How to Audition for a Play or Movie
Note that the first step to an audition is having confidence., Understand that in passing an audition for a play or film, you will be expected to dedicate an enormous amount of your time and energy to the project., Be aware of play types., Make sure...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Note that the first step to an audition is having confidence.
The assessors aren't looking for someone who fidgets and doesn't want to be in front of people. -
Step 2: Understand that in passing an audition for a play or film
If you work full time, have other major projects, go to school, (if you want to do this full time, homeschooling might help), or a family to take care of, this may not be the best time to pursue a role in a production.
If you have the time (usually around 3-4 hours a night) for rehearsals, fittings, and performances, you should be okay.
Don't forget that in addition to that 3-4 hours at night, it takes loads of time
- outside of rehearsing
- to memorize a play, monologues, and stage direction.
You should always be prepared, mentally and physically, to give the project more than just rehearsal time. , We all know there are dramas and there are comedies, but within those, there are many others.
Classics
- Shakespeare, Chekov, and the Greek playwrights, sometimes use a very complex language structure, characterized by very long passages of text.
Don't be discouraged or frightened by that aspect; it will eventually get easier, once the director gets involved and you've had time to go over the play. , Other actors don't take kindly to anyone who has an ego the size of Greenland, who projects an attitude that says, "I'm the star." Especially in a community or university theater environment, there is simply no room to think you're better than anyone else.
After all, this is supposed to be a fun learning experience, and since no one is being paid (much at least) to be there, no one owes you anything, even if you do get the lead role. , Film tends to stray more towards intimate acting, close ups, headshots, and more realistic movements.
Also film auditions tend to focus on interactions and scenes, rather than long monologues.
For stage plays, the auditions usually start out with monologues, and if the director thinks you may fit in their production they may make you do scenes with the other auditioners for the callbacks.
So know what you are preparing for, if you don't have a large stage presence or can't project, theater may not be for you.
And if you can't emote in close-ups, or have the will to stand around while the techies set up the shot, then film might not be your cup of tea.
So be aware of the different styles before you go through all the trouble of preparing. , We'll mainly be focusing on the stage play style of auditioning because the method can be adapted to fit a film audition.
After you've decided to commit yourself, find a production to audition for.
Usually you can find audition notices in your local university's theater department (some college main stage shows may allow people from the community to fill roles, rather than strictly students) or find your local community center and see if any directors have posted a call for actors.
On occasion they may advertise in the local paper (usually in the entertainment/arts section) or community magazine.
For people living in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut and are looking for theater, Show Business Weekly Magazine is a great way to find casting calls.
They post a ton on their website daily at ShowBusinessWeekly.com, and they also have great directories of current casting directors and agents.
Another useful tool that Show Business Weekly offers is The Theatrical Index- detailing all plays in various states of production.
This could get you in before the audition even exists! For films, auditions are usually held in large cities (mainly Los Angeles or New York City, but on occasion in places like Seattle, Portland, Dallas, San Francisco, etc.) Some production companies will advertise them on the Internet, usually through casting call websites. , This is normal, because they often base on appearance first, and talent second.
Unfortunately, that's the way it goes in "Hollywood"
but nobody said this was a fair business.
Also be aware that for auditions and productions (film or stage) you may have to travel a considerable distance.
For example, you might be called down to LA because someone liked your headshot, or some director liked your audition two counties over.
So be prepared to travel if you get cast.
In a worst case scenario (mainly film) you may have to relocate to the area of the production. , On occasion you can find agencies in major towns and they will have larger connections than you might.
But remember, agents take 10%, so if you get a paying job, you will probably take a pay cut if an agent found it for you. , If you are a 40-year-old white male, you probably won't fit into a role for a 20- to 25-year-old Hispanic male.
If you are a guy trying to audition for "The Vagina Monologues" or "Top Girls"
most likely you won't be cast.
So be aware of the character types.
Sometimes directors may make concessions for actors (such as if you are younger and they can't find enough older people to fill roles, or you are a good enough actor to fill the role, etc).
If you are "close" then don't be afraid to audition.
Make sure and write down all information (contact numbers, play name and author, directions to audition, etc.) so you aren't scrambling to find out information at the last minute.
It is a professional courtesy not to take down audition notices until after the audition has happened, so please leave the audition flyer where you found it, don't take it with you (unless there are many in the area where you found them).
Now it's time to prepare. , Most notices will tell you what you need for the auditions (physically and performance-wise), Such as headshots, resumes, dance clothes and what to do for the audition.
Usually for contemporary productions, the requirements are two contrasting monologues (comedic and dramatic).
For Shakespearean plays, classical soliloquies from other Shakespearean plays, Marlowe, or Thomas Kyd will do.
Aside from that, the notice will tell you what else you need:
A song, a devised piece, etc.
Be sure to follow these things to the letter.
To go into a Shakespeare audition with a Tennessee Williams monologue or some Arthur Miller is usually suicide for the audition, especially if you tell them you read the notice. , For the monologues you need, you will need to scour over many different plays and anthologies to find the right one.
Most of the time, the best course of action is to find a monologue that is similar to the play you are auditioning for (i.e.
For a Tennessee Williams play, use an Arthur Miller written monologue).
This will enable the director to see how well you can play in the style and not have to envision how, for example, a Shakespearean actor fits into a more contemporary style.
For help in finding monologues, ask a local theater buff, a theater professor, or talk to the director of the production.
These people will be able to help you the most, and will probably have the resources from which you can draw.
If all else fails, go to the library and just begin reading plays that take place in the same time period as the production for which you are auditioning.
On the flip side, if you already have your monologues, then you've already won half the battle. , There is no set way to do this; it is just something each person does on his or her own.
Just make sure they are fully memorized.
Most directors won't cast people who flub badly during their monologues or read off of a script during their first audition (unless they saw something in you that they really liked or need).
So once memorized, keep practicing until the day of the audition.
When the audition comes, take a few hours beforehand to prepare.
First:
Dress for success.
No sneakers, no jeans, no ripped t-shirts, and no scraggly five o'clock shadows (or the female equivalent).
It won't look good if you get up on stage and look disheveled.
If you have to dance with your audition, bring a spare set of clothes so as not to ruin your nice ones before you do your acting audition.
After dressing and grooming, make sure to bring all your copies of headshots and resumes.
Bring more than one, so if it is a panel of people auditioning you, each of them have one; it will help them remember you better.
Also, get there early.
Most productions will have you fill out forms detailing your past experience, vital statistics, and availability.
They may also have time slots for you to sign up to do your audition.
The earlier you arrive, the more slots you can pick from.
Arriving early also gives you time to warm up.
Do vocal exercises, stretches, and tongue twisters.
Don't botch your monologue just because you didn't stretch out your tongue.
Last, be friendly to all those around you.
Don't be confrontational.
If you do get cast and they also get cast, you'll be around them for the whole duration of the production and they're going to remember if you were unkind during the audition. , Sit quietly and wait your turn.
Make sure and listen; in some auditions the Stage Manager or Director will give you added instructions that weren't on the notice.
Those may be vitally important, such as time limits on monologues, or the procedure in which they will audition.
Wait for your name to be called and then proceed to the stage.
Before saying anything, make sure that you have their full attention.
You don't want to begin while they are still writing or talking to one another about the previous actor.
Wait til you've achieved eye contact with all of them so that they can listen to you from the very beginning.
Then, make sure and SLATE for the director, regardless if they know you from prior contact.
Now, do your monologue.
After you do your monologue, the director may ask you some questions or ask you to do a part from your monologues again.
Be patient, answer all questions truthfully, and do the requested part to the utmost of your ability.
It may pay off when the director makes their final decision.
Once finished, take a small bow and say thank you, and exit so the next person can audition. , This is the time when you feel most helpless
- your fate, at least for this role
- is now out of your hands.
After the audition you can either stick around or leave; just make sure you know where the call back list will be posted or, if there are no callbacks, where the final cast list will be posted and when.
If you need to leave, be courteous to the other actors and leave quietly.
Once home, don't stress about the audition.
Most times actors post-audition will psyche themselves out by analyzing each and every part of the audition, then agonizing until they see the cast list.
One word:
DON'T.
Sometimes there will be many days in between audition and final casting, and sometimes there is even a second audition for call backs to narrow down the field.
If that's the case, then be prepared to work with other actors in scenes from the play, and possibly even read for characters you don't want the roles for.
But whatever you do before the cast list goes up, don't stress out.
It's out of your control, and if you don't get cast, it's not because you are a bad actor.
A more likely reason is that the director couldn't find a place for you in his or her vision of the production.
Don't get upset with anyone there.
This is no time to start blaming anyone for anything, including yourself.
Things simply didn't work out.
After the cast list is posted, it's perfectly fine to ask the director what you need to improve upon or could have done better.
Directors are usually very gracious about this because they can analyze it from a 3rd person's point of view and tell you exactly what it was they were looking for.
But be careful not to be rude.
Don't start slinging accusations and don't be upset with them because you weren't cast.
But, if you were cast, congratulations, you made it and hopefully this guide helped you do it! Good luck out there! -
Step 3: you will be expected to dedicate an enormous amount of your time and energy to the project.
-
Step 4: Be aware of play types.
-
Step 5: Make sure you are a team player.
-
Step 6: Recognize that there are big differences between the styles of auditioning for films and auditioning for stage plays.
-
Step 7: Audition Notices: So now you know what it is you are going to be involved in.
-
Step 8: Understand that some of the film auditions will require you to send in a headshot/resume.
-
Step 9: Find an agent.
-
Step 10: Understand that if you find a call for actors
-
Step 11: to look at the character types and see if you fit.
-
Step 12: Prepare to prepare: Read the audition's requirements.
-
Step 13: Find a monologue: This may be one of the most difficult steps in this process.
-
Step 14: Before the audition: Now that you've found the monologues you need
-
Step 15: memorize them.
-
Step 16: During the audition: So the audition has started and you've done all the paperwork and all your prepping.
-
Step 17: Post-Audition: This is probably the toughest part of the audition
-
Step 18: even more so than monologue hunting.
Detailed Guide
The assessors aren't looking for someone who fidgets and doesn't want to be in front of people.
If you work full time, have other major projects, go to school, (if you want to do this full time, homeschooling might help), or a family to take care of, this may not be the best time to pursue a role in a production.
If you have the time (usually around 3-4 hours a night) for rehearsals, fittings, and performances, you should be okay.
Don't forget that in addition to that 3-4 hours at night, it takes loads of time
- outside of rehearsing
- to memorize a play, monologues, and stage direction.
You should always be prepared, mentally and physically, to give the project more than just rehearsal time. , We all know there are dramas and there are comedies, but within those, there are many others.
Classics
- Shakespeare, Chekov, and the Greek playwrights, sometimes use a very complex language structure, characterized by very long passages of text.
Don't be discouraged or frightened by that aspect; it will eventually get easier, once the director gets involved and you've had time to go over the play. , Other actors don't take kindly to anyone who has an ego the size of Greenland, who projects an attitude that says, "I'm the star." Especially in a community or university theater environment, there is simply no room to think you're better than anyone else.
After all, this is supposed to be a fun learning experience, and since no one is being paid (much at least) to be there, no one owes you anything, even if you do get the lead role. , Film tends to stray more towards intimate acting, close ups, headshots, and more realistic movements.
Also film auditions tend to focus on interactions and scenes, rather than long monologues.
For stage plays, the auditions usually start out with monologues, and if the director thinks you may fit in their production they may make you do scenes with the other auditioners for the callbacks.
So know what you are preparing for, if you don't have a large stage presence or can't project, theater may not be for you.
And if you can't emote in close-ups, or have the will to stand around while the techies set up the shot, then film might not be your cup of tea.
So be aware of the different styles before you go through all the trouble of preparing. , We'll mainly be focusing on the stage play style of auditioning because the method can be adapted to fit a film audition.
After you've decided to commit yourself, find a production to audition for.
Usually you can find audition notices in your local university's theater department (some college main stage shows may allow people from the community to fill roles, rather than strictly students) or find your local community center and see if any directors have posted a call for actors.
On occasion they may advertise in the local paper (usually in the entertainment/arts section) or community magazine.
For people living in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut and are looking for theater, Show Business Weekly Magazine is a great way to find casting calls.
They post a ton on their website daily at ShowBusinessWeekly.com, and they also have great directories of current casting directors and agents.
Another useful tool that Show Business Weekly offers is The Theatrical Index- detailing all plays in various states of production.
This could get you in before the audition even exists! For films, auditions are usually held in large cities (mainly Los Angeles or New York City, but on occasion in places like Seattle, Portland, Dallas, San Francisco, etc.) Some production companies will advertise them on the Internet, usually through casting call websites. , This is normal, because they often base on appearance first, and talent second.
Unfortunately, that's the way it goes in "Hollywood"
but nobody said this was a fair business.
Also be aware that for auditions and productions (film or stage) you may have to travel a considerable distance.
For example, you might be called down to LA because someone liked your headshot, or some director liked your audition two counties over.
So be prepared to travel if you get cast.
In a worst case scenario (mainly film) you may have to relocate to the area of the production. , On occasion you can find agencies in major towns and they will have larger connections than you might.
But remember, agents take 10%, so if you get a paying job, you will probably take a pay cut if an agent found it for you. , If you are a 40-year-old white male, you probably won't fit into a role for a 20- to 25-year-old Hispanic male.
If you are a guy trying to audition for "The Vagina Monologues" or "Top Girls"
most likely you won't be cast.
So be aware of the character types.
Sometimes directors may make concessions for actors (such as if you are younger and they can't find enough older people to fill roles, or you are a good enough actor to fill the role, etc).
If you are "close" then don't be afraid to audition.
Make sure and write down all information (contact numbers, play name and author, directions to audition, etc.) so you aren't scrambling to find out information at the last minute.
It is a professional courtesy not to take down audition notices until after the audition has happened, so please leave the audition flyer where you found it, don't take it with you (unless there are many in the area where you found them).
Now it's time to prepare. , Most notices will tell you what you need for the auditions (physically and performance-wise), Such as headshots, resumes, dance clothes and what to do for the audition.
Usually for contemporary productions, the requirements are two contrasting monologues (comedic and dramatic).
For Shakespearean plays, classical soliloquies from other Shakespearean plays, Marlowe, or Thomas Kyd will do.
Aside from that, the notice will tell you what else you need:
A song, a devised piece, etc.
Be sure to follow these things to the letter.
To go into a Shakespeare audition with a Tennessee Williams monologue or some Arthur Miller is usually suicide for the audition, especially if you tell them you read the notice. , For the monologues you need, you will need to scour over many different plays and anthologies to find the right one.
Most of the time, the best course of action is to find a monologue that is similar to the play you are auditioning for (i.e.
For a Tennessee Williams play, use an Arthur Miller written monologue).
This will enable the director to see how well you can play in the style and not have to envision how, for example, a Shakespearean actor fits into a more contemporary style.
For help in finding monologues, ask a local theater buff, a theater professor, or talk to the director of the production.
These people will be able to help you the most, and will probably have the resources from which you can draw.
If all else fails, go to the library and just begin reading plays that take place in the same time period as the production for which you are auditioning.
On the flip side, if you already have your monologues, then you've already won half the battle. , There is no set way to do this; it is just something each person does on his or her own.
Just make sure they are fully memorized.
Most directors won't cast people who flub badly during their monologues or read off of a script during their first audition (unless they saw something in you that they really liked or need).
So once memorized, keep practicing until the day of the audition.
When the audition comes, take a few hours beforehand to prepare.
First:
Dress for success.
No sneakers, no jeans, no ripped t-shirts, and no scraggly five o'clock shadows (or the female equivalent).
It won't look good if you get up on stage and look disheveled.
If you have to dance with your audition, bring a spare set of clothes so as not to ruin your nice ones before you do your acting audition.
After dressing and grooming, make sure to bring all your copies of headshots and resumes.
Bring more than one, so if it is a panel of people auditioning you, each of them have one; it will help them remember you better.
Also, get there early.
Most productions will have you fill out forms detailing your past experience, vital statistics, and availability.
They may also have time slots for you to sign up to do your audition.
The earlier you arrive, the more slots you can pick from.
Arriving early also gives you time to warm up.
Do vocal exercises, stretches, and tongue twisters.
Don't botch your monologue just because you didn't stretch out your tongue.
Last, be friendly to all those around you.
Don't be confrontational.
If you do get cast and they also get cast, you'll be around them for the whole duration of the production and they're going to remember if you were unkind during the audition. , Sit quietly and wait your turn.
Make sure and listen; in some auditions the Stage Manager or Director will give you added instructions that weren't on the notice.
Those may be vitally important, such as time limits on monologues, or the procedure in which they will audition.
Wait for your name to be called and then proceed to the stage.
Before saying anything, make sure that you have their full attention.
You don't want to begin while they are still writing or talking to one another about the previous actor.
Wait til you've achieved eye contact with all of them so that they can listen to you from the very beginning.
Then, make sure and SLATE for the director, regardless if they know you from prior contact.
Now, do your monologue.
After you do your monologue, the director may ask you some questions or ask you to do a part from your monologues again.
Be patient, answer all questions truthfully, and do the requested part to the utmost of your ability.
It may pay off when the director makes their final decision.
Once finished, take a small bow and say thank you, and exit so the next person can audition. , This is the time when you feel most helpless
- your fate, at least for this role
- is now out of your hands.
After the audition you can either stick around or leave; just make sure you know where the call back list will be posted or, if there are no callbacks, where the final cast list will be posted and when.
If you need to leave, be courteous to the other actors and leave quietly.
Once home, don't stress about the audition.
Most times actors post-audition will psyche themselves out by analyzing each and every part of the audition, then agonizing until they see the cast list.
One word:
DON'T.
Sometimes there will be many days in between audition and final casting, and sometimes there is even a second audition for call backs to narrow down the field.
If that's the case, then be prepared to work with other actors in scenes from the play, and possibly even read for characters you don't want the roles for.
But whatever you do before the cast list goes up, don't stress out.
It's out of your control, and if you don't get cast, it's not because you are a bad actor.
A more likely reason is that the director couldn't find a place for you in his or her vision of the production.
Don't get upset with anyone there.
This is no time to start blaming anyone for anything, including yourself.
Things simply didn't work out.
After the cast list is posted, it's perfectly fine to ask the director what you need to improve upon or could have done better.
Directors are usually very gracious about this because they can analyze it from a 3rd person's point of view and tell you exactly what it was they were looking for.
But be careful not to be rude.
Don't start slinging accusations and don't be upset with them because you weren't cast.
But, if you were cast, congratulations, you made it and hopefully this guide helped you do it! Good luck out there!
About the Author
Samantha Baker
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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