Throughout my career I have seen hundreds if not thousands of auditions and I continue to find it a fascinating and entertaining process. The harder and more pressurised the audition, the more you learn about your performers. Over the years there has been many memorable ones, some for the right reasons and some for the wrong. The audition however still remains a vital part of the production process.
The large majority of my auditions have been children and young people and I am often asked by people if they’re not a little “harsh” for the age of the performer. My answer is always the same; “Absolutely not”. Creating a lion’s den style atmosphere usually means that the candidates who do walk in, have at least got the character you are looking for.
Children and young people are amongst the most courageous people on earth. We develop fear as we get older and that fear is what prevents us from doing a lot of things later in life. Setting this type of challenge at a young age helps to prepare them for similar challenges in the future. If a performer young or old is not willing or ready to walk into the audition room and face the unknown, then they are not ready to walk on stage in a leading role. Live theatre can be unpredictable and performers must be aware of that.
It is however at the most pressurised moments when you want your stars to shine and if you can get the atmosphere right for your auditions, then your leading roles will often select themselves. There will inevitably be those that promise a lot and deliver a little and those that promise a little and deliver exactly what you’re looking for. They are always my favourite types of auditions.
Being successful however isn’t an accident. Here are some useful tips for a successful audition;
Choosing The Right Part
This is the first hurdle at which many performers fall. Choosing the right roles to audition for can be difficult. You are often torn between the parts you like the most and the parts you think you are capable of. The problem here can be self doubt, which prevents you from aiming high and fulfilling your potential.
Remember, the biggest part is not always the best part for you. Asking yourself which character resembles you the most is often a good starting point. Choose an audition that shows off your strong points and not one that is likely to highlight your weaknesses.
Understand The Criteria
It is vital you understand what you are being asked to do, this is your chance to show the director that you can follow their instructions. The audition panel will have criteria for each character they are auditioning. They will want every performer to follow the exact same process so they can be gaged fairly and accurately.
If they wanted you to learn a specific song and you have learned another, it will almost certainly end in failure. Not because you couldn’t sing the song you chosen but you couldn’t follow instructions.
Understand The Character
Perhaps the most common mistake in youth theatre is failing to understand the character you are auditioning for. If you don’t understand the character you are trying to portray your performance will almost certainly lack the chemistry and substance the director is looking for.
You are displaying sadness in a scene yet don’t know where that sadness comes from as you have simply failed to read past your audition pages. Understand your characters background, emotion, motivation, hopes, fears, how they walk, talk and gesture. Research them as much as you can because you can guarantee your director has.
Practice,Practice, Practice
Once you have made up your mind and your research is done, it’s time to start rehearsing. It’s now when you begin to form that all important emotional connection with your character. Learning the lines is the least of your problems, learning how your character thinks, acts and reacts in every situation is where the real skill lies.
Don’t stop practicing until the very last second, every little detail you can add to your performance will count. It maybe that subtle flick of the hair or the clever click of the fingers that is the difference between casting or not.
Embrace The Challenge
People young and old often confuse the feeling of excitement with the feeling of fear, remember that the emotion is actually very similar but certainly not the same. Learn to enjoy the challenge, don’t think about the what if I don’t and focus on the what if I do.
Be On Time
It’s very simple. DON’T BE LATE. No excuse will be good enough. When that curtain opens, they will expect you to be there.
Eye Contact
Look your audition panel in the eye no matter how nervous you may feel, they are your audience and they will want to know they have your attention.
Understand Why You Want The Part
There maybe times in auditions when the panel want to know about you. They may ask questions about your reasons for choosing the part. Make sure you have a response and make sure it isn’t, “I don’t know”.
Consider your answers carefully and remember honesty is usually a good policy, however there will be times when it isn’t. If your honest answer is “I need the part because I am skint” then make something up.
Deal With Your Mistakes
The one thing you can be certain of in the world of live theatre is mistakes. The better the level the fewer there are, but they are definitely still there. the difference between amateur and professional is the ability to hide or react to these often unintentional errors.
Sometimes your ability to “dig yourself out of a hole” can be a positive thing. Don’t let a little mistake become a big mistake by overreacting.
Be Prepared For The Outcome
Not everyone is successful in their audition as there are simply not enough parts to go around. The director or audition panel make decisions based on many factors and ultimately some people have to miss out. It’s at this point when you show your true character.
Developing conspiracy theories as to why you where not selected lacks humility and imagination. Don’t take it personally and be proud of the fact that you gave it your all. Life is full of set backs but it should never prevent you from dusting yourself off and going again.
Best of luck in your future ventures
Mark Ashton