My Client & I Went In For the Same Role.

By Jenna Pastuszek

Hi, I’m Jenna.

Welcome to our blog.

If you’re new here, let me catch you up.

I’m a voice teacher in New York City, and I’m also an actor. I perform professionally, and I coach professional performers. My jobs are the best kind of cyclical in that one makes me a better person makes me a better performer makes me a better teacher, you know?

Perhaps some see this as a conflict of interest. I, however, see this as an asset. I’m sitting next to you in a casting director series one night and then sharing the feedback I heard a director say to someone else in an audition yesterday about the sides packet you brought in to work on today. That song that's giving you trouble on the high note? I can share some tricks that have worked for me when I've run into similar trouble along the way.

Furthermore, you continuing to show up to the ring every day inspires me to continue showing up. If you can do it, so can I. And if I can do it, so can you. See how this is mutually beneficial for both parties?

A few months ago, my client walked in and told me she had an audition for a national tour of a very popular Broadway show. Little did she know that I also had an appointment for the same role in the same show.

Instead of encouraging her to fail or purposely giving her bad advice so she would tank her audition, and instead of telling her that we couldn’t work on the material, I decided to pull out all of the stops to help her. I went back into my file cabinet to find the notes from a class I had taken with the resident director of the show a year ago. I brought these to her next lesson, and we went through them together in order to make her feel as confident and as successful with the direction and material as possible. I wanted her to have the same advantage I had by hearing the notes from the person casting the show before the audition.

When she got a final callback for the role, and I didn’t, we continued working on the material so that she could walk in and crush it. And she did. She was put on hold for the role and was told that the team absolutely loved her. And, if you don’t book the show, but do book the room, it’s still a win in my book.

I believe in karma. What goes around comes around. If we could all be more generous to each other, the industry would improve. If we could all cheer each other on instead of put each other down, everyone would be happier and feel safe to take risks and try. If I don’t book the job, OF COURSE I want YOU to book it instead.

Reader, I think you’re awesome, and I’d love to see the role go to someone (like you) who’s hardworking, deserving, and right for the part, and if you’re what the team sees as the best fit, then F*CK YES!

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats.

Keep going.