a group again. 

After a while, it was getting closer to 7:00 in the evening, and everyone started to move kind of sluggishly because they had been there for so long dancing non-stop. But it made them more convincing when they were asked to dance like zombies. 

The dance instructor intoned, “It will be okay if you don’t dance perfectly! Just remember, you’re dead. It works with your characters. Dead people are not exactly known for being energetic and full of life.”   

The directors also finished up some last minute voice auditions with a couple of students. On the final day, Wednesday, there were callbacks. Callbacks occur when the directors, Ms. Woods and Mrs. Araiza, think that a student did so well in their audition that they want to see how they might perform particular roles. Students were very excited to get one.

 Some people had call backs for multiple roles. The person with the most callbacks was a freshman, August Cripes, with four callbacks, all for very big roles. Everyone agreed that they were pretty nervous. But in the end it sounded like most people had a really good time.  

Lienna Marshman, a senior, who was auditioning as Morticia said, “Callbacks were very relaxed compared to the other audition days for me.” Everyone had to read at least one monologue, perform a scene, and sing a song from The Addams Family as their character. The students went home at about 7:00 crossing their fingers that they would be chosen for their part. Everyone was especially tired from three long days of auditions.

On Friday, September 15, Mrs. Araiza and Ms. Woods released the cast list. Many of the students were overjoyed, while some came to the sad realization that they will not be a part of the musical this year. 

“Twenty minutes before the cast list was sent out I was having an anxiety attack because of how nervous I was. But when I got the email, a weight was lifted off my shoulders!”  Elena Ireland, sophomore. 

Overall, everyone had lots of fun while auditioning for The Addams Family musical.