Audition Tips & Considerations

 

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Musical Audition Considerations

• All auditions will be no longer than seven minutes

• All candidates are asked to arrive well in advance of their audition time

• All practice rooms will be opened for your convenience

• All candidates are asked to remain quiet when in the theatre foyer

• No alumni are permitted in the theatre area during the audition period

• All candidates are required to prepare a song, a monologue and a dance/movement piece

• Candidates are asked to give strong consideration to the musical style of Hairspray when preparing their audition song, monologue and dance

• Candidates are asked to give strong consideration to pick a monologue that matches the character of their desired role

• All candidate MUST prepare the dance that was provided at the audition workshop (video link posted after Oct 5)

• Callbacks will be on Monday, October 22, 2018

• All candidates receiving a callback will be notified no later than 4:00PM on the day that follows their audition.

• All candidates receiving a callback will be notified (by email) as to what to prepare in between 7PM and 10PM on Friday, October 20

 

Simply deciding to audition for the musical is an act of bravery that needs to be commended.  Thank you for your consideration and preparation.  We are already very proud of you.

 

Here are some things to consider while waiting for your audition time:

• Please remain quiet when auditions are in progress. Be courteous to your fellow cast mates

• Consider doing some light exercises, yoga, or visualizations that help you relax and prepare

• Please wait until the next person is called in before leaving the theatre area in case we require something else from you or want to ask you any further questions

 

 

Have fun and break a leg!

 

How to Prepare a Monologue

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PREPARING A GENUINE MONOLOGUE/SCENE/SONG

 

1) CONTEXT

• Read the play or musical that the scene/song comes from to understand its context and how it fits into the whole play/musical

• If you can't find the play or musical, use the internet - wikipedia, google and youtube for research

• What is the meaning of the play?  Why did the playwright/composer write it? (again - use internet - ask google these questions and read analysis articles and blogs)

 

2) GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES

• Who are you? 

• Where and when are you?  

• Why are you there? 

• What has happened right before this moment? What caused this moment to happen?

 

3) CONNECTING EMOTIONALLY

• Think about the given circumstances and how the situation must feel for the character

• If you haven't personally experienced the circumstances create a parallel for yourself using 'It's As If' - drawing from your own personal experience.  

• Make an 'it's as if' comparison that is as high stakes as possible - approaching life or death is ideal.

 

4) FOCUSING THE PERFORMANCE

• Who are you speaking to?

• Where is this person or audience in the room?

 

5)  ESSENTIAL ACTION

• The essential action is CRUCIAL.  It is the most important part of any performance!

• What do you want from the person you are talking to in the scene/song?  

• What do you actually get if you are successful in achieving your essential action?

• What happens to you if you are unsuccessful in achieving your essential action.

 

6) TIPS ON DELIVERING A CLEAR PERFORMANCE

• Be clear who you are speaking to and where they are in the room

• Let your performance be driven by your essential action 

• BREATHE - steady breathing will enable your mind and body to connect 

• LISTEN to both your scene partner and/or your own internal thoughts

• THINK THINK THINK - don't pretend to be or portray an emotion, instead think about what you just heard, about what you just realized and actually think in your performance.  These thoughts and how they relate to your Essential Action are what will spur genuine emotion, genuine reaction and a genuine performance.

• REACT spontaneously in response to these thoughts.  This is being in the moment.

 

7)  ENDING YOUR PIECE

• Make sure you end your piece.  Sounds obvious, but it is often overlooked

• The last word or note is not the end of your piece - its the moment after!

• Take a moment to hold that last pose and more importantly -  that last thought.  This tells us that your performance is over and we feel it is complete.

• Once you have established an end, then you can release the character and return to the real world.

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How to Prepare a Song

‘Do’s

• Be sure to review Mr. Kohut’s tips on how to prepare a monologue (above). Many of the points apply to the preparation of a song.

• Consider the nature of your character when preparing your song. Is the character dramatic? Funny? Shy? Foreboding? Villainous? Serious? Uncompromising?  Determined? Weak/Frail? Choose a song that exemplifies their dominant characteristic(s). 

• Choose a song that will showcase your voice. If you are an alto, choose a song that fits your voice. Basses shouldn’t try and sing songs that are typically performed by tenors. Be careful of choosing a song because you ‘like it.’

• If you are auditioning for a female character, sing a song that is normally performed by a female actress and vice-versa. Your gender may not coincide with the character you desire, but your audition song should.

• Spend a great deal of time on the words of the piece. Speak them (not sing) over and over and contemplate their meanings. There may be multiple meanings, so be sure to connect deeply with the text. This is not something you’ll want to do the night before. Start early.

 

‘Don’t’s

• Don’t choose a song from another musical. ONLY choose a song from Hairspray.

• Be careful not to choose anything too hard. There may be a song that you really like, but it might be best to pick a song that will really showcase your talents and skill-set. 

 

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Preparation reminders for the dance portion of your audition

 

• Prepare what was taught at the October 5 audition workshop.

• Remember that you are auditioning for Hairspray. A musical filled with very strong and confident characters. The more personality and character you can display in your dance, the better.

 

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