Day 3 -- Wednesday April 1

9am call time. No read-through today. Right into the limo scene. Lo and behold, the limo scene actually became somewhat of a limo scene! Lines, jokes, interaction, the works! My new lines? "I like corn: corn flakes, corn chowder, corn dogs." and one punch line, an actual honest-to-goodness punch line for the limo driver. In talking with Nathan Lane later about the script revisions, I remarked that I couldn't complain about the rewrites since I was now getting some new lines. He then affectionately refered to them as my "Corn Monologue."

On to the living room scene which is where I do all my heavy lifting. A couple of bags have been added and an extra exit/entrance so I'm not just standing there during the scene. All and all, no sweat.

OK, time for sweat. I then secured permission to run to an audition in the Valley. Should be a breeze -- up the 101, quick read, back down into Hollywood -- shouldn't take more than an hour. Nearly two hours later I am on the cell phone in the car trying to get a hold of someone on the set. Katy, the first A.D. picks up and greets me with, "I hope you're calling from your car and you're really close." I deliver the good news/bad news: yes, in the car, no, not so close. At that point I was about fifteen minutes out. She said that they were just gathering the network executives for the run-through. They would probably start with a different scene and then get mine at the end.

I reached the truck gate and was met by a P.A. who took my car to go park it while hopped out and got my late self into the sound stage. There they all sat, not going on and starting another scene, but waiting for John Ducey. Thirty or so production bigwigs, sitting in their chairs, in the bleachers, all waiting for the little limo driver to take his place in the front seat. I grabbed a script and scurried into position. David Lee was standing in front of me. I looked up at him. He mouthed just one word to me, "Relax." I nodded and took a couple of deep breaths. "OK, Scene B is up! The limo scene! And..."

Action. The new lines were a hit, one of them especially got a resounding laugh from the crowd. It appeared they weren't holding anything against me. Maybe they appreciated the break. The dust seemed to be settling without anyone firing me, anyway. All was OK. For now...

I just got a call from my agent. Audition tomorrow between 3 and 5, if I can make it... Nah.

Go on to Day 4

Day by Day | Encore! | Ducey on Television