Paul's Corner

Paul,
I am so happy for you. This may be the one. Just be that wonderfully talented, kind man everyone knows you are and most importantly just have fun!
Good Luck,
Marie

You've got it . . . positive vibes begin right now . . . ZAP!!!! This is too exciting! You sound dizzy with anticipation. A television series!! Take with you our heartfelt good wishes, Paul. And as Marie so beautifully said, be wonderful you and have fun! Hug the wife and kids for us, and God's speed. Break a leg . . .

Dear Paul,

I’m very excited for you! It’s now early a.m. Thursday in L.A. Over the past week I’ve been sensing some great news for you and it didn’t seem to be the lifestyle show. Maybe this???

Yesterday, I spent six hours interviewing and evaluating nervous eighth-graders as they presented portfolios of their work. It was obvious to me that some kids had been taught to believe in themselves, while others had met with too many negative messages. I blew off the grading scale and gave them all high marks (along with only positive comments) as each had worked hard to improve in their own ways.

With that experience in tow, I am so ready to be a part of your cheering squad! Beginning now, I will be sending you many positive thoughts. I will imagine your triumph in the audition. I will also imagine the overwhelmingly positive response of your auditioners.

You will not be alone in that room. Your family and friends will be there cheering you on. We have no doubt that you will nail the audition. You have the talent and the depth. How your auditioners respond to you is beyond your control. How you approach the audition is very much within your control.

I will tell you what I told my actor/puppeteer husband when desperation reared it’s ugly head again recently. Let it go! (Five minutes later, he got an audition. Two days later, they loved it. So now we’ll see what happens.)

My suggestions:

Forget the expectations of your auditioners. Breath deeply and love every minute of the audition.

Forget their possible decision to “trample over me in their rush to get to the other terrific choice just behind me.” See yourself as their only real choice.

Forget those with “tall poppy syndrome” who think your success is tied to their failure and vice versa. Their discomfort with your abilities and achievements is their challenge, not yours.

As I see it, you have nothing to lose by imagining the best outcome.

I last acted in an Equity-waiver production in Hollywood just before I became pregnant with my oldest son. I remember telling a friend that, after a few years of absence from the stage, I felt so much more vulnerable. It wasn’t that I had forgotten technique. There was just more of me to expose. More to risk. Maybe that’s part of your thinking. But then, risks are often commensurate with rewards.

Go for it! My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Diane

I can imagine what it must be like for you going to an audition for a role you REALLY want if I compare it to the first time I went into labor and was about to experience labor and then actually HAVING the child in my arms. Exciting and all together scary I must say. I guess though after the audition you aren't sure if you actually have the part whereas I knew I would have the child, although what to DO with the child was another matter. I must laugh out loud at this point. Just as you must laugh at loud as you seize you day. Good luck to you Paul. Whatever will be will be. God Speed.

Ok, someone do the math for me...(afta all, I's just a po' English maja) and as a believer in a WORLD time scale, I need a little more specific as to the time difference! (I'm Eastern Standard time, US)

And, Paul, IF you get pushed out the window, the energy we're sending you will catch and push you to new, even DIZZIER heights. So, spread those wings, baby! Either way!

Feel the Force...
Dhiana

PS. I just HAD to poke a little fun at all the Star Wars freaks--no harm intended if any of you are Closet Trekkies--who all have "mysterious illnesses" this morning and are dropping like flies from our office complex--and regularly scheduled meetings-- for this afternoon.

Dhiana again...I was sitting at my desk just now, starting my series of energy messages (read: "good vibes"), and I was picturing Paul in his new home, girls in bed, perhaps attempting to read or distract himself, trying not to be testy to his wife or however he handles stress...and something occurred to me:

I care.

You care.

We ALL care about this audition.

This cyber-group of "strangers" actually give and are giving a crucial part of themselves to Paul and his family. We're not on this forum in hopes of meeting His Majesty and hopefully impressing him with Ourselves. We're not here to take anything from him, except the emotion, thoughts, and advice that he so freely gives. To the outsider, just surfing in, it may seem a bit pathetic, our on-line existence here in the Corner..."Oh, god, you've GOT to be KIDDING me?! These people actually think that this famous actor gives a rat's patoot about THEM and THEIR feelings? What morons! Get a life, people!"

Well, oh look...we HAVE a life already. It struck me that this cyber-space forum is a bit of a pre-cursor to telepathy (to continue with the Star Wars referance!)...we're not actually TALKING to each other, but we are hearing each other's thoughts, each other's insides are being read without benefit of body language and other non-visual clues. It transcends time, matter, and some spiritual boundaries that just keep circling outward, getting bigger.

We CARE that Paul gets this job simply because HE wants it so badly. He's let us know him...his core. That's not pathetic. That's not something to scoff at. That's Love. That's empathy at it's utmost. Cat has created, with her own lovely hands, heart, and brain, this latitude, this platform (is "platitude" a word?), that we can pretty much psychically come to and obtain peace, retrieve a laugh or see some one else's parallel of despair, and offer whatever it is that we have to offer at the moment.

It's your Cafe', Paul...once again...just a different group of people with different lifestyles, but still with the same punch of necessity.

Gods, I love a good epiphany!

(Now, how do I go from THIS back to this work on my desk, writing specifications for some dry, software development that I couldn't give a sh** about??? Good question...maybe I'll pop out of the office and catch a movie or something...) ;-)

Go Paul!

I hate to see you so nervous about it though! Old adage: whoever has the least to lose, wins. Go in and do it for yourself. Psych yourself out to pretend you're in a rehearsal or a class.

I hope out of the many relaxation suggestions I see everyone making here, one or two of them get you to a place where you can walk in with confidence and display your craft with focus. You've worked so hard to develop your skills. I know you'll shine.

C

Good thoughts abound! :)

At a time when it is impossible to relax and be calm - just try to have fun with, because acting is what you love right? We have no doubt that you'll do great. You're an amazing actor, so I know you won't have a problem :)

Best wishes!

Shannon

Let's talk time . . . I'm in California, too. Los Angeles. It is now 8 am Thursday. Using Cat's time chart (1 day forward, 6 hours back) I calculate Aussie time at 3 am Friday. Only a few more hours 'til audition. YAAHOOOOO! Positive thoughts abound!!!

Dear Paul,
I wish you the best of luck at the audition. If you feel like that your heart is beating fast and if you feel that you're going to mess up, close your eyes, clear your mind and focus on what is important to the character that you are practicing. It also helps to take deep breaths through your nose. One time, I was anxious about my high school graduation in '98'. What I did was I talked about it with my teachers. If you ever feel anxiety about your audition, talk about it with your family. Good luck.

Sara

Dhiana,

According to my electronic organizer, the Eastern U.S. time zone is 14 hours behind Melbourne, AU. West coast is 17 behind. Right now, it's about 1:30 a.m. Friday in Melbourne, 11:30 a.m. Thursday in New York.

Diane

Good Luck!

Dear Paul,
I am probably too late to offer advice about your audition. My computer has been malfunctioning, and I have not been able to visit the Corner. In any case, I am certainly not qualified to offer advice, being a nervous perfectionist myself. :)
Here is what I am qualified to write: Your "to thine own self be true" comments on the Corner have been helpful to me. They have also shown me that you KNOW that you are a dynamic person; somewhere, buried deeply under glib marketing, a part of your auditioners sees that. You will amaze them, even if they do not express their amazement in the way that you wish-by giving the part to you.
Of course, I am risking hypocrisy here. My inner wonderfulness generally lies dormant. However, after reading your comments on the Corner I cannot forsee you being perceived as anything but a charismatic, talented addition to the television series.
Yours,
Jill
P.S. I will soon be in college and plan to major in theatre. I already have a dream to write a leading role specifically for you. There will be one audition in your future where you cannot possibly be refused! :)

It's 9.30pm Thursday here in the UK, not sure what time over there in Aus. but definately Friday I guess. If it's not too late - wishing you all the luck in the world!!

Grace

I'm too late to wish you luck beforehand but my thoughts are with you as the people in charge make their decision. Please let us know how the audition went. We are all sitting on the edge of our seats. Keep the faith!