Institute of the Arts Audition Advice & Guidelines Produced by Dr. J. Colclough Additional material by Richard Milburn Last Updated: Thursday, 1 October 2015
What Are the Audition Panel Looking For? The Prepared Monologue A drama school or university will usually ask you to prepare one or more audition pieces to specific criteria. These pieces will typically consist of a modern and a classical monologue. Modern usually refers to monologues taken from any play post-1960 and classical usually refers to monologues taken from any Elizabethan or Jacobean play text. In some instances, classical may also include earlier periods Greek Drama) and the cut-off date given for modern be given as early as 1900 and as late as 1980. Drama schools and universities may also ask you to prepare a song and exclude certain plays or playwrights as options. It is essential that you read the criteria carefully for each individual audition and follow the instructions given. The Prepared Song Beyond your ability to work to and follow the criteria given, a drama school or university uses the audition as test of: Your basic technical competency as a performer. (Technical Skills: Voice / Physicality / Line Learning) Your ability to create and deliver polished and persuasive performance appropriate for the chosen text. (Creative Judgement: Character Development / Script Work) Your attitude and demeanour as a prospective student. (Professionalism: Work Ethic / Manners / Interpersonal Skills) Preparing for Auditions Choosing an Audition Piece It is essential that you read the criteria carefully and follow the instructions given for the monologue(s) or the song(s). This includes any instructions given regarding: The period / style (e.g. modern/ classical monologues [or one of each] or the genre of song e.g. musical theatre/ popular) The maximum running time. Any material or authors that are specifically required or excluded. In general, when given a relatively free choice of material to prepare you should always choose a play/musical and character you might reasonably be cast in or as. This means choosing a role that is gender appropriate and falls with your natural range of playing ages. The role should also be appropriate to your range and ability as a performer.
Make sure you also time your pieces accurately and don t over-run. Most panels make their judgments with the first thirty seconds of an audition and will stop you if you are overrunning. Most panels will also appreciate a candidate more if they have taken the time and trouble to select a text beyond the most obvious choices. You should where possible then avoid plays or musicals that are currently in vogue either in production or as set texts on the GCSE, BTEC or A-Level syllabuses. Monologue features Look for a monologue that allows you to take a character on an emotional journey or one that resolves an idea or argument. Your speech should give you the opportunity to explore as many facets of the character as possible and not just one that is played on one emotional note. Pieces that tell stories are often good choices but avoid ones that tail off or end abruptly. Often drama schools will ask for contrasting monologues; most students interpret this to mean one must be serious or dark in tone (i.e. taken from a tragedy) and the other must be funny or light in tone (i.e. taken from a comedy). Monologues can contrast in other ways as well however. You should also bear in mind possible contrasts in style, content, the personalities of the characters, their physicality and environment. Song qualities Look for a song that has an appropriate range to show off your voice not one that just stays on the same few notes. Also look for one that has shape and builds dynamically allowing you choices of volume, tone, rhythm and tempo. Remember that musical theatre is predominantly an acting medium (it s not just about getting the notes!) and quite often successful performers have an ability to connect with the audience and move them or to tell a story effectively. You don t always have to have an exceptional voice to do this just a good one. What to Avoid It is general best to avoid: 1. The (too) often-performed standards: The Hamlets, Ophelias, Violas and Lady Macbeths; Defying Gravity, On my Own, I Know that He Needs Me. The panel may be bored of seeing the same speech or song over and over again and you are missing an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Avoid also characters from modern plays that are currently very popular in repertoire or enjoying prolonged runs in The West End. 2. The emotional climax: It is tempting to choose a speech from the climax of the play but when taken out of the narrative context and without the required emotional build-up these speeches can be impossible to perform well. The results are, more often than not therefore unpersuasive and at worst can appear clichéd and self-indulgent. 3. The show-off song. Remember that you may be nervous. Planning to wow the panel with a song at the very limits of your vocal ability may back-fire. You are likely to be nervous, the interview room is a strange,
non-theatrical environment and it is easy for you to go out of tune or for your voice to crack. Better to pick something reasonably challenging and dramatically interesting and to nail it. It is not the moment to be worrying if you ll get the big note. 4. Other characters that speak (In Monologues): Avoid sections of the text that are dependent on other characters speaking dialogue. If you require another panel member or auditionees to read in a character the result will most likely be disjointed and difficult to follow for the panel and for you to perform. 5. Props: In general it is best to avoid props at all but if you must use a prop make sure it is something you can carry into and out of the audition quickly and unobtrusively (e.g. a mobile phone). Avoid any props that require setting-up or management. 6. Unfamiliar accents: Unbelievable or inconsistent accents only detract from a performance. If in doubt find a monologue or a song that can be played in any accent or one that is specifically written for your own accent. Working on Your Audition Piece When working on a monologue or a song it is important to remember that you are giving a performance that should be as polished and thoroughly prepared as any public production. Read the Whole Play It is vital that you understand your characters situation (Given circumstances) and motivations. It is usually impossible to understand a character fully and accurately unless you can put the monologue, song or scene into its proper context. Break the Speech Down You should identify the individual moments (Beats) in the monologue / song / scene and clearly define your characters objective and motivation, on a moment by moment basis. Remember: A good performance is never static (played in just one emotional state) and should encourage you to play a range of emotions and actions. In particular; look for key words and changes in emotion, thought or tone. Remember also that thoughts in the monologue or song are usually not planned in advance but evolve out of a situation; one thought leads to another, one emotion to another and one action to another. A performance should develop following a clear sequence of events but should also appear spontaneous and alive in the moment. Understand Who You Are Speaking To Remember that the person you are talking to or singing to forms an emotional relationship with your character. That relationship dictates the tone of your speech as well as your physical bearing and body language. Your relationship with the person (or people) you are addressing also conditions the manner in which your character is most likely to peruse their objectives. It is vital therefore that you clearly define the person or people you are talking to, including their relationship with and attitude towards your character. This is equally as true when addressing the
audience directly as when addressing another character on the stage. Even in a soliloquy, the character speaking or singing will assume that the audience has a set of beliefs, ideas or thoughts that conditions their attitudes towards the speaker. A character will therefore assume a relationship with the audience in exactly the same way they assume a relationship with another character on the stage. Ask Yourself: 1. What has just happened immediately before the monologue or the song begins? (Given Circumstances) 2. What are you trying to do? (Objectives & Targets) 3. Why is this important to you? (Motivation) 4. Who are you talking to / singing to? (Relationship & Tone) Allow your performance (the emotions, actions and physicality played) to be driven by and evolve naturally from your characters; circumstances, objectives, motivations and the relationship they have with the person or people they are talking to. Tips: Volume: Volume is not emotion: try to avoid extremes in shouting (belting) or whispering that might make the speech or song hard to follow or the panel feel uncomfortable or assaulted. Rhythm: An actor should follow the punctuation in the writing in the same way a musician follows a score. This is self evident in the music: pay attention to clues in the score and remember in principle: the music always tells the truth. Punctuation (full stops, commas, semi colons, etc., rests, phrases, pause marks ) provide important clues as to the pace and rhythms expected in delivering the speech or singing the song. Remember also that each thought requires a separate breath to deliver. In singing: pay attention to the breath it s quality can carry meaning and emotional power. Physicality: movement, gesture and physicality should be confident and clearly defined. A monologue or song should not just be a talking-head but remember also that any physicality should be appropriate and proportionate to the character, the situation and the performance style implied by the text. Wild arm gestures or air-grabs will not improve the quality of your singing and may well be a distraction. Monologues: Beginnings & Endings Monologues are usually taken from within a larger scene so it is important that the opening and closing lines of your monologue lead in from and feed back into that broader context.
Create a strong opening: Clearly establish your state of mind and your relationship to the person (or people) you are addressing from the very first line. Remember: panels will make most of their judgments within the opening 30 seconds of a monologue so you do not have time to warm into a role. Create a strong ending: Clearly establish your characters expectations / thoughts about what should happen immediately after the final line is spoken and make sure this ending is played clearly. Your Appearance / What to Wear In general you don t want the panel to focus on anything other than your acting and/or singing ability. If you are given specific instructions follow them otherwise it is important to be presentable and that you dress appropriately Create a Blank Canvas : Wear blacks, or if not blacks, wear plain, loose fitting confortable neutral clothing. You want the panel to notice your performance not your fashion sense. Be safe and comfortable: Wear flat / comfortable shoes that you can move in and won t damage any expensive dance floors. Never wear high heels for an audition you ll almost certainly be asked to remove them. Hair: Actors with long hair should be particularly aware of how they wear it. It is essential that the panel can see your face so ensure hair is worn up or away from your face. Piercings: Actors with tongue or lip piercings should remove them, as they are likely to distort your vocal quality and impair diction. Presenting the Audition Piece Before You Enter The Room Arrive early: It is important that you enter the room relaxed, confident and composed. If you are rushing or running late you are more likely to be flustered, disorganised and unfocused and will be, therefore, less likely to perform to your potential. Bring any additional materials with you. If you are asked to provide a headshot or a C.V. make sure you have them with you. Be prepared also to fill out forms and or audition sheets. Bring a pen, know your measurements and be prepared to give your contact details. Preparing your song accompaniment Most auditions require you to take sheet music. Some allow backing tracks, but
check this (and what format to take your backing track in e.g. MP3 file, CD) otherwise you may find yourself singing unaccompanied. It may not be possible to sing the whole piece in the time allowed and it is perfectly acceptable to cut the song. If the song has several verses and a chorus, it is unlikely that you will need (or be allowed) to perform the whole thing. You may however wish to perform a linking section or the big finish so make sure that you cut the song in a way that makes this possible in the allocated time. Take the sheet music in a format that is easy for the accompanist to play from: A book Use Sellotape to stick your song together in one long sheet A folder which sits flat with pages that are easy to turn. Don t bring loose sheets. Make sure that any cuts in the music are clearly marked and get help with this from a pianist if necessary. Make sure that the song is in the right key: never ask an accompanist to transpose for you. Warm up: A good performance will usually require you to warm up vocally and physically beforehand. Make sure you have in place a routine of stretches and vocal warm ups that will ensure that your voice and body are ready to perform at their best. Focus in particular on physical flexibility and diction exercises. If possible it is also good to work on projection but be aware that you should not disturb others auditioning (or waiting to audition) with any exercises you have prepared. Relax: The key to confidence is thorough preparation however many actors still get nervous before performing. If you get nervous before performing it is especially important that you warm up properly and in addition to the above run through some controlled breathing exercises which should help calm you down and prevent your voice from wobbling with nerves. In The Room Project confidence: Enter the room smiling and with your head up (even if you are nervous). Project an air of confidence and try not to make any quips or comments that betray any nerves you are feeling. Rehearse your introductions so that you can give your name and introduce your pieces in a composed and clear fashion. Remember: The audition begins the moment you walk through the door, so try to present yourself as professional and personable at all times. An audition isn t solely about your acting ability; it s also about your general character. The panel will be looking to see if you are the sort of personality that would fit their company, cast or course. Enter the room unencumbered: Leave bags, coats and other unnecessary items in the waiting area. The panel will not need a copy of your speech; they will not prompt you and will want to be free to watch you perform. Establish your distance: The size of every audition room varies but ideally
you should stand about 4 or 5 meters (approximately 15 feet) away from the panel to deliver your monologue. If you stand too close the panel (and you) may feel the proximity of the performance is off putting or intimidating. If you stand too far away however the panel may struggle to see or hear your performance clearly. Define your space: If you require a chair there will usually be one provided in the room but be prepared to perform without one just in case. Make sure you are confident of where you should focus your delivery and take time to establish to whom you are speaking. Rehearse with another person or a chair in the appropriate position if necessary. If you are addressing the audience be clear where your sight line is (usually slightly above and behind the panel). Be consistent with your points of focus. Addressing the panel directly: If you wish to address the monologue directly to the panel, it is courteous to ask the panel first if that is acceptable. Otherwise place your eye-line just above their heads or slightly to the side, but remember that they want to see your face and not your profile. Take direction: Don t be put off if the director stops you to give notes or direction. This is often a good sign and shows that they are interested enough to give feedback. End clearly and confidently: Once you have finished smile at the panel and thank them for their time and after a brief moment if they have not asked you anything leave. This avoids uncomfortable silences and potential uncertainty about when the performance has finished. Using an accompanist Greet the panel first before giving your music to the accompanist ( unless this is the same person!) Be friendly and polite but confident: it s your audition. Check that they can follow any cuts that you have made on the sheet music. Give them an idea about the tempo that you want to start the song by singing a short opening phrase quietly to them Never, ever, EVER click your fingers at them or conduct them. They will follow you if you want to go faster or slower that s their job! Remember that the accompanist could be anyone associated with the show ( e.g. musical director) If something goes badly wrong, stop, apologise to the panel, don t get flustered, go to the piano and sort it out professionally and politely,start again.
If Things Go Wrong Drying up: If you prepare properly you should not forget lines or dry up completely. If however you do blank momentarily take a breath, remain in character and try not to panic. You will most-likely recover within a few seconds if you remain calm. If you do have to break character apologise to the panel and ask politely if it is okay if to begin again. Most panels will be happy for you to start again once. If the panel refuses or if you dry up a second time apologise once more and leave the room calmly. After The Audition Be Courteous to others: It is important that you do not distract others or behave discourteously to the other candidates once your audition is over. Unless asked you are required to stay leave quickly and calmly. If you are required to stay, wait quietly and always make sure that the other candidates can prepare in peace. Deal with rejection professionally: Rejection is part of being an actor; deal with it professionally. If you take rejection with a smile and remain polite and positive, the panel will be more open to auditioning you in the future. Deal with success professionally: The panel will remember how you react to success as well as how you respond to rejection. Avoid gloating, inappropriate celebrations or behaving smugly towards the other candidates. Preparing for a dance audition: A lot of what has already been covered applies however these extra pointers may help you further within a dance context. This can vary depending on the context of the audition (i.e. contemporary/classical/commercial) so be sure to broaden your additional research and ASK questions of others. Do you have friends who have auditioned before? Can you ask for advice in forums? Can you find any detailed advice on websites for the organisation that is hosting the audition? Be sure to allow plenty of time to get changed into suitable dancewear if needed. You do not want to appear flustered and panicked when walking into the audition room. Bring plenty of water (no food or fizzy drinks in studios). Arrive with your hair tied back already & all jewelry removed you do not want to appear unprepared by wasting time at the beginning of class by doing this. Try to select choreographic material carefully be sure to show off your skills, but make sure you are well rehearsed. Prepare your music in several formats (CD & Mp3 etc.) and edit it correctly if needed. You do not want the panel to have to trawl through a whole album to find your track. Consider your performance style a technical dance solo that shows off your facilities as a dancer is wonderful but what is your performance context and intention? Is the solo memorable and how do you present
yourself with confidence? Be open to criticism/feedback (not everyone will give it). Respond to this and try to take it on board rather than disappearing into yourself if something goes wrong. If you are taking part in a warm up or technique class, be sure to focus on the task at hand and treat it as a workshop this should help you to relax. Talk to others you are all in the same boat! If the panel see that you have a personality and are eager to learn, rather than overtly scared and defensive they are more likely to feel at ease, and you will too! Breathe and ground yourself take time to warm up/recap/stretch for yourself and close your eyes it will help you to recollect your thoughts and to avoid getting caught up in hype or other people s nerves. If you make a mistake try not to panic, or draw attention to it. It is often how you work through this that seals the deal! Enjoy it! An audition should allow you to be yourself remember that dance is hard work but should also be an enjoyable process. Try not to allow your passion to be swallowed up by nerves and fear of failure! Recommended Further Reading Annett, M. (2004) Actor s Guide to Auditions & Interviews. 3rd edn. United Kingdom: Methuen Drama. Evans, R. (2009) Auditions: A Practical Guide. London: Taylor & Francis. McNamara, B. (2011) It s the Audition, Stupid!: The Actor's Essential Guide to Surviving the Casting and Getting the Part. United Kingdom: Pinter & Martin.