6 Easy Audition Fixes You Can Make Right Now
Bekah Harbison, Guest Editorial
The author is a St. Louis–based director, consultant, and teaching artist.
Auditions are hard, there’s no doubt about it. Few other experiences involve only a few minutes of your time to demonstrate your ability to do the job.
Many audition tip lists share things you should have done weeks or months before entering the room. And while training, research, rehearsal, and resume cultivation are essential pieces of the auditioning puzzle, here are six suggestions that I, as director, encourage you to follow if you’re stepping into the audition room today.
1. Remember that the panel is rooting for you
As a young performer auditioning, I always viewed the audition panel as something to fear. As people behind the table relentlessly judged and critiqued every move I made. That fear destroyed my confidence when auditioning. Since I’ve been directing, I learned the truth.
When a director needs to cast a show, the best-case scenario is that everyone who auditions has the performance of their lives that day. We want to see actors at their best and have the most equipped cast for our show. I’ve never, for a moment, taken joy in a rough audition. I leave feeling energized when the performers collectively do well. It means my show will have well-equipped performers. At least at a community theatre level, casting committees are much more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt than to critique minor concerns.
Remember this when you audition - everyone wants you to do well!
2. Have a Strong Slate
Actors underestimate the importance of a strong slate. Your slate is your introduction and is the first “official” piece of your audition that the panel will see. You should confidently state, “Hi, my name is BLANK, and I will be singing NAME OF SONG/MONOLOGUE from NAME OF SHOW.” It’s also sometimes appropriate to include other information at the team’s request, like your agency, which roles you are interested in, your pronouns, or, in the case of many youth theatres, your age. When in doubt, keep it to your name and audition piece.
A strong slate immediately tells those casting the show you know what you’re doing. It prepares us to lean in and listen to what you’ve prepared. Sometimes, it even makes you look more prepared than you are. Whatever you do, make sure that you slate confidently. Don’t mumble or fidget; tell us who you are and what you’re presenting with poise.
3. Be Kind to Everyone
You may have heard the adage, “They’re not just auditioning you; they’re auditioning YOU.” Theatre requires the company to spend enormous time together throughout the process. Directors don’t want to spend that time with people who seem overtly negative, critical, or rude. If you can’t even keep your attitude under wraps when trying to get the role, I can only imagine what you’ll be like to work with once you have it.
It’s a no-brainer to be nice to the director or choreographer. Take it a step further and be nice to everyone. When interacting with other people auditioning, the staff member monitoring the lobby, or a seemingly random guy you pass in the hallway, you present as the most wonderful, positive version of yourself. I always ask the team if they heard auditioners say anything concerning in the lobby. I’ve absolutely chosen not to cast people because of these reports.
Above all, be nice to the audition pianist, if there is one. The pianist is often the only fellow artist the team gets to see you interact with in an initial audition. Communicate your needs kindly and clearly. If the tempo isn’t what you expected, you can respectfully clarify with the pianist and ask to start again. You can also choose to continue anyway. An experienced panel knows the difference between an accompanist struggling and an auditioner struggling. Shooting the pianist’s dirty looks in the middle of your performance doesn’t accomplish anything for you except leaving a bad taste in the director’s mouth.
4. Don’t Apologize
Don’t apologize to the team because you’re under the weather or feel underprepared. Don’t say that you’re sorry for making a mistake. You may have been the only one who even noticed it. Even if others did notice, those experienced in casting shows realize how nerve-wracking auditions are and probably don’t count any minor errors against you.
Don’t apologize to the pianist if your music isn’t in a binder or has a tricky accompaniment part. Do what you can to make their job manageable (that’s another article), but nothing can be done once you’re in the room with your sheet music.
So forge ahead; don’t apologize!
At a recent audition, I heard the words “I’m sorry” dozens, maybe hundreds, of times in a day. The sentiment usually came across as “I’m sorry I’m here taking up space; I’m not worthy” or “Please tell me I don’t have to be sorry so I can be comforted during this audition process.” It’s probably a nervous tick more than anything, but regardless, it isn’t a good way to present yourself.
5. Don’t Treat the Panel like your Scene Partner
Please don’t try to lock eyes with the director while presenting your piece. This becomes even more important if your piece involves sensitive or highly emotional material. Imagine how uncomfortable it feels to have someone try to perform a piece about wanting to have sex with someone or kill someone while locking eyes with you. You don’t come across as committed; I feel a little violated, to be honest.
Also, remember that while you may only spend 3-5 minutes in the audition room, the panel is seeing performer after performer for hours and hours. It becomes exhausting incredibly quickly when performers play their emotionally intense pieces directly to me.
I highly encourage you to make eye contact with the director or audition panel when you say hello upon entering the room, during your slate, and when they speak directly or ask you questions. But when your audition cut begins, pick a spot on the wall between two people on the panel and pretend your scene partner is there. Do your best to stay at the same eye level as the team, but do not try to lock eyes with anyone on it.
6. Be Yourself
I frequently see people step into an audition with what is clearly a false persona. Save the acting for your audition piece. If the audition panel asks you a question, perhaps about your resume, answer the question like you would if an acquaintance were asking it.
In short, act like a real person.
You never know if you will be the best actor or singer at an audition, but you do know you will be the best version of you. I don’t say that to be cheesy, but maybe the authentic “you” is exactly what they seek. Don’t hide that.
So much about auditions is out of your control as a performer. But these quick and easy fixes are all things you can focus your control on. Keep working on your audition book and prepare by training and researching before auditioning. But making these changes can have an enormous impact on your success in the audition room as soon as today.