"God, I hope I get it, I hope I get it....how many people does he need???" I think anyone that has been a part of the entertainment industry or has spent countless hours in line waiting for your number to be called, has repeated that famous line from A Chorus Line, God I hope I get it. When auditioning in a city like New York you are up against some of the best talent from across the world, who have all come to the city with the same thing in mind- to book the job. People have perfected their craft and there is no room for imperfection, you MUST be on your game. Know the rules, know the venues, find what you're good at and work on keeping your confidence in tact. Then, hopefully, you WILL "get it." Good luck!
Chorus Line shows the truth of what it’s like when you REALLY want to book the job.
Before you go to the audition you want to make sure you’ve honed your skills. If you haven’t, other people have. While you were busy “chillin” everyone else was busting their butt in class so they can steal your job. THEN, even after you book the gig- keep taking class. A lot of the time it’s easier to take classes that you’re already good at, it fuels yourself esteem and reinforces your talent. All of that is great, but what about brushing up on the things that you know need a little work?? Maybe you aren’t the best tap dancer, well if your voice is incredible but you audition for Thoroughly Modern Millie and can’t tap- then your voice doesn’t matter all that much!
If you want to go Broadway, you’ve got to do it all. Dance classes, acting classes, voice lessons, improv, etc. Push yourself to KEEP LEARNING AND GROWING! Then, you are limitless!
take On Camera classes, private lessons, or the Ballistics class where you are pushed to let go our insecurity and take risks as an actor. Face your fears!
Intesives, workshops and private classes The Acting Studio incorporates practices of such noted teachers as Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, Michael Chekhov and Uta Hagen, as well as the techniques of more recent progressive theater artists as Peter Brook, Joseph Chaikin, Viola Spolin and Augusto Boal.
Improv, scene study and various technique and experimental classes. When the alumni includes people like Sigourney Weaver, Lily Tomlin, ROBERT DENIRO, Bette Midler, Liza Minelli, among many, many others…you know you’re in good hands.
SO, improv is NOT my thing. For the most part…I’m just not that funny, I mean, when I’m trying to be funny of course ;) I have yet to get the guts to go back and try again but apparently Chicago City Limits is where it’s at for all things improv! Comedy, here I come.
THE VOICE!
Your sense of humor may be objective, you can occasionally fake the dancing if you get put in the chorus (in the back) but with singing, we can ALL HEAR WHEN SOMETHING IS OFF. If you’re struggling in the vocal department, by all means for the sake of our hearing, go take some lessons. Singing isn’t easy if it doesn’t come naturally, you have to practice your scales, warm up, work on the “holes” in your voice and make a conscious effort to improve. I was a voice teacher and from watching my students work REALLY hard, I saw massive improvements. It can happen.
Maybe you already have your technique down, but you need to build your performance confidence. YOu can take classes that specify in that type of instruction, along with finding the truth in your music, “beyond the classroom” classes, cabaret performance, private lessons, and audition techniques.
Maybe you already have your technique down, but you need to build your performance confidence. YOu can take classes that specify in that type of instruction, along with finding the truth in your music, “beyond the classroom” classes, cabaret performance, private lessons, and audition techniques.
Much of the time it’s hard to find TIME to go and collect all the right sheet music. And sometimes, you can’t find the music at all. What about searching AND printing it online??! Highly recommended for pop tunes.
Try flirting your way into getting the role. Winking, hair flipping, and dating the director is not smart.
HEADSHOTS
Even though you may be spectacular looking in person, if you walk out of the audition and you leave the casting directors with a crappy picture of yourself (before you could figure out how to do you hair correctly) that will be the last image of you they have in their heads. Your pictures shouldn’t be prettier than you are, they shouldn’t make you look thinner or taller…they should look likeYOU. Now, this usually isn’t a cheap thing, it’s an investment and it’s well worth it. However, if you change your “look” your pictures should change too. Build your portfolio if you’re an actor or different types of “characters” you could play, then, if you get called in to audition for the role of the nerd, you’ve got headshots that show you can pull it off. Figure out what your looks are. Pick a few pictures to get several prints of; smiling, serious, full body. etc.
Sometimes, if you’re lucky you can find a photographer looking to expand his/her portfolio on Craiglist and for your time, you receive a disk of pics. Pretty good deal!
Jig TV is perfect for all of you folks who want to brush up on your skills but are too afraid to get your butts in class! What is it? ONLINE DANCE CLASSES!
THATS RIGHTS! Learn combinations from some of the BEST choreographers in the industry, seen on So You Think You Can Dance, MTV, touring with your favorite artists (i.e. Justin Timberlake), etc.
With a class called “The JOY of improv” this may be where I need to go to find the love for it again :) Jon Stewart did it.
With a class called “The JOY of improv” this may be where I need to go to find the love for it again :) Jon Stewart did it.
Sing it gurrrrrl.
Your "BOOK"
SO. You’ve been taking your lessons, you’ve figured out how to breathe correctly, you have your monologues prepared, and you’ve stretched so much that you can kick your face if the casting director wants you to….now what about your repertoire??
Bringing just ONE song to an audition will not suffice. Throughout your time taking lessons, learning music, etc. you should be compiling a “book” of all of the tunes you can sing. Not only should you know all of the songs, they should be perfected and sung like you’ve sang them everyday of your life, effortlessly. Know the lyrics, and have the sheet music prepared at 16 bars, since you rarely get to sing more than that anyway (unless it’s a callback.)
Your book should contain a variety of genres and styles. If you go to audition for Spring Awakening they aren’t going to want to hear a tune from Les Miserables. BUT next week when you go to the Les Mis audition, they aren’t going to want to hear you sing a rock/pop song. Classical, folk, jazz, musical theater (and all it’s varieties), rock, 50’s and 60’s tunes, should all be in your BOOK!
Apparel isn’t as important if you’re going to an acting only audition. With that being said, if you are going to an acting audition- it’s smart to dress the part. If you’re auditioning for the role of someone innocent, don’t go in with heavy black eye liner all tarted up. You won’t book it. If you’re going to a Broadway audition, don’t think that just because you’re auditioning for the a singing role, that you won’t be asked to dance. You probably will be, so be prepared. Shoes, tights, dance wear, bring a bag and bring it all.
DON'T:
Talk back. Pulling crazy stunts like arguing with the casting directors will never turn out well.
DON'T:
Let the people in the audience, or “behind the table” intimidate you!!! They WANT you to do well, it makes their job easier.
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