How To Audition For A High School Play Or Musical
by Eric Theigs
www.stageoflife.com
www.BroadwayBreakThru.com
Today's blog post comes from Eric Thiegs, Founder and CEO of www.StageofLife.com.
Thank you for your contribution and for sharing your wisdom and experience.
I'm a 37-year-old director of a high school musical theatre program, and
I have some audition tips for you young actors looking to perform in
your fall or spring theater productions.
But first, I have to set this up for you.
I
love what I do. Seriously...directing at the high school level is
probably one of the things, after my wife and daughters of course, that
makes the biggest and most inspirational impact on my life year in and
year out.
And no, I'm not a professional director or actor.
--I acted in an AFTRA commerical once.
--I did two regional runs with the touring company of an Off-Broadway show.
--I made some major call backs during my 20's (one very close for a national TV show).
But guess what...it wasn't in my stars to be the star, and I'm okay with that.
I've
found that my role is to help young talent find their inner voice and
hopefully give them a little encouragement to pursue acting and the arts
after high school. I know enough to have passion about my job and
hopefully fill the role of a mentor here and there but I fully expect my
kids to find professionally trained acting instructors in college who
will take them to the next level.
But all of that aside, fall approaches and I have a new round of talent ready to audition.
This year, I want to pass along some auditioning tips.
This
audition advice comes from witnessing over 1000 students audition for
me over the last nine years for roles in South Pacific, Footloose, Once
Upon a Mattress, Bye Bye Birdie, Beaty & the Beast, Wizard of Oz,
High School Musical, Little Shop of Horrors and this year...Les
Miserables.
It by no means is a comprehensive list of audition
wisdom but it's definitely the top areas that need improvement by young
thespians. Take a look and please add comments for other tips,
suggestions, etc. that you've experience during the audition process:
Eight Audition Tips for the High School Actor
1. Memorization is Key. If
you are asked to deliver a monologue or sing a song from memory, you
better make sure you know both inside and out. No cheat sheets or crib
notes. If you forget a line, don't panic. Just keep going and think on
your feet. You need to show the director that you can perform under
pressure and keep your cool.
2. Don't Just Stand There. I
can't tell you the number of times I've sat through an audition where
the person simply stood in one spot with her hands behind jer back. You
have to "act." Use the stage. Use your body. An actor controls both
his voice and his body so make sure you are not just standing there with
hands behind back, or worse, in your pockets.
3. Look at the Director. It's
interesting when an audition starts and I find a young actor suddenly
start looking off stage right or stage left as they roll into their
monologue, as if they are delivering the monologue to an invisible
person next to them. It's interesting because the young actor has no
idea that the purpose of the audition is so that I can see them...the
invisible person does not care believe it or not. So don't use your
profile in the audition - deliver it full on to the director in the
audience.
4. Project. Well...this
one is a no brainer but again, there are been some fairly talented
people I've seen come through auditions but with little to no
projection. This is theater people, push and project your voice into
the theater. Fill the auditorium. It's going to be hard to place you in
a show if I can't hear you. And no...this does not imply that you need
to yell during the audition. Project from your diaphram and use a
normal speaking style based on the monologue you're presenting, but make
sure the person sitting in the last row can year you.
5. Personality. There's
something called the "X" factor or often the "It" factor. Some kids
have it. Others don't. But if you don't, that's okay, you'll still
make the show if you've got some half decent acting or singing chops.
But when you only have one shot at making a positive first impression
during the casting process, the thing that you have to remember is
this...show a little personality during the audition. Be yourself. If
the director asks you how your day is going, don't just say, "fine" and
then stand. That's your opportunity to show off a little bit. Give the
director a taste of the real you.
6. Smile. Nothing
kills an audition for me than a student walking onto the stage with a
flat line mouth. It's okay. I'm not going to bite. Have a little fun
with the audition and smile...it'll definitely help with the nerves.
7. Breath. When
you feel like your nerves are going to get the best of you, just take a
big deep breath, let it out slow and smile at the end. Seriously.
8. Don't Take It Personally. You
have to walk into that audition with the attitude that you've already
been cast, and be prepared to not take it personally if you don't make
the cut. If you can do those two things, all of the pressure on having
to perform in the audition will start to dissolve and you can focus on
the experience itself without wondering about the afters and what-ifs.
Stay in the moment and don't take the process personally. If you
do...you're not cut out to be an actor.
Eric Theigs
http://www.stageoflife.com/?tabid=72&g=posts&t=282
