The Audition

I, like many young girls, had dreams of becoming the next great Marilyn Monroe and live a life of fame and luxury. After being in Los Angles for five years, however, I realized that it wasn't going to happen, at least not overnight. After a lot of hard work and thousands of auditions, I finally landed a role in a Sci-fi drama in the lead role as a "tough as nails stripper with a heart of gold." The only problem was that I had never stripped in my life.

Before I get into the "Trials and Tribulation" of my acting story, let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Debra, but most people call me Deb. Like many girls here in "the land of stars," I grew up in far away in "Middle America." The small rural town where I was born was typical. The highlight of every weekend was to go to someone's farm, have a bonfire, drink beer and try to hook up with someone, preferably someone from the high school football team. I found the constant routine extremely boring.

I had always wanted more in my life than graduating from high school, going off to college and coming back to Hickville and work as a waitress or even worse, for my father. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad and I miss my family a lot but I didn't want to follow in my father's footsteps and work at the sawmill until I was a hundred years old with a raspy voice and emphysema. For me there was more to life and I was going to break the mold.

While I was at college, I saved every dime so that I could put my plan into action. The day after I graduated from college, I packed up my old pick-up truck, the last vestige of my small-town girl life, and drove west until I hit the glamorous city of Hollywood. When I arrived there at the "ripe old age" of 22, I had little more than a suitcase, my truck and a bag of dreams.

My desire to become a famous actress was so strong that I immediately tried out for every role I could and saved every penny out of my paycheck from the boring job I got at the local bank. When I could, I invested into myself and my skills as an actress. I attended seminars and took classes at night on how to be "frying bacon," which was the silliest thing I had ever done but I wanted to be an actress.

I even went as far to have some of my physical appearance altered, so I could better my chance to land a starring role. I spent a lot of money having my breasts enhanced to better suit my 5'6" slim frame, my teeth whiten a brow lift and a nose job. I was willing to do whatever it took to improve my chances of landing that perfect role that would launch me into stardom.

After five years, I was still working as a secretary at the same local bank and making just enough money to survive. Don't get me wrong, I still had my dreams, which were revived with every commercial role or a paying job for the local theater; it's just now a little a little more realistic.

It was Thursday afternoon and I was stuck in "rush hour" traffic behind an old Cadillac that had bluish smoke pouring out its tailpipe when I got the phone call changed my life forever.

"Hello?" I answered my cell phone.

"Deb, its Charlie," the gravelly voice said. "Can you be at Imaginations Plus studio on Saturday?" Charlie was my agent. He was a grumpy older man and smelt of cheap cigars all the time, but he was truly one of the nicest guys I'd met in Hollywood. I kept him around because he would find me a job now and then and didn't try to rob me blind with his agent fee. After working with him for the last four years, I thought of him like an uncle.

"Yea, I'm free. What's the role?"

"I got you an audition for one of those space movies. I think you would be perfect for the lead role," He said.

"Really? What's the story?"

"The story is about a woman who is down on her luck then makes it big with a sci-fi theme." "That is so cool! How long will the shoot take?" I asked.

"We are looking at five maybe six months." I thought to myself for a minute. I was going to have to quit my job but if I did really well I would get more roles. Who knows, I might become the star I always wanted to be. "So what time do I need to be there?" I asked. I could worry about my job at the bank after the interview.

"That's my girl. I really think this might be the one. I'll drop off the script later," Charlie answered. I could tell he was pleased with my answer.

After I signed in at the audition, I found a place to stand in the office waiting room. It was a typical waiting room with a gray carpet and off-white painted walls with a few pleasantly colored abstract paintings on the wall by some no-name artist. The cheap metal chairs lined the walls and there was a table in the middle covered with magazines. There wasn't enough room for all of us so many had to wait in the hall, though many were outside smoking cigarettes to help calm their nerves.

I found myself checking out the other girls as we waited. All of them were knockout gorgeous with perfect bodies and I just knew this was going to be another, "Thank you for your time. Someone will call you later," auditions and I would have to go back to work at the life-sucking bank.

I was number 79 and had been sitting on a metal chair for at least an hour, waiting for my inevitable horrible audition and subsequent rejection to happen. I tried to read the script but ended up nervously rolling and then tapping it on my leg then unrolling it and trying to read it again. The woman next to me glared at me every time I tapped it against my leg but I was too nervous to care.

When they called my number, I walked into a big conference room where there was at least a dozen people sitting around an oval shape table. I was a bit caught off guard as most interviews were done either on a set or in the director's office with four or five other key members of the staff.

I tried not to let it rattle me as I did the usual routine of providing them my portfolio and a headshot I'd paid too much money for two years ago and couldn't afford to update it. While they reviewed my stuff, I waited for someone to tell me to read a few lines of the script with a production assistant. Thankfully, they usually chose someone who was horrible so you at least had a chance to make a reasonable impression.

Normally after about 10 lines, someone, usually the director, would say, "Thank you, have a good day." This time it was different. I ended up reading almost a dozen pages of the script before a guy who I later found out was Ron James, the director, said cut.

He asked me to do a little turn, I guess to see if I had the "look" he wanted, then asked, "How do you feel about tastefully nude scenes?"

"If it helps the story progress I don't have a problem with them," I answered. Charlie hadn't said there was any nudity in the story, and I hadn't read anything about it in the script. He really threw me off was when he asked me if I could dance seductively, like a stripper. I lied and said that I could.

The director looked at the rest of the people at the table then announced, "Well, I think we have our lead. What do you think?"

Everyone nodded their head or verbally gave their approval. While everyone shook my hand, an aide, a nice woman named Ginger, went into the waiting room and announced the auditions were over. Then Bob, the production assistant that had run the lines with me, handed me the real script.

"Sorry about the script thing, I didn't want it to be leaked before we'd had a chance to at least choose the cast," Ron explained. "There's been a lot of buzz about this project and I want to keep it under wraps for as long as possible. You'll have to sign a non-disclosure agreement as well as the usual contract, we'll send the contract to your agent to go over but you can't leave with the script until you sign the non-disclosure."

My head was swimming with all the stuff I was being told. I tried to remember it all but was sure I was going to forget something. I quickly read the non-disclosure before signing it and was happy they gave me a copy for my records so I could read it over again later, it would be too late to change anything but at least I would know what I could and couldn't do.

They brought in the leading man and some of the others playing key roles so that we could all meet each other. Ginger went over the production schedule with all of us and gave us packets that included forms for us to fill out with measurements and passes to the studio so we could get wardrobe, make-up and hair sorted.

When I got home, I started to panic. Not only did I need to learn a new script in four weeks, I had lied to the director of my first movie role about knowing how to strip. I didn't know what I was going to do. I called my best friend Rudy; he always knew what to say to calm me down.

After I explained what I had done, he laughed. "What about that Lisa girl? The one you met when you first got to town. Isn't she a stripper? Maybe she could teach you enough so you don't look like a fool?" he suggested.

"Doh!" I replied. Of course! I hadn't talked to Lisa in a few months but she'd be the perfect person to help me out. I hoped her cell number hadn't changed.

I ended the call with Rudy then nervously dialed Lisa's number. After a couple of rings, she answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Lisa, it's me Deb," I replied. We did the usually pleasantries and caught up a bit.

"Can I ask for a big favor?" I asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you? You aren't my type!" she joked.

"Ha-ha," I replied sarcastically. "But seriously, I landed a role for a movie, which is great, but it requires me to be a stripper."

"Wow that is great! When do you start? What can I do to help?" she asked enthusiastically.

I was so embarrassed about having to ask her to teach me how to strip and mumbled my request. "What did you say?" Lisa asked.

I cleared my throat then said more clearly, "Can you ... um ... teach me how to be a ... a ... stripper?"

Lisa laughed then said, "You're a sexy girl so the look won't be hard for you to achieve, but most girls fail because they can't get over the mental thing. Remember you're getting naked in front of a bunch of strangers that are usually intoxicated; that can really be rough on some."

"I know I can handle it, hell I've been seen on national TV wearing a banana suit! I think I can deal with the 'mental' thing. Besides, it is for a role and not a career change," I replied.

"So when do you start?" Lisa asked.

"We start shooting in four weeks."

"Well, I think I can teach you in that time to be moderately good, and if being a movie star doesn't work out for you, you can always fall back on exotic dancing for a living."

"That'll be the day," I said laughing then arranged to go over to her place the next evening.

It was around seven when I arrived at her place. I had brought a small gym bag with me stuffed with all sorts of lingerie and workout clothes. I had also brought knee high leather boots with insanely high heels similar to what the wardrobe sheet said my character would be wearing in the movie. I wasn't used to wearing heels in general so high heels like these boots were going to be an adventure.

When I pulled up in her driveway, which was in the expensive part of Beverly Hills, I looked up at the house and was still amazed by the grandeur of it. Lisa owned the big Victorian house, which included a traditional cobble stone chimney located on the far end of the house. It was a chilly night and small wisps of smoke rose from the chimney's top.

The front yard was meticulously manicured and it had a large willow growing in the center of the yard with a swinging bench dangling from its branches, which reminded me of the south. As I walked up the cobble stone walkway towards the solid oak door with black iron trimming, I was reminded just how much money Lisa made taking off her clothes. It was ridiculous but proof of her abilities.

I nearly turned and ran back to my car, I didn't think I would be able to follow through on this, but I took a deep breath and grabbed the large iron knocker. I hit it against the door a few times then waited. A few minutes later Lisa opened the door. "Hey Deb, come on in."

I stepped past her and walked into the huge foyer with the giant cascading chandelier which was dimly lit. "Thanks for letting me come over," I said as she closed the door.

"Hey, no problem. I'm always willing to help out a friend if I can. It's been a long time since you were last here. I have a few new goodies to show you."

As I followed Lisa into the living room I checked her out. She was about four inches taller without heels and lean but muscular, which couldn't be hidden by the cut-off sweatpants and loose fitting T-shirt she was wearing. Her long sandy blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, which accentuated her long neck and slim face with high cheekbones. I was amazed at how smooth her skin was, especially with just the little bit of make-up she had applied.

"Yeah it has been a long time. Between work, classes and auditions I barely have time for myself," I replied as I sat down on the couch. Lisa brought me a glass of wine then sat down on the other end of the couch.

"When was the last time you were here anyway?" "It was your Fourth of July party."

"Oh that's right. Didn't you get really drunk that night?"

I gave Lisa a "don't remind me" look and replied, "Oh I wouldn't say drunk ... shit-faced would be a better description!" I turned red in the face as I remembered what I did that night.

"Well whatever you want to call it, I just remember you being caught in the bathroom, on your knees servicing... well, let's just say a couple of men were very happy that night!" Lisa said with a devilish smile.

"Fuck you!" I replied with a laugh. "Besides if I remember right you made a few men happy as well!" Lisa laughed. "Yeah, that and even a woman, if I remember correctly. One thing I did learn about that night is never mix your booze with top shelf grass!"

"Amen!" I said laughing. "Well, you were the one doing perverted things even before you were properly drunk."

"You say that like it's a bad thing! Besides, unlike someone I know, I enjoyed my 'guests' one at a time!" Lisa replied with a giggle in her voice.

"What can I say? They were both really cute and I couldn't decide with one I wanted, so I decided to double my pleasure!"

We chatted a bit more about what had been going on in our lives, then Lisa asked me more about the movie role I'd landed. "I can't tell you much about the movie, I'm under a non-disclosure, but I can tell you I'm playing the role of a stripper and will have to actually strip down for the movie."

"What kind of stripping? Classy stuff or down and dirty?"

"I don't think she's working in a classy place," I answered.

"I see. Well, it doesn't make much difference. You need to learn the basics then we can work on form," Lisa replied. "Are you ready to see the new addition?"

"Sure!" I replied and stood up. Lisa led me down the hall towards the kitchen then stopped at a door that was cleverly concealed. She opened it and led me down the flight of stairs to her basement, which opened up to a big open space with a big flat screen TV and a massive audio system. There were also plush leather movie-style seats in one area, an area with and exercise equipment towards the back, and a small kitchenette. The room was bigger than my entire apartment and a lot more posh than anything I could hope to afford. I'd been down here before and it didn't look any different than I remembered.

"Over here," Lisa said as she opened a door at the back of the room. I stepped past her and was greeted by a small elevated "stage" that had a long brass pole mounted in the middle that ran from the floor to the ceiling. Along the edge of the stage were four over-sized velvet-covered chairs and there was a small bar running along one of the walls that was stocked with every liquor imaginable.

"Whoa! Is this a strip club?" I asked in awe.

"According to my accountant and the IRS, it is a "training room" and therefore I can have guests and serve alcohol but not declare it a business," she answered with a devious smile. "I occasionally have clients willing to pay me top dollar to perform for them and some of their friends in private so I need to have a place to take them. The club won't allow it there anymore. There's an entrance on the side of the house so they can come and go discretely. But enough about my commercial ventures, you came here to learn the trade of the exotic dance so let's get started."

We spent several hours learning the basics, focusing on stretches to make moving around the pole easier and some simple moves. We quickly moved onto more advanced moves and soon added some choreography. By the end of the first week I was doing things I'd never imagined and feeling sexy doing it.

As I watched her demonstrate the moves on the brass pole, I began to understand why people would pay a lot of money to watch her move. To tell the truth, I found myself getting a little excited watching her, which kind of shocked me. I never thought that I would be attracted to a woman, even though I'd had a few drunken experiences with other women. Something about watching Lisa do her thing on the stage was very erotic and turned me on.

I can't explain why I did, maybe it was me being so sexually free or watching Lisa dance, but whatever the reason was, I would go home feeling so turned on that I would have to masturbate before I could fall asleep.

When I was comfortable enough with the pole, we moved onto dressing the part. Lisa explained that part of being an exotic dancer was "the look" and footwear was a big part of it. "The wilder the better," she said then helped me pull on the knee-high boots I'd brought with me.

I wasn't used to wearing more than a one-inch heel so I was really unsteady on my feet. She helped me walk around the dance room until I was more confident then let me move around on my own. "You won't know you're comfortable in them until you can run around the room without breaking your ankle," she told me.

By the third day of wearing them, I was able to walk around without losing my balance and by the end of the week; I was jogging around the room. Lisa borrowed some other shoes from a girl at the club who wore the same size as me and I learned to walk on platforms and stilettos, so I could safely dance in anything they might throw at me. In a little under two weeks, I had become comfortable dancing. I even started to do performances in costume. The fully dressed rehearsals were a little odd. I felt silly dancing in front of Lisa but I also felt incredibly sexy.

I watched her face as I danced and a few times, I could have sworn she was really enjoying the show. A small part of me liked dancing for her and I found myself wanting to please her. I wanted make her green eyes turn smoky because she was turned on by my moves.

It was the Thursday before my first day on the set and I had just finished another dance for Lisa. I walked through the curtains, as always, and heard Lisa clapping and hooting. I smiled as a sense of pride overcame me. I had impressed "the professional." I walked back onto the stage and did a little curtsy.

"That was hot! You nailed it!" Lisa said as she came onto the stage with a robe for me to slip on. "I think you are ready to perform in front of others now!"

"Others!?" I said with shock in my voice.

"Well yeah, what do you think is going to happen when you have to strip for you movie?"

"Well ... um ... I guess that ... no that would be silly. Oh I think that ..." I stammered as the reality of the situation slammed me hard.

"Oh, I see you just made the connection! You know every assistant director, every prop-man, every intern and any guy with a pulse will find an excuse to 'help' shoot those scenes, and probably a few women looking for some tips."