Diligent Actor Spends Two Hours Dicking Around on Phone in Preparation for Callback Waiting Room

by Matt Keeley. @reallymattkeeley.

GLENCOE, Il - Ensuring that he felt optimally prepared for his upcoming callback, local nonunion actor Timothy Hutchins dedicated two full hours to dicking around on his phone to prepare for the waiting room.

“Most of my other friends and colleagues in the industry know that it’s the preparation that makes a huge difference at callbacks,” explained Hutchins, intently scrolling through his fourteenth page of Backstage’s Callback Corner forum. “Once you get in that room, they’ll know right away if you’re ready or not. The waiting room, that is.”

Hutchins' acting coach, Lisa DeFibbel, led us through the process methodically; demonstrating which apps, sites, and games one should use to best occupy their time while waiting for their name to be called.

“You want to start things out by checking in with the monitor, then update your Instagram story with a funny picture. Make a joking quip about how you’re back at the office or 'doing a showbiz.' Make it authentic and see who likes it over the next couple hours. Obviously everyone has their own method, but it’s most important to not burn yourself out by going over lines or reading.” 

At this point, Hutchins momentarily paused the interview to fetch his charger cable.

“Sorry about that—it just goes to show that you’ve got to be prepared for anything the room might throw your way,” he apologized, relieved to have caught his battery just shy of 10%. “Some days I even carry a Tupperware of dry rice in case I get caught in the rain on the way there. Is that excessive? Maybe. But an actor prepares. I think Meisner said that. I saw it on Reddit.”

Unfortunately, Hutchins was devastated to learn that he would be seen at his scheduled callback time shortly after arrival.