Going to an audition? Here are The Top 5 Things Directors look for at Theatre Auditions
Hey there, theatre lover! Nice to meet you. Let me introduce myself.
Hi. My name is Amanda Montoni, award-winning choreographer and a Broadway World Awards-nominated Director.
With almost 15 years in the theatre industry, I’ve sat at countless auditions. I’ve sat on the other side of the table as a Director, Choreographer, Producer, Casting Director, and audition runner.
One thing never changes: What the Director is looking for in You. There are 5 things that repeatedly come up in conversations with the creative team after auditions are over.
Whether you are a professional actor, or auditioning for a community theatre production near your home town, auditions are always happening.
You could be auditioning for a NYC Broadway Musical, a touring company, or a play. Maybe you’re auditioning for your school’s next production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The fact is, there is a team on the other side of the table looking for the right performers to cast their show. I’m going to tell you what they’re looking for.
Sounds amazing, right? You’re getting an inside scoop that can only help you in the future. I really hope it does.
Remember: casting is the process of finding the puzzle pieces that best match a Director’s vision. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get cast.
It just means you weren’t a puzzle piece that fit for that particular show. I’m going to repeat: auditions are always happening. There will be more chances.
Okay, I’ve rambled too much. Let’s get back to the topic of this blog post. Here are The top 5 things directors look for at theatre auditions.
Your Personality
The number one thing Director’s look for at auditions is your personality. They want to get a sense of who you are as an individual.
This will give the casting director, the Director, and Creative Team a feel for who you are and what you would bring to the show.
By being yourself, you are not only presenting confidence in yourself, but you are giving the creative and production team a taste of what you would be like as a cast member.
They want to see what YOU would bring to the production and the role if you get cast. Your individuality matters.
They want to see you shine. So if you are getting wrapped up in your own head about your audition song, your anxiety, your monologue, remember they want to see you do well.
Personally, I love chatting with the auditioners for a bit before they deliver their audition monologue or song. This makes them feel a bit more comfortable.
It also gives me insight into their individuality and personality. It answers a couple of questions: Would I work with them? Will they bring value to the production? Are they cool people?
2. Your Preparedness
One of the most telling signs of how you would work for this production is how much you prepared for your theatre audition.
If you didn’t prepare, they can tell. This will inform the production and creative team that maybe you are not a person with a work ethic.
Not being prepared says I do not care if I slow down the rehearsal process. I do not care how much time I dedicate to the show. I do not care. Period.
Now, dear reader, don’t go full throttle and put too much pressure on yourself here. I’m a Director that evaluates the present situation in front of me.
If you stumble on a lyric or word or ask to start over because you are nervous, I can tell. I have no problem with you asking to start over. That’s a different situation.
If you read and/or refer to your audition materials in your hand or from your phone, that is what tells me you didn’t prepare for this audition. Which then tells me this is a waste of time.
No one likes their time wasted. Not you. Not me. Not the theatre world. The theatre world and auditions run on time like our lives depend on it. Don’t come if you’re not prepared.
3. Your Ability to Go With The Flow
One of the things I’ve found gets lost during theatre productions and processes is the ability to go with the flow.
Did we forget that Improv or Improvisation is a basic technique for acting? It’s what we learn so we can let the story take us forward.
It’s what we learn so that if there is a mishap on stage during one of the performances, we can improvise and get the show back on track.
No theatre performance is ever the same. This also rings true for auditions. Some auditions require an Improv segment. I’ve attended many.
Sometimes people miss their lines because they are dealing with a mic change or a costume change. Maybe they weren’t staying present in character on stage and spaced out.
The point is, your ability to go with the flow is a big factor that Directors look for at auditions. Things change constantly during the rehearsal process.
Auditions are a great way to get a feel for how those who are auditioning respond to change. A Director might give you a side for you to cold read unexpectedly. They might ask you personal questions about yourself or the particular character you’re auditioning for.
Theatre Auditions, community and professional alike, are like one big speed-dating day. The Director and Team only have a few minutes with each auditioner to see if a potential work relationship will — for lack of a better word — work.
4. Your Ability to Follow Directions.
You’re an actor. You make choices. That is your job. But remember: you got cast to be in a show under the guidance of the Director’s vision.
The Director is hired as the creative spearhead of the production for a reason. That means that the Creative Team will need people who can follow procedure, and who they can cooperate with.
That means that you work with the Director to make the production the best it can be. If you got cast, that means you fit the vision. Hooray! You’re 90% done.
The other 10% is worked on in the rehearsal process. Let’s go back to that 90%. The time to streamline your ability to follow directions for the production team is at your audition.
If a casting notice specifically states for you to sing a song from the musical you are auditioning for, do it. Don’t show up singing a random song from another show.
If a casting notice specifically states that you read a certain monologue from the play you are auditioning for, please do it. All audition materials were probably sent to you via email ahead of time.
If an audition notice states to bring comfortable shoes and clothes for dancing, bring them. Read the verbiage for the audition on the notice or announcement.
I can’t tell you how many people do not follow the audition notices and don’t get cast. Follow the directions. This is not only for acting purposes.
This gives the team a clue if you will respond promptly to emails, if they will receive anything they need from you for the production, and quite frankly, if you care.
Show them how much you care and how much you enjoy being a performer and being in a show right from the start. Auditions set the tone for the entire rehearsal process.
5. Your Energy!
One of the most important things for a performance is your energy. If you have no energy on stage, then the audience is not going to have a good time.
Remember the goal, here: to tell a story. How do you tell a story? By bringing it to life. Your energy is a BIG factor that contributes to that.
As a Director who concentrates on creating a welcoming and nurturing environment, I can often tell if you are nervous when you audition. Like I said above in #2 — and that’s okay.
But when it comes time for your song, monologue, or scene, a director notices the energy and stage presence you bring to it.
The director is looking for a storyteller. Not the best singer. Not the best dancer. The team is looking for who can tell the story that compliments the vision the best.
The best singer in a 10 mile radius can audition, but if they can’t tell a story while singing their song, the whole point of being in a musical is missed.
Keep your mindset on telling the story. You interpret it and present your interpretation at the audition. Try not to get caught up in everything else.
As long as you keep your mind on telling the story from a place of truth and individuality, you’ll have a great audition.
There you have em. The top 5 things Director’s look for at theatre auditions. To recap: Be yourself, prepare, go with the flow, follow directions, bring the energy, tell a story.
Auditions are to find the storytellers that will bring the words off of the page, onto the stage, and into the hearts and minds of the audience.
Why? To make difference. To make people feel less lonely. To make people feel something. Think about why you love to perform so much.
What value does it bring to you and how can you pay it forward? That’s your purpose. Go tell your story.
My purpose with this blog is to help you find yours. To never miss a blog post like this one or updates, subscribe to my newsletter here.
Tata for now,
Amanda Montoni