Top 20 Audition Tips
1-If at all possible, get to know the show you are auditioning for. Find the script and read it and find the
cast album and listen to it. This isn’t possible all of the time, but it is possible most of the time.
2-Read the audition notice carefully. What do you have to prepare? What should you be ready to do?
If they ask you to prepare an old fashioned show tune, don’t bring a song from RENT because you think you’ll sound better. If you don’t understand something, call and ask. And bring a pen or pencil.
3-Bring a good photo if possible. It will help them remember you. If you bring a photo, don’t bring one in costume. If at all possible, have some professional head shots taken. We recommend Cade Killinger from Flash Photo Studios 8503390997 www.flashphotostudios.info
4-If you don’t know a word in a monologue or song you’re preparing, look it up. Make sure you’re pronouncing any foreign words correctly. Also, make sure you understand the context of any song or monologue you’re doing. Singing a sad song cheerfully just because you heard Frank Sinatra or Selena Gomez sing it that way is a sign to the director that you don’t do your homework.
5-Choose a song you know and love. Don’t decide two days before the audition that you’re going to learn a new song. If you don’t know any songs, learn a few right now and sing them all the time so that next time an audition rolls around you’ll already know the song well. The same applies to monologues.
6-Some auditions will only let you sing 16 or 32 bars (a verse or a verse and a chorus) but many directors want to hear a whole song. Still, don’t choose a really long song. The same goes for monologues. Monologues should be no less than 1 minute and no more than 2 minutes. It’s okay to cut a song down to make it shorter, but NEVER change the melody or lyric of a theatre song. In some cases the director might teach everyone a song before the audition. Make sure you have some sort of recording device (like a voice recorder on your cell phone) so you can practice while you wait to audition.
7-Choose a song that’s appropriate for your personality. A 16 year old girl should not sing “Hey Big Spender” or “Love For Sale.” A middle aged woman should not sing something from Rent. Stay away from well known show tunes like “Tomorrow” from Annie or “What I Did For Love” from A Chorus Line. A director will remember the person who sang the lesser known song more than the 12 people who sang the same song from Les Miserables or The Lion King. The same applies for monologues.
8-Have your music clearly marked where you want the accompanist to start and stop and DO NOT hand the accompanist several loose sheets of paper. Either tape the sheets together accordion style or put them in a binder. Tell the pianist exactly what you want him or her to do, where to start, where to end and how fast to play. A great way to communicate your perfect tempo to the accompanist is to quietly sing the first line or so.
9-Make sure you run over your song with a pianist if possible before the audition. Too many performers learn a song from the cast album, then go out and buy sheet music. When they get to the audition and the accompanist starts playing, they discover (too late) that it’s a very different arrangement in a different key, with a different intro, a different ending, etc. A sure recipe for disaster.
10-If there’s a form to fill out, print clearly. There’s nothing worse than being unable to read your contact information. It could cost you the role. Make sure the L’s and the 1’s look different in your email address.
11-Be yourself. Don’t try to project a false personality. It will show. Dress appropriately for the show for which you are auditioning for. Don’t wear really high heels if you’re not used to them and don’t wear a costume. In other words, no sneakers or jeans if you’re auditioning for My Fair Lady and not suit and tie if you’re auditioning for Rent. When all else fails, wear something a little dressy yet casual.
12-Be friendly. Come in, say hi to everyone and tell them your name. You don’t have to announce your song and what show it is from unless the director asks you. Let them be surprised. It’ll keep the director interested. When you do your song or monologue, do it like it’s opening night, with all the energy and excitement you use in performance, even if you’re in a small room. Let them see how great you can be!
13-Don’t make any excuses. Just do your best. No matter what, DON’T choreograph your song. Keep your gestures to a minimum and let the director focus on your voice and your face. Don’t shift from foot to foot or sway. Just remember that every physical move you make distracts from your voice and your face.
14-If you make a mistake during the audition, don’t stop and ask to start over. Just keep going. The director doesn’t care if you forget something, but they do want to know if you can keep yourself together when something goes wrong.
15-When you’re looking at a cold reading, ask yourself these questions about the scene or monologue: What does the character want? Who is the character talking to? What is the back story? If you don’t know the context of the scene, ask. If there isn’t an opportunity to ask or if it is not given to you, make up your own. Any context is better than none at all.
16-Remember people with disabilities are people too. In other words don’t resort to cliches when you play someone unlike you. Don’t play the “blind”, play the person. Don’t play the “person who had a stroke”, play the person. Play these characters as people not “types” and the director will be impressed. Ask the same questions as with any character-what do they want, etc.
17-Generally, don’t use an accent or dialect unless the director asks for one and don’t do it unless you can do it well!
18-No matter what, be flexible. If the music director asks you to vocalize higher or lower than you’re comfortable, do it. If the director or music director asks you to try your song again, only this time in a different style or with a different attitude, do it. If the director asks you to try a reading in a different way, do it. They are trying to see how well you take direction and they may see something in you that they are trying to bring out!
19-Don’t try to memorize the reading they’ve given you. They don’t care how fast you memorize. Don’t make them think you’re more interested in memorizing than exploring character. It’s a reading. They expect you to use the scripts. AND DON’T FORGET TO THANK THE EVERYONE IN THE ROOM ON THE WAY OUT!
20-When the cast is announced, don’t be depressed or angry if you weren’t cast or didn’t get the part you wanted. It’s hard to be rejected, but you have to remember that being cast is only partly about how good you are, it’s also about whether or not you are appropriate for the roles they need to fill. You might be the best actor/singer they have seen, but if you’re totally inappropriate for the characters they need, they can’t cast you. Most of the time, the director will keep you on file in case there is a show that comes up that you would fit better. Try not to ask the director (or anyone else) why you weren’t cast, unless you really want to know. Some directors won’t like being put on the spot that way; others will be okay with it. But be prepared to take some criticism. It is only constructive and to make you better!
*Click on the link below to print and fill out the Audition Form!*
1-If at all possible, get to know the show you are auditioning for. Find the script and read it and find the
cast album and listen to it. This isn’t possible all of the time, but it is possible most of the time.
2-Read the audition notice carefully. What do you have to prepare? What should you be ready to do?
If they ask you to prepare an old fashioned show tune, don’t bring a song from RENT because you think you’ll sound better. If you don’t understand something, call and ask. And bring a pen or pencil.
3-Bring a good photo if possible. It will help them remember you. If you bring a photo, don’t bring one in costume. If at all possible, have some professional head shots taken. We recommend Cade Killinger from Flash Photo Studios 8503390997 www.flashphotostudios.info
4-If you don’t know a word in a monologue or song you’re preparing, look it up. Make sure you’re pronouncing any foreign words correctly. Also, make sure you understand the context of any song or monologue you’re doing. Singing a sad song cheerfully just because you heard Frank Sinatra or Selena Gomez sing it that way is a sign to the director that you don’t do your homework.
5-Choose a song you know and love. Don’t decide two days before the audition that you’re going to learn a new song. If you don’t know any songs, learn a few right now and sing them all the time so that next time an audition rolls around you’ll already know the song well. The same applies to monologues.
6-Some auditions will only let you sing 16 or 32 bars (a verse or a verse and a chorus) but many directors want to hear a whole song. Still, don’t choose a really long song. The same goes for monologues. Monologues should be no less than 1 minute and no more than 2 minutes. It’s okay to cut a song down to make it shorter, but NEVER change the melody or lyric of a theatre song. In some cases the director might teach everyone a song before the audition. Make sure you have some sort of recording device (like a voice recorder on your cell phone) so you can practice while you wait to audition.
7-Choose a song that’s appropriate for your personality. A 16 year old girl should not sing “Hey Big Spender” or “Love For Sale.” A middle aged woman should not sing something from Rent. Stay away from well known show tunes like “Tomorrow” from Annie or “What I Did For Love” from A Chorus Line. A director will remember the person who sang the lesser known song more than the 12 people who sang the same song from Les Miserables or The Lion King. The same applies for monologues.
8-Have your music clearly marked where you want the accompanist to start and stop and DO NOT hand the accompanist several loose sheets of paper. Either tape the sheets together accordion style or put them in a binder. Tell the pianist exactly what you want him or her to do, where to start, where to end and how fast to play. A great way to communicate your perfect tempo to the accompanist is to quietly sing the first line or so.
9-Make sure you run over your song with a pianist if possible before the audition. Too many performers learn a song from the cast album, then go out and buy sheet music. When they get to the audition and the accompanist starts playing, they discover (too late) that it’s a very different arrangement in a different key, with a different intro, a different ending, etc. A sure recipe for disaster.
10-If there’s a form to fill out, print clearly. There’s nothing worse than being unable to read your contact information. It could cost you the role. Make sure the L’s and the 1’s look different in your email address.
11-Be yourself. Don’t try to project a false personality. It will show. Dress appropriately for the show for which you are auditioning for. Don’t wear really high heels if you’re not used to them and don’t wear a costume. In other words, no sneakers or jeans if you’re auditioning for My Fair Lady and not suit and tie if you’re auditioning for Rent. When all else fails, wear something a little dressy yet casual.
12-Be friendly. Come in, say hi to everyone and tell them your name. You don’t have to announce your song and what show it is from unless the director asks you. Let them be surprised. It’ll keep the director interested. When you do your song or monologue, do it like it’s opening night, with all the energy and excitement you use in performance, even if you’re in a small room. Let them see how great you can be!
13-Don’t make any excuses. Just do your best. No matter what, DON’T choreograph your song. Keep your gestures to a minimum and let the director focus on your voice and your face. Don’t shift from foot to foot or sway. Just remember that every physical move you make distracts from your voice and your face.
14-If you make a mistake during the audition, don’t stop and ask to start over. Just keep going. The director doesn’t care if you forget something, but they do want to know if you can keep yourself together when something goes wrong.
15-When you’re looking at a cold reading, ask yourself these questions about the scene or monologue: What does the character want? Who is the character talking to? What is the back story? If you don’t know the context of the scene, ask. If there isn’t an opportunity to ask or if it is not given to you, make up your own. Any context is better than none at all.
16-Remember people with disabilities are people too. In other words don’t resort to cliches when you play someone unlike you. Don’t play the “blind”, play the person. Don’t play the “person who had a stroke”, play the person. Play these characters as people not “types” and the director will be impressed. Ask the same questions as with any character-what do they want, etc.
17-Generally, don’t use an accent or dialect unless the director asks for one and don’t do it unless you can do it well!
18-No matter what, be flexible. If the music director asks you to vocalize higher or lower than you’re comfortable, do it. If the director or music director asks you to try your song again, only this time in a different style or with a different attitude, do it. If the director asks you to try a reading in a different way, do it. They are trying to see how well you take direction and they may see something in you that they are trying to bring out!
19-Don’t try to memorize the reading they’ve given you. They don’t care how fast you memorize. Don’t make them think you’re more interested in memorizing than exploring character. It’s a reading. They expect you to use the scripts. AND DON’T FORGET TO THANK THE EVERYONE IN THE ROOM ON THE WAY OUT!
20-When the cast is announced, don’t be depressed or angry if you weren’t cast or didn’t get the part you wanted. It’s hard to be rejected, but you have to remember that being cast is only partly about how good you are, it’s also about whether or not you are appropriate for the roles they need to fill. You might be the best actor/singer they have seen, but if you’re totally inappropriate for the characters they need, they can’t cast you. Most of the time, the director will keep you on file in case there is a show that comes up that you would fit better. Try not to ask the director (or anyone else) why you weren’t cast, unless you really want to know. Some directors won’t like being put on the spot that way; others will be okay with it. But be prepared to take some criticism. It is only constructive and to make you better!
*Click on the link below to print and fill out the Audition Form!*
