Auditions are scary, whether you’re a student actor, a theatre major, or a professional actor! An actor must learn a monologue, perform with a complete stranger, pick up a dance on the fly, or even sing a song, depending on what kind of show he or she is auditioning for. As an actor, I’ve always dreaded auditions, but as a teacher, I enjoy them. I love seeing what young performers have to bring to a production. To help keep nerves a bay, here are a few things to keep in mind when you audition, pulled from my own experience casting and being cast:
1) Attitude is everything. Directors want to work with actors who are cheerful, enthusiastic,
and helpful. Show the directors that you can be a team player by treating both them and
your fellow performers with the respect and compassion they deserve.
2) Be loud! Just because it’s not a performance doesn’t mean that you can be lazy with your
projection. If we can’t hear you, we won’t want you to cast you in a leading role.
3) Don’t apologize if you fumble a line or mess up a dance move. We know that you’re a
nervous and everyone makes mistakes. We would rather see you keeping trying—“The
show must go on!”
4) Be prepared. You will probably not be expected to have lines memorized for your audition,
but if you’ve been asked to prepared a monologue or a song, you should know that
monologue and/or song like the back of your hand. I also recommend knowing something
about the show going in, so that if you cold-read a scene, you have some idea of what it’s
about. If you continue acting at a college of professional level, they will most likely expect
you to have read the entire play beforehand!
5) Don’t be a gossip. This piece of advice ties very closely into number one. When another
performer is auditioning, you should be a quiet and respectful audience member. If you get
caught whispering with a friend or rolling your eyes during another actor’s audition, not
only does it have the potential to hurt that performer’s feelings, we directors will most likely
notice it, and it will negatively affect your chances.
6) Take care of yourself. Get a good night’s sleep the night before you audition, and make
sure you’ve had plenty to eat. Always bring a water to drink so that you are hydrated. Wear
comfortable clothes (especially if you have to dance) and shoes that won’t trip you up.
7) Most importantly, remember that the people casting you are most likely performers as
well, who understand how nerve-wracking auditions can be. We aren’t looking to pick your
performance apart; we want to see you succeed! In addition, we always hope that you will
enjoy the role we cast you in. A good director will never put you in a part to spite you or
hurt your feelings, and just because we don’t cast you in the lead doesn’t mean we don’t
like you or we didn’t enjoy your performance.
Break a leg!
Guest blogger Shannon Campe is imProv Playhouse’s Resident Dramaturge. She has worked as both a teacher and an actress during her ten years at iP, where credits include The Glass Menagerie (Amanda), Blithe Spirit (Elvira), and Alice in Wonderland (Alice.) She is currently studying Theatre and Creative Writing at Butler University in Indianapolis.
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