Audition

We found out yesterday afternoon that the boys got an audition for a SAG TV pilot that is filming here in Michigan. They seemed a bit young for the role, but since there aren't many chances to audition here, we thought we'd let them give it a shot. Turns out, it was great practice... for the boys and for Jon and I :)

When we got to the audition this morning, the boys got their sides and had to cold read two lines a piece. It still just blows my mind that our two year olds are actually capable of reading lines! I don't think they speak clearly enough to actually book anything based on their reads, but they do a gosh darn good job for two year olds! The boys were able to do all four lines quite clearly, and amazingly, with the correct intonnation and such. Unfortunately Jon and I didn't like the scene at all. It was two brothers bantering back and forth, but it invoved a smack on the head and a good push at the end. It really caught us off guard and tested how far we would go when it came to acting. Although we didn't want to just walk out, we were very uncomfortable letting the boys perform that scene. Hitting and pushing are things we work hard not to let them do in real life, and our kids just aren't doing anything on screen that is inappropriate for them in real life. Jon and I quickly decided to let them audition for the practice, but that we would not let them do the hitting and the pushing parts. Luckily the producer agreed that the roles was written for somewhat older kids and that it would not be appropriate to teach the boys to hit! Whew! So they got to do their lines and carry a suitcase, and they did really well! They clammed up a bit for the last two lines, but we couldn't have been prouder that they were able to walk into a room full of strangers and repeat two lines they had learned 10 minutes earlier :) And to be honest, we were quite grateful that they didn't do all the lines because Jon and I were both uncomfortable with the scene... its just not something we would let them do.

So, at the end of the day (well, it was only 10:00am!), we realized that Jon and I were put on the spot moreso than our little actors! We stumbled into a crazy, fast-paced, often unethical world and although Jon and I have agreed to let it ride its course and see what may come for the boys, we have to find our own way... a way to uphold our own family standards in a world where such things are often valued less than they are in the real world (which is quite terrifying!) But we walked away happy and proud... proud of the boys, but more imporantly, of ourselves :)