Casting Calls & Auditions

A theater stage is a common venue for auditions.

For actors, every television show, stage production or film begins with an casting call and audition. Unless the actor is a major star, auditions are a necessary part of the acting career. Auditions and casting calls serve as the "interview" process for directors and producers to hire talent for stage and dance productions, movies and television shows. But unlike typical job "interviews," there is much more to an audition than a simple resume submission and a question -and-answer period.

Locations

Auditions and casting calls normally take place on a stage or in a dance studio. However, auditions aren't limited to those venues. Actors have been known to present material to casting personnel in offices, living rooms, hotel rooms and classrooms.

Although, auditions take place all over the country in small towns and large cities, the most audition-intensive areas of the country are Los Angeles, Chicago, Florida and New York City.

Types

There are a number of different types of auditions. The most frequently used are the "cattle call"-style or "open" auditions, where talent gather in a large room and wait to be seen throughout the day. Typically, the creative team can see upwards of 300 to 400 actors and actresses using this style.

Another popular method is by setting up appointments through phone, email, agent submission or an early morning in-person sign-up. These "Appointment Auditions" have a limited number of time slots, so the creative team has a smaller pool of talent from which to choose.

Casting Personnel

Typically, the personnel at a casting call include a casting director or casting assistant, the production's director, producers, music directors and choreographers. There is no set number of people in the room, but the general rule of thumb is the more general the call, the fewer number of creative team representatives will be present.

Additionally, the room may also include an accompanist for singing auditions and a reader when the actor is given a script.

Preperation

Every audition or casting call will list the materials that the talent is expected to present. Often this material includes either a monologue, a short song or a combination of both. Frequently, the creative team will ask the talent to give "cold readings" of lines from the play or film being produced. A "cold reading" is a reading in which the actor is given no prior rehearsal or practice time before presenting the material to the creative team.

Misconceptions

There is a false belief that auditions and casting calls are simply about talent. Often the creative team uses the audition process to learn more about the actor's personality, work ethic and creative flexibility rather than simply weeding out less talented individuals. Instead the end result of audition has less to do with how loud an actor sings or how far a dancer leaps and rather how well and seamlessly their skills will serve the future production.

References

• Backstage: Casting

Resources

• Actor's Equity Association