Chapter 17
Behind The Spotlight Chapter 17
"It says here there's an audition going on in this building..."
Lawrence Terrence muttered under his breath while staring up at the five-story structure in front of him. The building looked like it had been abandoned for years. He held a note with the address, building name, and room number where the audition was supposed to take place.
Lawrence frowned as he scanned the exterior once more. The place looked old and unkempt, as if no one had maintained it in decades. Ivy crept along the cracked walls, broken windows were scattered across the upper floors, and graffiti of a silly cartoon character defaced the front.
This was the last place he expected to be holding an audition, especially in Los Angeles, where beauty and presentation often took center stage. Still, despite the building's strange atmosphere, Lawrence decided to go inside.
He had found the casting notice on the bulletin board at the Actors Guild. It mentioned that a project was seeking actors, but gave very few details. No genre, no character descriptions, just that it was for a comedy film. Even the title was missing, making it all feel sketchy.
It could very well be a scam, a bait for desperate actors. But Lawrence chose to take the risk. He had auditioned for countless projects and failed time after time. A former theater actor in high school, he had come to Hollywood chasing a dream, one that now felt farther away than ever.
After nearly a year in the city, Lawrence had yet to land a single role that could launch his career. Agencies ignored his applications, and some never even responded. These days, he made ends meet by working in a pizza shop, far from the glamorous life he had once envisioned.
"This building doesn't even have an elevator..." he grumbled, beginning the long walk upstairs.