Comments on: How to Dress for an Audition

on 8/2/2006 Wear blacks. For women, a nice black blouse. Pay attention to time period. Wear a long skirt if needed, otherwise a nice pair of dance pants works well. Have a leotard and tights ready for a musical theater audition, along with a dance she and character shoes. Pull your hair back, and wear neutral makeup. A red belt, or a scarf will suffice as that thing that sets you apart. Men, wear a black dress shirt and slacks, and nice dress shoes. Have dance attire handy. Do your hair. This audition is for the directors to see your talent, not your talent as a particular character. If you are going to a Grease! audition, and want to be Rizzo, do not cut your hair short and curly. If you want a particular role, choose monologues that reflect that role. Do not sing a song from the show, there is nothing worse that 40 girls singing "Over the Rainbow."

Go all the way in your audition. If you have something to show, show it. Stay with the character of your monologue- don't attempt to be a character in the show your are auditioning for with a monologue from a completely different show. Do what you do.

on 3/16/2006 Always be prepared with a monologue, know it, have more than one. Be ready to tell stories that will show your character.

on 1/27/2006 Before I go to an audition (about a month before), I don't get my hair cut. My hair grows fast, so the month will do it. I like to let it grow out, because you never know when a character might need to have longer hair. If not, you can always cut it off. It just gives you a little more variety when it comes to casting.

on 11/22/2005 Always make a note of what you wore to an audition. If you are invited to callbacks, make sure you wear the same thing. The audition panel will often use your outfit to help remember who you are.

on 11/22/2005 Directors can teach a person to act better, but not to look better. Half of what they look for is in the appearance.

on 11/22/2005 While it's certainly a valid point that you don't want the auditors to be distracted by your clothing, or pay more attention to what you're wearing than what you're doing, clothing is most definitely a useful tool in making your presence a memorable one. It has often happened while sitting in on an audition that I've heard, "The one with the purple scarf; bring her back in." My point is, even if they've fallen in love with you, they still may not remember your name, and a distinctive article of clothing or accessory can cause a memory jog.

on 11/22/2005 Most people giving auditions will comment if you've got a distracting fringe of hair covering half of your face, or even a little bit over one eye. They must see all of your face! Don't worry if you've got a side fringe, just use hair spray or blow-dry it back. And keep hair grips with you.

on 11/22/2005 If you're a female auditioning for a musical theater or acting role, wear a skirt that comes just below your knees. If you have longer legs, and you wear a skirt that shows your knees, the judges or the audience may end up staring at your legs, not at your face (missing the point of your performance). Character shoes are always OK to wear, too.

on 11/22/2005 As a university theater student, I've been taught to wear comfortable black pants with enough room to move freely and a black blazer with a red shirt underneath. Also, wear black socks or nylons and shoes that allow free movement.

on 11/22/2005 It is wise to wear clothing that suggests the part you are auditioning for, however, what's most important is that you are comfortable and you look your best. There are no designated colors or otherwise to worry about.

on 11/22/2005 When auditioning for theatre, especially musical theatre, be sure to wear something comfortable that you can move easily in and that is not too baggy. You want to show off your body, male or female.

on 11/22/2005 Have several outfits planned for audition "looks" - business, business casual, casual/sporty, etc. You can use the same outfits for numerous auditions and you won't stress out planning the night before.

on 11/22/2005 Wear red. Red is the designated audition color, it always has been.

on 11/22/2005 Lucky socks. Designate at least one pair of lucky socks for auditions (just make sure your day-glo argyle is camouflaged by the rest of your outfit).