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How to Attend an Audition

By eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor

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Professional etiquette at auditions is crucial to getting a role.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Area Maps
Personal Organizers
Makeup Bags
Makeup Remover
Makeup Kits

Step1

Arrive 15 minutes early.

Step2

Do not dress in costume unless requested, but dress to impress in attire that suggests the role for which you are auditioning.

Step3

Step4

Pick up the "sides" (see glossary). If possible, get the sides a few hours or a few days before the audition, as necessary, in order to practice.

Step5

Be quiet in the waiting room. Be polite, and treat the casting director's assistants politely; they will mention any rudeness to the casting director.

Step6

Do any exercises that help you relax as you wait. This could be deep breathing, stretching, visualizing soothing scenes or quietly listening to music through earphones.

Step7

Walk with confidence, smile and introduce yourself when you're called in to the room with the casting director. Hand the assistant your headshot with your resume stapled on the back.

Step8

Name the audition piece you will perform, and go right into it unless otherwise instructed. Do not dawdle or hesitate in any way.

Step9

Thank the casting director and leave the room immediately when you are finished.

Step10

Sit down and wait an additional two minutes in the waiting room after your audition, to make sure the casting director does not want to call you back into the room for any reason.

Step11

Sign out and leave.

Tips & Warnings

If you have questions about the role, ask briefly, and listen carefully to the answers.
Be polite and professional.
Enjoy yourself, and act like you love to audition.
Never ask how you did or for advice on your acting.
Never ask if you will be called back. Don't call them; they'll call you.
Don't dawdle. Act like you are busy and professional, and you just came from somewhere and are on your way somewhere else (for example, to another audition or an acting job).

Comments

agrymes said

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on 2/16/2008 When completing the auditioning form, is it ever appropriate to write a request to be considered for a particular role or to let the director know that you are interested in a particular role?

Anonymous said

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on 9/6/2006 1. To prepare for the audition:
Find a monologue/song that suits you. Practice it frequently and memorize it.
Wear clothing that suggests the role that you are auditioning for, not a costume. Make sure your clothing is comfortable.

Girls: Don't wear high heels! Wear comfy shoes that look nice (no sneakers).

Pack an audition bag with several copies of your headshot and resume, a copy of the monologue/song you'll be reading/singing, some breath mints. Bad breath is a major turn off! Do not , however, chew gum! Gum chewing makes you look obnoxious, and have lots of water nearby.

2. When you arrive at an audition:
Give your headshot and resume to the people checking you in.
Stand up straight and tall, be confident! It's OK to be nervous, as long as you stay calm and give the impression that you are totally confident. Smile!
When you meet the director, smile and say, "It's nice to meet you!" Give them a nice, firm handshake; how you shake hands with someone says a lot about you.

TAKE YOUR TIME!
Introduce yourself (If you haven't already been introduced). Smile. Take several deep breaths, and get into character. Then start your monologue/song. Do not rush! It's OK to pause here and there, as long as you don't pause for too long. Most importantly, breathe! One very valuable thing a learned from a wonderful director was that breathing solves all your problems. If you forget a line, just take a deep breath, and I can almost guarantee that it will come to you.

Listen carefully to the director. If they ask you to do anything else, or to do something a different way, don't act huffy or offended, or try to defend your way of doing it, just smile and say, "OK!" Really think about what they have to say. When you are finished, thank the director and walk out confidently, even if you feel awful about your audition.

3. If you get a call back:
Use the same etiquette that you used for your first audition. It still matters!
Wear the same thing, too.
It will probably be a bit less structured, but bring the same things that you brought to your audition.
Do your best! Truly put effort into it. Don't think that you have a shoe-in for the role just because you got a call back. They still are looking to see what you can do.

4. If you don't get a call back:
Don't be discouraged! Sometimes the only reason why people are called back is because the directors fell like they need to see you act a bit more before they feel ready to make a decision.

5. If you get the part:
Great job!

6. If you don't get the part!
Great job! Do not think that the reason why you didn't get the part is because you are a bad actor/actress! Usually, it's because you don't look the way that the director wants the part to look. For example, you could be a redhead, but the director is looking for a blonde. Or maybe you're on the shorter side, while the part is supposed to be someone tall. In any case, now the director knows who you are, which is very good for the future!

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 -Don't show up to a audition in full costume, unless it is asked for. Some Directors find auditions in full costume extremely weird, so tone it down with a shirt or some jewelery that resembles the characters that you are auditioning for fashion.
- Don't initially try out for a chorus part, if they ask you to list it, put it in the middle or bottom. If you're good enough for the top part and it says "chorus" they may think your afraid to step out (unless you actually are).
- Don't get caught up with the others before the auditions, if a director comes in you want to seem focused on the audition rather than the auditioner.

Anonymous said

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on 8/2/2006 A good thought process is such: "If they don't pick me, it's their loss, and I am going to take my talent elsewhere." However, do not say this out loud to anyone- you don't want to come off as cocky. Also, don't take anything personally- nothing will ever be too personal in a big audition.

Anonymous said

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on 2/2/2006 If you're auditioning for a musical, you need your voice to be hydrated and relieved from phlegm. A few hours before an audition, I always have a bowl of soup with really spicy broth (you can get powdered broth mix) and have three glasses of water to go with it (you'll need something to drink with such a spicy soup). Spicy food brings the phlegm up from your vocal cords to the back of your throat. When you're singing at the audition, your voice will be hydrated and without any phlegm and it will be much easier to sing.

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