Top-10 Tips to have a great audition!

Whether your first or 100th, auditions are filled with a mix of nerves and excitement as you prepare your best for the production team. 

So how can you make the most of your audition for the best experience? 

1. Do your homework! Research the show, watch YouTube videos of the show, and know the requirements for the audition! If you are unsure, ask, find contact information and e-mail, message, or call for clarification. 
2. Do some good, mindful breathing before singing, running lines and dancing… Mindful breathing will calm your nerves and set you up to do your best.
3. Your audition begins when you walk in the door! The way you say hello when you come in, the way you talk to the board members and production team.  Body language can make a huge difference. The production team is not only casting a role, but casting a person that they want to spend many, many hours with in the months ahead. Help the production team to fall in love with you and your talent from the moment you step in the room! Dress appropriately and look and be your best. Dressing well will help in your confidence! If you choose to dress as a character, don’t go overboard. Keep your feet happy and comfy. Closed-toed, secure shoes are best because you’ll be dancing.
4. Be yourself for conversing with the directors and staff. Be confident and friendly. Answer and ask questions. Don't be evasive or try to dodge questions about your training, experience, or availability… Always be honest!
5.  Make your selection for the vocal audition according to the guidelines laid out in the audition information. If a song from the show is suggested or expected, make sure you sing a song that fits your voice and the role for which you are auditioning.  Choose songs that show off your voice to its best advantage.  If a song from the show is not requested, choose a song that you love, fits your voice, is appropriate for the role(s) you want, and will show the best of your voice. See if there will be an accompanist, or if you are able to bring your own.  Check audition guidelines or ask questions ahead of time about music. Think of your song in the context of the show it is from. If you can find access, read the script or find a YouTube of the show to watch. Create your own context for the song with a clear objective for the song, just as you would for a speaking part. Bring a part of yourself to the song - directors want to see your connection to the song. Smile and introduce yourself to start and be sure to say thank you at the end of your piece, even if you are stopped, which might be the case if the song is long.
6. Rehearse lines for characters you might be asked to read with friends if you have access to a script or pull some lines off a YouTube video of the show to rehearse different characters and voices. Do some lines with your friends, your family, anybody who will listen to you and give you helpful and encouraging feedback. This is a great way to give yourself confidence for your audition.
7. Directors realize that not everyone is at the same dance level and do not expect everyone to be able to do everything. However, try to do everything you are asked to - Do as much as you can, as well as you can! Remember to be attentive to the choreographer, and most of all, be kind and supportive of others around you!
8. If you love a role, but think you might be wrong for the part, audition anyway. Every director will view the characters differently and there’s no knowing who they’re looking for. You never know until the cast list is up.
9. Be patient!  Waiting for a cast list can be difficult as an actor, but putting it together is equally hard for the production team! Even beyond talent, there are so many factors that go into casting. They need couples that have chemistry and that look good together (in most circumstances, things like age and proportions are factors). They want a well-balanced cast in terms of age, gender and representation. They want to give younger actors a chance to prove themselves and reward talented veterans with good roles. Often, casting is more like a puzzle than anything else.
10. In both auditioning and during the whole process, it’s important to remember that the show is bigger than you. It’s easy to get lost in the drama or nerves. It’s easy to obsess over a missed role or note or line. But realize how many hands it takes to put on a show, how much thought is put into each tiny detail, how meticulously words and beats are created when putting together the music, and how staging is often a matter of logistics and a problem-solving puzzle, rather than being a purely creative endeavor. So, take a deep breath, look around at all the artists working together to show their best…do their best…so, be your best and most of all, just HAVE FUN!