To Schedule or Not To Schedule

Scheduling for the Gainfully Unemployed can be very frustrating. Particularly for those like me, who prefer to know what they're doing and where they are going every day.

An extras casting company asked for all availability in April (for them you have to be available all day and night). Yesterday I had an audition for a theater festival; you weren't supposed to audition if you had any conflicts Thursday-Sunday for the month of June, and had to list any non-negotiable conflicts for May. As I left a recent audition, the client asked, "You aren't going out of town in April, are you?"

I've already agreed to do a small but important role in a non-paying one act play with 8 performances this month. And I'm singing in a chorus that's performing twice in early May.
There could be days the internet TV channel I'm going to be one of the hosts for wants me to work.

If I say 'yes' to one booking, and then a better opportunity and/or one that pays more comes along, can I cancel the first without seeming unreliable or offending the first person and company that booked me? I've heard that's why some theatres have understudies...it's in the contract that if an actor gets a higher paying gig they have the right to not do the play but go make the money.

I try not to worry about over/under scheduling, but it's challenging when you're at an audition, see when the callbacks are supposed to be and know what you already have in your calendar for those days. Of course I don't know if I'll get a callback. But I wouldn't bother to be at the audition if I didn't think I might.

Should first come, first served be the rule? Or just take what comes and deal with conflicts as they arise? The key question: how to stop worrying about it?

In other news, the adventures of Princess Passion Fruit continue at http://pressstartmovie.com/bonuslevels/endgame2.html