So you’re ready to start auditioning professionally. Your calendar is brimming with
auditions, your book is full of your best material, and you have the perfect outfit for the role. But really, how prepared are you? Here are some tips I’ve learned from auditioning professionally.
1. Look on show websites at headshots of the cast members. Read their bios too. If you find that there’s someone that looks like you, you have a better chance of getting cast. Would you fit into the show look wise? Compare their experience to yours and see where you need to brush up your skills.
2. Keep a note on your phone of addresses and floors auditions are located at (Chelsea, Pearl, Ripley-Grier, AEA, Nola, and Shelter are the main ones)
3. These 6 main buildings where the auditions occur are all within walking distance. Get a metro card and a subway map for those times when you have to race from one audition to another.
4. Always come prepared. Have extra headshots, dance shoes, a 2nd song, and your full book with you. You never know where the day can take you.
5. Eat! There’s a lot of downtime waiting at auditions, but if you leave the room you might miss your name being called. Always have something to eat and drink with you.
6. Warm up in whatever way you can. If that means riding the elevator with your friend and pushing ‘door close’ any time someone tries to get on then do so!
7. Get there early! I’ve found that getting to an audition by 6:30am usually gets me seen in the first couple groups for noneq and I have a better chance of getting seen at equity calls. Getting up at 4am is not fun, and I am certainly not a morning person, but it’s worth it.
8. Make
audition buddies. I’ve made at least 15 new friends just at auditions. You can sign each other up at auditions, grab lunch, and exchange audition info.
9. Be super nice to the monitors! There aren’t many of them, so you will definitely see them at many auditions. Just be respectful. If you were out of the room when the called your name, apologize! Don’t ask if noneq is getting seen a million times. Just be patient and wait. They’ll give you updates when they can.
10. Keep a calendar on you in case you need to fill in conflicts.
11. Keep your phone silent or on vibrate.
12. Have your book organized, with clear tabs, a table of contents, and songs that show you off to your best.
13. Have something to do while waiting.
14. Don’t forget straight plays! Find at least 2 good contemporary and 2 good classical monologues!
15. This is a little OCD …but…make a spreadsheet of shows you could be in, the role you could play, and what songs you would sing. Print it out and keep it in the back of your book. Add to this list when you audition for new shows. I took a break from auditioning for a while and found the list I made super helpful!
15. This is one thing I haven’t done, but would like to start: Keep a notebook full of who you auditioned for, the show, the role, what you sang, what you wore..all the details. If you don’t get a callback, try something different next time. New song? Different dress?
16. Speaking of clothes, have a few different outfits that would fit a general type. Like, for Ado Annie (Ok!), Erma (Anything Goes), Meg (Brigadoon) Inga (Young Frankenstein), or Bianca(Kiss Me Kate) have something fun and flirty.
17. Keep hair and makeup as close to the real you as possible. Make sure they can see you in your headshot!
18. Have loose leaf paper and tape on hand at all times. If you are first outside at an OPEN or NON-EQ audition, it is up to you to make the unofficial list. EQUITY productions will NOT honor unofficial lists. This mean you must wait outside the building til it opens (most open at 8am) then STAY IN LINE until the monitor creates the official NON-EQ list.
19. Try to keep your day as free as possible, …that is, until the auditions are over.
20. Get sleep! I’ve pulled all nighters before and still got seen, but you need that energy in the room. Sleep..or find a friend’s apartment in the city you can crash at.
21. Oh, and… BELIEVE IN YOURSELF …or no one else will.
