Hey folks, With auditions just a few days away, Ive been doing a lot of thinking about them. I joined the theater in 2005 and have spent the last decade auditioning and watching auditions. And after so many times through the process, there are a couple of truths/chunks of advice that I wanted to share. First, auditions are inherently stressful. For improv, scripted theater, or anything else. People are looking at how you do a certain thing you are passionate about and making determinations based on it. Your heart races before you get on stage at an audition because you care what happens. So dont try to push those emotions down. Live in them and recognize the fact that you have them because you found something you care about. Second, auditions can still be fun despite the stress. You are getting up and performing with people you dont normally get to perform with. You can, and should, get lunch or dinner with these people after youre done. Talk to them, get to know them, and do improv with them again if you want to. There are a million different ways to perform at this theater and in this town, so long as you have a group you like to perform with. So have fun, make friends, plan to do comedy with them again. Third, dressing well makes you perform well. Its a confidence thing. So pick out something nice. Fourth, dont shout or fall down. Or punch anyone, even if that person has strong Josh-like shoulders. All of those things seem like a better idea than they actually are. Just do good improv. In an indoor voice. Fifth, if the director of Face Off offers you baked goods, take the baked goods. Sixth, dont waste brainpower trying to decipher what the directors want to see. Play to the height of your skill, with variety, and with passion. Make good offers. Keep scenes small. No punching. Play your games, and play them for you. No need to spend energy psychoanalyzing the audience. I spent my day driving across the entire width of Nevada, and my brain kept jumping back to auditions. So I wanted to share these things, both to unburden myself and because I love you guys and this theater so damn much. For those auditioning, good luck, have fun. And dear god, no punching.
Posted on: Tue, 20 May 2014 03:59:40 +0000