Acting and Auditioning 101

Hi, My name is Paige, and like you I am an actor. And, I am sure you have heard it before but: it ain’t easy. I hope you like being a small business owner, because, really that is what you are. You may have to work odd jobs on the side, but all of your spare energy needs to be placed into marketing and growing your business: YOU. Every small company needs tools for their trade; actor’s tools consist of training, talent, and material. But, it won’t matter how brilliant you are, or how brilliant you could be unless you can audition well. Auditioning is something most actors hate. I used to. Then I changed my outlook, and started organizing my audition material. Pretty soon, I started to love auditioning. I started a scrapbook journal where I made photocopies of all my monologues. They were all in the same place together. I took this journal and added notes from directors that I trusted on my material. I added little bits of advice and wisdom I had gained from these directors or from books I had bought on the art of auditioning. I added quotes to keep me inspired. I added tricks I’d learned from classes and workshops on audition sills. I started to keep track of my auditions, which ones worked, which ones didn’t and for what. Pretty soon, I had taught my self: This monologue works best for children’s theater, and this one for comedy, and this one for Shakespeare leading ladies and Queens, while this one for classical clowns/lower class maids. And so on. I have an arsenal of monologues and audition skills in my back pocket ready to go at any time. And now, with your own monologue scrapbook and audition field guide, you’ll be ready too.
Your monologue scrapbook and audition field guide is there to help you. It is good to keep all of your audition material ready and on hand to work on. Keep adding to it all the time. I try new monologues but I always keep my old ones, and I keep them together: ready to go at any time. Over the years, some monologues will get replaced: they might not work for you, or they might be overdone, or it just might not be the right time for and the piece to work together-- you might need to grow into it in a few years. Always be on the look out for great monologues to work on now or someday. Always read plays and look for new monologues. Take the monologues you like out of monologue books, and if you have the pleasure of watching over people audition and you like their piece, you could ask them what it is and start working on it yourself.

Use this journal to create your very own personal monologue book, with all the perfect monologues in it just for you and only you! Being this prepared takes all the fear out of auditioning and pretty soon, auditions will seem like an adventure you can’t wait to go on every day. And let’s face it; if you want to be an actor--you are auditioning every day or maybe more! Since we need to do it so much, we need to love doing it!

My first bit of advice: start doing mantras and affirmations right now. I LOVE AUDITIONING, I LOVE AUDITIONING, I LOVE AUDITIONING. I know it feels like a lie, but keep saying it over and over. Fake it until you make it. Soon enough you will start to love auditions. I once had an acting coach tell me that auditions were like a private showing of my own one-woman show! What great advice! Think of auditions as acting and performing. Those casting directors are in the room with a ticket to witness, first hand, 2-5 minutes of the ________(insert your name here) show! If you think of auditioning as a one-person show starring you--it is easier to focus on the story you want to tell and why you want to be there-- have fun with it. ENJOY it!

Keep in mind that auditions are first impressions. First impressions are always the most important. They are watching you from the minute you walk in and say Hello to the minute you leave. When you walk in, they are seeing who YOU are. What side of YOU do you want them to see? When you start your monologue you are showing them a new YOU, a transformation, and after the monologue you transform back into YOU. Wow, that is better then a magic show! Your audition is your calling card; it is how casting directors get to know you and your work. Here is a secret someone told me once: They want you to succeed! All you have to do is prove them right! They want those 2-5 minutes of the _________ show to be the best thing they’ve ever sat through. Help them out, prove them right, and make your show one they won’t want to forget. Even if you don’t get cast they might remember how wonderful the _______show was and keep you in mind for next time! Let them see YOU and let them want more of YOU. Be ready to wow that audience… after all, they did get front row seats!

And, I know. It is not easy, trust me, I have cried and been depressed over auditions before… but always try to stay positive. Never get discouraged about not getting a part: there a million ZILLION reasons why someone else might have been cast. It might be you are not the right type, shape or size, you might not fit the costume. You never know why! For example, I am 5’1” and I once had a director tell me: I was too tall to get cast. Ha! Just always remember that you need to love what you do, because if you love it, it won’t matter what others think! If you loved performing your 2-5 minute _______show and as long as you had fun--- well then, that is all that matters! Give someone else the pleasure of seeing your one-man/one-woman 2-5 minute ______ show!

When you are out there auditioning you need to be prepared to audition and be ready for EVERYTHING. If they like you they might want to see you do your monologue with a different voice or character or with a different objective. You have to be ready, willing and open to listen to their notes and give it your all. If they ask this, they want to see how you take direction and if they can work with you. They might ask to see another monologue or sample of your work, and another, and another, and another. They might ask you to sing (even if you are not a singer you have to be ready just in case). They might ask you to do character improvisation (with or without another actor) or heck they might even ask you to an Improvised dance! Whatever it is, you’ve got to be ready!
*When you go to auditions you MUST be prepared!
*ALWAYS have extra headshot and resumes!
They might want to pass your photo along to another director or maybe there is a guest helping with the casting and they need a copy of your H&R as well, you never know.
*ALWAYS BE ON TIME or early.
You have to be ready and prepared to audition the second you walk in, never ask for time to warm up, you should be warm before you get there!
Be willing and ready to do everything, or anything. Have your acting arsenal and tool kit ready to go!

This blog is just that:
An acting arsenal of advice I have gotten and can give....think of it as a tool kit designed to help you get organized and inspired for every audition ---
From now on: you are always prepared, prepped and ready to nail every audition at a moments notice!
LET’S GET STARTED...
Repeat after me "I Love Auditioning"

Now just go....audition and audition often....you will only get better!