If you are interested in performing in musical theater or opera, you will be preparing for and participating in auditions for your entire career. It will help if you can realize, right from the start, that most auditions will not yield employment. When you genuinely understand that to be true, you can open your heart and begin to relax about the (let’s face it) nerve-wracking process of auditioning.
All About Attitude
When it comes to auditioning, your attitude is every bit as important as how well you sing and prepare. If you have the right attitude, preparing your audition material will become easier and more creative for you. You will feel as if you are learning and growing, no matter whether you get the job. You will be empowered and in charge of your experience.
Remember, the people you audition for want you to be wonderful. They want you to be the right person for the part so that they can end their search. They want you to solve their problem for them. However, they do not want to be responsible for your well-being, to tell you how wonderful you are, or to have to build your confidence.
Be a Team Player
When you go into an audition, you want to think of yourself as a professional performer and collaborator. If you think of yourself as a valuable team member with something to contribute to the production, you will put yourself on equal footing with those who are listening to you. You want to present yourself as competent, flexible, and not too full of yourself.
How do you achieve that level of confidence while auditioning? In my experience, there are two key ways to prepare. You want to make sure you are practiced in performing, and you want to make sure you do your research about the project you’re auditioning for.
Practice Performing
I suggest that you start by preparing a solo performance. Whether you are just getting started with your career or looking for something to do between gigs, preparing a solo performance will help you to learn firsthand what goes into a production. You will be producing your own show and performing your finished product. Rather than waiting for someone to hire you, you are giving yourself an opportunity to be an actual performer. You will learn so much about yourself and gain enormous confidence from the experience — confidence that you can bring with you to your audition.
Do Your Research
Always research the project you are auditioning for. Learn everything you can about the show itself and the part you think you may be right for: learn about the composer and writer, the venue, the producers, the budget, and the casting agency. Imagine yourself as part of that organization. Take a look at the entire role you will be auditioning for, whether it is for the ensemble or for an individual role, and know what the requirements are. This will help feed your creativity and your imagination as you prepare.
Becoming familiar with the project will also help you to choose an audition piece. Do your best to choose a piece of music with a point of view that will help the listeners to see and hear you as a part of the show. This is called making a character choice. And be flexible, in case the director asks you to make an adjustment on the spot.
When choosing an audition piece, you also want to make sure it is not the very first time you have ever sung that piece in public. Sing something you know forwards and backwards. If you must sing a new piece or something specific for the show, be as well-rehearsed as possible. Sing it for friends before you go into the audition. You don’t want to be concerned with memorization issues or vocal technical difficulties during the audition: those issues must be worked out ahead of time so that you are free to be present during the audition.
There is always a lot a stake when you want to be a working performer and the audition is your gateway to success. Take a deep breathe. Take care of yourself, and find balance in your life. Give yourself credit for being courageous and organized. Take time to let go and relax. You have a life of great adventure ahead of you. You don’t know where the road will lead you, but you will gain a great deal of self-knowledge, compassion, and wisdom to share when you pursue a life in the performing arts.
