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THIS IS MY FIRST AUDITION

What is an audition?

An audition is an opportunity. An opportunity for the director to see their cast, and an opportunity for you to show them what you have to offer.

Directors use auditions to make decisions about casting. We look at experience, age, preparedness, attitude, skillset, and personality to help us decide which actor suits which role.

What should I bring?

A standard audition will ask you to prepare 32 bars of music and a short monologue. You should bring your sheet music, marked clearly so the pianist can see where to start and finish, your monologue, your resume, and sometimes a headshot. 

What do I say?

Once you are called to the stage, you will do what's called "slating" by saying your name, the title of the song, and the show it's from. You will do this again when it's time for your monologue.

MUSIC TIPS

Working with music can be tricky if you're not used to it, if you are lucky to have a music teacher in or after school, you can ask them for help in making sure you've got the right materials. (Especially if it's me.) 

 If you don't think you have someone to ask, or you'd just rather do it yourself, here are some helpful tips.

Finding a good monologue can be the hardest part of your audition prep. If you've never read a play or scoured the internet for good material, it can be hard to find one you like! Here are some tips to narrow it down for you.

most people expect your Piece to be from a play rather than a movie.  

The internet provides a lot of options, not all of them are the right ones. Try this one

MONOLOGUE TIPS

Usually, If you are auditioning for a musical, always bring a song from a musical

Check the style of music in the show, if it's written in pop style, go for it! If not, look at musicals.

This is my FIRST audition
I'm trying to work on my craft

I WANT TO BE PREPARED

Auditions will never stop being intimidating, but the more prepared we are ahead of time, the more successful the performance. Below are some more resources to help you think ahead.

Read up on audition etiquette. Know what's expected of you.

Check out these audition requirements from Florida state university.  

I'm building an audition book

Your audition book is your secret weapon, and when properly curated, means you will go into an audition feeling prepared and confident. Imagine, never scrambling for an audition song again.

A great audition book contains

A varied selection of monologues across multiple eras and genres of theatre

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A varied selection of songs across multiple genres of music, marked clearly for the accompanist

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Multiple copies of your resume

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Your headshot

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All collected and organized in a binder

AUDITION BOOKS

Finding these materials can take some time, but for those looking to study performance, commitment to preparation is paramount.

VOCAL REPERTOIRE

Ideally, you will want to be prepared for auditions of any type. The goal is to a few songs that suit shows and characters from many genres and styles. These categories overlap with each other, so everyone can personalize their repertoire to show what they feel is best about their voice. Go through the categories below and make sure you've got a decent selection of rep you're confident with. This last piece is the key. Choosing rep is not coloring by numbers, you have to find music that inspires you and demonstrates your ability. 

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ERA

Classical

Classic era Broadway spans from the 20s through to the 40s. Shows at this time were croony, jazzy, and entertaining. Look out for Kurt Weil, Rodgers and Heart, and the brothers George and Ira Gershwin.

GENRE

The Standard

There are standards in every genre of music. Musical theatre standards tend to be too well known for professional or college level auditions, but for high school and community theatre they are great options.

MONOLOGUE REPERTOIRE

A Masterlist

This list is always growing, please feel free to add to it with your own findings!

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