Now that you've found a stage role you want, go out and get it! (We have a separate article for auditioning for film and TV.)
Step 1
First, make sure you are right for the part. Check the requirements of the role in terms of gender, age, and ethnicity. Keep in mind that as long as you are over 18, no one cares about how old you are as much as how old you look and act. A mature 20-year-old and a youthful 30-year-old can both play 25.
Also note any special skills the role requires. If the play is a musical, assume that every part requires at least a little singing and dancing unless the description specifies otherwise.
Step 2
Clear the dates. The audition notice will usually give a range of dates for rehearsals and performances. (Both will usually be during weekday evenings and weekend mornings or afternoons.) If you cannot make all the performances, don't waste time auditioning. If you can make the majority of rehearsals, the director may be willing to work around a few conflicts.)
Step 3
Follow instructions. You may be requested to send a photo and resume after which, if you meet the theater company's requirements, you will be invited to audition. (In days of yore you would mail your submission or drop it off on person; these days it's likely to be done by e-mail, the company's Web site, or an online casting service such as Actors Access, LA Casting, or Now Casting.)
If the company has open-call auditions, that means it will see all comers. Plan to be there a few minutes before the scheduled start time. Open-call auditions are often crowded, the audition process can be time-consuming, and actors are seen on first-come, first-serve basis. Latecomers may not be seen at all.
Step 4
The company may post audition material on its site, send it to you, or refer you to a site such as Now Casting or Showfax to download it. In that case, study the material before going into the audition. If you are still reading from the page, it's tough to compete with actors who already know the part.
If at all possible, familiarize yourself with the play. If it's public domain (in the United States, that includes anything published before 1923), there's a good chance you'll find the complete text on the Web. Of course you can also find many plays on Amazon.com or in a well-stocked library or bookstore.
Try to identify what drives your character and what's at stake in the scene. Find the beats - moments when the character's emotion or status changes. Don't memorize inflections and gestures or become exclusively committed to one interpretation of the character, however. One thing the director will look for in the audition is the ability to take direction and make changes on the spot.
Step 5
Not every audition requires a monologue, but it's good to have at least one prepared just in case. The monologue should not be from the play for which you are auditioning, but should be of the same genre (classical drama, classical comedy, contemporary drama, or contemporary comedy).
Step 6
If you are auditioning for a musical, you may be expected to have prepared a musical selection (typically eight to 16 bars of a show tune). Like the monologue, this should not be from the play for which you are auditioning, but should be similar to the type of material you would be performing. Bring sheet music in case there is a pianist, but be prepared to sing a capella if not.
Step 7
Take a headshot and resume with you.
Step 8
Wear clean, casual, comfortable clothes that don't restrict your movements. Resist the urge to dress the part.
Step 9
Be polite and friendly to everyone you meet, even your "competition." You may very well end up working with them, if not in this production then in one down the line. Remember, your audition begins the moment you arrive.
Step 10
If you were not able to get the sides ahead of time, they will be available at the audition. You may not have time to memorize the lines, but you can at least become familiar with them and try to identify some emotional beats.
Step 11
Actual audition procedures vary widely from one production to another, but often involve being matched with one or more partners. Be sure to work with them, not against them. If the director senses that you are trying to dominate the scene to the detriment of other actors, you are unlikely to be cast.
Step 12
Don't be a psycho, even if you want to play one. Respect your audition partner's boundaries, don't abuse the theater's furniture, and don't scream in the director's face. They won't cast you if they're scared of you.
Step 13
Stay in character for a few beats after the last word of dialogue. The silence at the end of a scene can be its most powerful moment.
Step 14
As you leave, tell the audition panel goodnight or it was a pleasure meeting them, but don't offer any apologies or excuses for anything that you think you did wrong - that would only serve to bring the mistake to their attention again.
Photo by weatherbox
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