After seeing this post I also wanted to share my experience! Especially because I have been creeping on all of these lovely stories in order to try and make myself feel more at ease.
I went to the unified auditions in LA, which I believe mine took place on February 9th during the afternoon session. I was really nervous, and when I get nervous I tend to arrive early because I want to make sure I have everything in order. Which is funny because I was actually staying in the hotel, so I was incredibly early. Anyway, when I arrived another girl was also there for the afternoon session with her mom, and since the morning session was just ending, the girls working the table checked with Barbara in order to see if she could take one more. Barbara agreed and then the girl went in. Since I had a flight to catch later in the day I figured it wouldn’t hurt to see if they could also slip me in, but then I decided to not let them worry about it since Barbara was probably in need of a break after such a long morning session, and long audition sessions from the days before. So I went back to my room and waited a little while (running my monologues a few times again) before going back downstairs to the room again.
There were a lot more people in the room once I was back, a lot of girls with their moms by their sides, or even both parents. I brought my brother along for the ride, and we spent the fifteen minutes before the session started just talking and joking. There was so much tension in the room and it tended to get super quiet at times, so we were a tad bit louder than most. But hey, it’s Carnegie Mellon! Of course everyone was nervous. I think my brother was trying to keep me distracted from the lengthy and legit resume that the girl in front of me was sporting. I also was the only girl in the room not wearing heels. I’m 5’2" and not experienced in high heels, which made me opt out of that decision from the get go. But I was easily intimidated by the fact that all the other girls were wearing (and completely rocking) some pretty cute heels.
Anywho, after awhile we began the check in process of filling out our info sheets, getting our pictures taken, etc. I took a silly photo when I did mine, and the lady doing the table was laughing and saying, “Okay, you’re in!” And I think I replied with something like, “I wish it was that easy!”
Then after everyone was about done, Barbara, Kaf, and Gary all came in to give their own little speeches about the program, some tips, and just an overall message to “have fun!” After all, this is all of our passion and something we deeply love, so we just needed to go in and have fun with them. They all had us laughing, and also mentioned the “we may pass you around between Kaf and Barbara.” I had already read a few stories about people being passed between the two and being asked to perform their monologues multiple times in order to work them and what not, so I was preparing myself to do some work!
They told us they would be calling us in groups of about five. The MT group was much bigger than those of us just focusing on acting (meaning me included), so we were sure to go much faster. The MT group would go with Gary first, and then just acting would go with Barbara (and I think another group with Kaf). Having a B last name, I was the first one called on the list of five, and I was also the first to go into the room with Barbara. I remember the girls around me were so nervous, but so was I. However, I was already feeling such good vibes from the staff that I was getting very excited as well.
Barbara greeted me at the door, and she was instantly so incredibly friendly. I shook her hand and she led me inside, where a man was sitting at the table. She introduced him as one of the alumni who was just sitting in on auditions for the afternoon session, and I introduced myself to him as well. He was friendly, and it made me feel at ease. So then Barbara sat down, and said I was already standing in the perfect spot to begin my monologues. She reviewed which pieces I would be performing, and I know what you’re all going to think “how overdone” when it comes to my pieces. But I chose a piece from Midsummer’s and another piece from Brighton Beach Memoirs. So Barbara told me to do whatever I needed to prepare because “we’re all actors. We get it.” So I’m minimalistic in this aspect and just need a moment within myself, saying the usual mottos. But then I looked up, found my other, and began.
Both of my monologues went smooth, and I felt pretty good about them. The man at the table watched the entire time, while Barbara took lots of notes. Which scared me, but I also know that’s a pretty good thing. Then Barbara asked if she could see another piece. I had prepared a third monologue for my Minnesota audition that had to be a character that we would never be cast as, but were very passionate about. I chose a piece from A Chorus Line, which is Paul’s monologue. When I told them about it, they both seemed interested, and Barbara mentioned it was quite a stretch, but she would love to see it.
Oh lord. I love that monologue first off, but while Barbara was writing I could see the guy’s reactions out of the corner of my eye. He laughed at one point of the monologue (which is good/funny because it’s very dramatic and sad in a sense), and then I could see him nodding (hopefully in approval) at me as I was finishing up, but I kept my focus on the wall.
Once I was done, Barbara kept mentioning how well prepared I was, and how great it was that I was that prepared. So I thanked her, and was hoping that was a good sign. I stood there waiting for her to ask me to run a certain piece again or give me notes (as I had read she had done with many others), but she didn’t. I wasn’t sure how to really take that because I’ve experienced directors working monologues with me and I get cast, or not working with me and I get cast. So I wasn’t quick to make judgments. However, based on what I’ve read, I thought my chances were kinda shot right there if I wasn’t asked to work or even see Kaf.
Instead, she invited me to sit down and have a chat with her. During the chat she just talked about my prior schooling, where else I had applied to, and mentioned how important it is to do a wide net of schools in order to be safe. I made sure to look at both of them while talking and answering, but I was quite nervous. But when Barbara started sharing the numbers of 2,000 people applying, and only 7 or so getting in, I felt my heart racing and sinking at the same time. I think she could tell because she instantly went, “Not that I’m saying you won’t get in!” But she could very well be saying that.
Anyway, after that she thanked me again for being so prepared and everything, and then led me out of the room to the door. She asked me if I had anymore auditions and I told her I was done, so she told me to just go out and enjoy the rest of my day because I was done and I had accomplished so much. I thanked her, and then she went on to the next girl.
When I got back to the waiting room my brother asked lots of questions. I told him how well my audition went and how amazing Barbara was, but then I had to go on to explain that I most likely wasn’t going to get in. Just due to odds, and also because my class standing is different than probably all of the other kids. But it was a great experience and I really, really enjoyed it. Carnegie’s staff is amazing and I really felt welcome and like I was there to just have fun!
Sorry for the length! Hope this helped anyone else!