How to Cope with Stress in a Monologue Audition

Video Transcript

"Good day. I'm Dr. Charles Grimes, and I'm speaking today on behalf of Expert Village about finding a theatrical monologue for use in auditions. You must know how to deal with the insecurity and stress of the audition process and of rehearsing yourself in a monologue. The audition itself will be a stressful experience no matter how many times you've gone through it. This is not simply unfair. As an actor, you have to deliver the goods under conditions of pressure, and time deadline and the audition is simply a concentrated version of that deadline pressure. Your audition is a chance for you to shine. You get to be good. Other people may be wonderful, they may be garbage. All you control is yourself, but you get a chance to show what you've been working on and what makes you good and distinctive. Grab hold of that positive thought and you'll be well on your way to a good audition. Remember again that certain things are in your control and certain things aren't. If you don't look right, you can't change that, that is not in your control. Practice saying to yourself, it's not me, it's them. A lot of things really are about them and not about you and you can't afford to take the audition process and the process of hearing no personally. It's very important not to let your fear and insecurity and stress stop you from working. For a monologue, you have to work by yourself and for an audition you're up here on a stage absolutely by yourself. Nothing can be more stressful, nothing could be a better way to bring out all of those insecurities that are hiding in your heart and in your mind. The work itself has to be the way you get rid of that insecurity. Dive in, don't procrastinate. Get a little bit done each day. Realize that the more you practice, the better you'll get at the monologues you're working on and at your entire craft as an actor. You can never let your insecurity stop you from doing the work. That is entirely in your control."