-Arrive at least 15 mins early. You don't want to have to rush into your audition. Give yourself time to find the space and warm up.
- Pack your bag with a book in case there is waiting and bring a bottle of water. Not every place has a water fountain. And bring a pen and pencil in case you need to fill out any paperwork such as an application.
- For a Tree House show you don’t need to bring a resume - we will have audition sheets for you to fill out. But it is nice to have a resume if you have lots of experience and if you want to look a little more professional. If you do bring a resume you don’t need to fill out all the information on the application as well. Just put your name and vital information on the application and then where it asks about experience and such you can write in ‘see resume’.
- You do not need a headshot for a Tree House show. We may take your picture at the audition but this is only so we can remember who you are - we are not looking to see how photogenic you are =)
- Be nice to everybody. You never know if the person you are speaking to is important.
- Wear neat, comfortable clothing. I know you want to look nice, but make sure you can move around the room. Pull your hair out of your face - we want to see you.
- And don't wear a costume. Your outfit can suggest the character such as a high-collar for a period piece, but don't get all dressed up.
- If you are auditioning for a specific part, try to find some background information about who you are auditioning for. If you are auditioning for a particular company, be familiar with their work.
- Remember to smile. If you are nervous, take a deep breath and try to relax. Recognize that you are not going to get every part you audition for, but can learn from every experience.
- When you are called in for your audition, be confident and smile. The director will be looking at your personality just as much as your talent - do you look like a nice person they’ll want to work with?
- Before the audition you should know what is expected at the audition. Do you need to prepare a monologue or song?
Acting:
- It is always a good idea to have a monologue prepared - that way you can really show off your talent (some people get nervous if they are reading something for the first time).
You should have 1 good monologue that you know well and that you can use for any audition. Experienced actors should have at least 2 monologues in their repertoire (one contemporary and one classic). Your monologue should be no longer than a minute long.
Singing:
- If the audition is for a musical you will need to prepare a song. You can always sing something easy like 'Oh Canada' or 'Happy Birthday' but it’s a good idea to have a song that really shows off your voice! It’s also a good idea to bring sheet music or a backup tape with you to help show off your voice.
*At Tree House we are always interested in taking people with little or no experience so if all this preparation sounds intimidating (you don’t know what sheet music is and you’ve never heard of a monologue) don’t worry - do the best you can - maybe your version of 'Happy Birthday' is something special =)
-Set up the audition space for your needs. If there is a chair centre stage, but you are going to stand for your audition, ask if you can move it out of the way. Don't try to work around it.
-If the auditioner asks what you want to do first - your monologue or singing - don’t say “Whatever you want me to do.” They wouldn’t ask if they didn’t want you to choose. Pick whichever you are most comfortable with so that you can ease into the audition.
-If you are given sides (pieces of script to read) before the audition, make sure you read through them many times. If you are only given them when you enter the room relax and read them the best you can. Ask for some background on the scene or the character before you try to read the scene.
-If the director asks you to read the scene or monologue a different way this does not mean that you read it wrong. This is the director’s way of seeing you play different types of characters. It is also the director’s way of seeing how well you take direction - do you try things out even if they might be hard or do you get nervous and refuse what the director has asked? No matter what, you should try to do what the director asks (even if you feel silly) -this shows you have a good attitude and are easy to work with.
- After the audition you might be contacted about coming to a ‘call back‘. This is a second audition where the director can see certain actors work with each other or he/she can see you read for a particular part. Getting a ‘call back’ does not mean that you have a part and not getting a ‘call back’ doesn’t mean you don’t have a part. It’s just another step in the audition process.
-Sometimes you will have to wait up to 2 weeks to hear anything so be patient.
Check out this theatre glossary: