An audition is like your own private show because you are presenting work that has been carefully prepared. It is a demonstration of what you consider to be your performance ready work. To do to your best work, it must be completely prepared and carefully staged.
The moment you hit the stage in an audition, casting people begin making judgments and decisions about you. If you are introducing yourself first, not entering in character, you must enter confidently and take control of the space. This simply means being at ease and comfortable. When you stop center stage to introduce yourself, make sure that your whole body comes to relaxed rest; your arms aren’t swinging, your fingers aren’t wiggling. You are standing still and stillness, relaxed stillness, is a very powerful position for an actor in an audition or in a performance.
Your introduction should be brief, confident, and professional. Simply introduce yourself and your pieces. Don’t set the scene, don’t explain the character, or tell us who you are talking to. And don’t apologize. A lot of actors start their auditions by apologizing for something and this undermines their work.
Staging the monologues is relatively simple since you have placed the character or characters you are talking to around the down stage area. Move only when you need to and keep movement to a minimum. Don’t wander. Use your gestures sparingly but don’t let you hands hang lifelessly at your side.
One of the biggest challenges in an audition is the transition from one monologue to the next. Be sure to finish the first piece and take a moment before you come out of it. It is helpful to find a physical move that takes you from one monologue to the next. This helps you to slide into the next piece and the movement is an ideal way to change characters and attitudes and to hit the character on the mark.
Finally if you make a mistake don’t ask if you can start over. If you can’t get yourself back on track, then simply start where you need to. Don’t ask permission. Mistakes happen to everyone and how you handle them tells us as much about you as your audition.
Auditions can be frightening. So the most important thing to remember is that casting people come to auditions to hire actors. They want you to be good and right for the role. They’d like nothing more than for you to be the person they hire. So do your best work, prepare and give your auditions the attention they deserve.
