Ten Audition Tips - Tip #1

June 26, 2009 (edit: June 26, 2009) | andrew | 0 comments

Artistic Director Andrew Woolner writes about how to deal with probably the most stressful part of Theatre acting: the audition.

TIP #1 - READ THE PLAY

If possible, read the play. This is a crucial step, but unfortunately, not always possible, given that we live in Japan and plays aren't as available as we'd like. If there's a long lead time before your audition, you might be able to order the play from Amazon.com and have it delivered in time. If it's an original play, the director may be able to send you a copy by mail, or by using this new invention called 'electic mail' or 'the internets' or something like that.

Here are some good reasons for not reading the play:

a) you've tried to find the play by all means and absolutely cannot

b) you've gouged out your eyes after killing your father and marrying your mother... and the play isn't available in braile.

Of course, if you're auditioning for an entire season, you should try to read all the plays for that season (if they've been announced). If you're auditioning for a class or for membership in a Theatre company, then there is no play to read, so you're off the hook (but common sense says that it might be good to find out what you can about the auditioners and their preferences, if you can).

Okay, you think, read the play. Got it. But why?

Because it will help you choose your audition piece (more on this in a later tip). Also, if there's time during the audition, the director may want to hear your thoughts (some do, some don't). Most importantly, you will have an idea of what part(s) you're interested in playing, and will be able to articulate that, if asked. (And you won't waste your time auditioning for a show with no parts you can play.)

If you haven't read the play, you can end up looking like an idiot if the director asks you something and you can't answer because you have no idea what he/she is talking about. I've run Shakespeare auditions both here and in Downtown Canada in which actors came in and hadn't even read the Cliff's Notes version of the play. This is disgraceful, since Shakespeare is in the Public Domain and is FREELY AVAILABLE all over the internets (besides, if you're a serious actor and don't own a Complete Works of Shakespeare, well, how serious are you?).

There are always exceptions (like an actor who once came and auditioned for me for a production of Richard III, but had thought she was auditioning for a modern farce), but on the whole, if you have enough lead time, READ THE PLAY!

(Oh yeah, read the play that your monologue is from, too. But more on that later.)

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