How To Audition For A High School Play Or Musical

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
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