Auditioning for Matilda

Audition Information

Please see below for the different requirements for the auditions. Auditions have been split into 4 days. It is important to sign up below through Google Forms.

It is also important that your parents fill out the permission slip from their school email, as well as the bus contract.

The deadline for the audition form and permission slip is Wednesday, August 16.

HERE is the Rehearsal calendar for your information.

If you have any questions, please talk to Ms. Andrea

AUDITION SCHEDULE

August 21-24

Secondary: 2:30-4:20

Elementary: 2:30-3:30

Place: PAFA

Step 1: Research

Please get familiar with the story of Matilda! There are many resources available! At the very least, please listen to the Broadway Soundtrack to get familiar with the music you'll be learning!

* The story of Matilda began as an awesome book written by the beloved Roald Dahl in 1988. You can get the book online, at bookstores, or at the library! I'm sure Ms. Vives has a copy!

* If you'd rather listen to the book than read it, it was adapted as an audio reading by actress Kate Winslet. You can find that on Amazon or Audible!

* It was made into a feature film in 1996, directed by Danny DeVito. You can find out where to stream it HERE!

* In 2010 it was made into a musical! This is a link to the Original Broadway Soundtrack on Amazon, Youtube, iTunes and Spotify.

*In 2022, Netflix released a brand new movie based on the Broadway Musical!

* You can find some videos of the musical on YouTube. NOTE: Please... do not COPY what the actors/actresses are doing. We only want you to watch it one time just so you can get a sense of the plot and characters.

Once you're familiar with the show, you can start to think about which characters you identify with, which you think you're right for, and which characters would challenge you at this stage in your training! Please pick 2-3 different characters so we can see some range, and you can increase your odds!

As a reminder, HERE is a link to the character breakdowns!

(Matilda Audition Info: Act-1 (no date) act. Available at: https://www.act1la.com/matilda-audition-info (Accessed: 11 August 2023).

Step 2: Auditions

Auditions will take place in the PAFA.

Dates: Monday, August 21- Thursday, August 24

Please make sure you have completed the permission slip THIS FORM.

*If you are a bus rider, make sure you have the bus contract filled out and submitted

You must also fill out the ACTOR EXPERIENCE FORM

Step 3: Prepare

Please go to the ABOUT THE MUSICAL page and read a little bit more about the play and the characters.

Singing: For this audition, you will have to prepare part of a song. Choose a song of a character you are auditioning for.

Acting: I will provide scenes and monologues for you to read and act during the auditions.

Dancing: We will teach you part of a choreography to learn and perform

SONGS:

MATILDA WORMWOOD: Naughty

MISS AGATHA TRUNCHBULL: The Hammber song

MISS HONEY: My house

MRS. WORMWOOD: Loud

MR. WORMWOOD: Telly

BRUCE: Revolting Children

CHILDREN ENSEMBLE: When I grow up

ENSEMBLE ALL: Revolting Children

Tips on Preparation:

Auditions are competitive and roles are limited. Knowledge of the music and the show is required. Show us what role you deserve. It's always obvious to us who is prepared and it makes a huge impression. Practice over and over - practice in front of your parents and siblings! Ask them for feedback.
You will perform a lot better if you are memorized. Always bring your lyrics with you just in case, but if you never have to look at them, it will make a much better impression! Being off-book frees up your hands to express yourself, and frees up your face and eyes so we can connect to you emotionally (instead of you looking at a paper).
Work on projecting loudly and articulating clearly.
We are looking to see you act a character through song and dance, as well as your musical proficiency and competency. Just as (or MORE) important as a pretty voice is the way you ACT out your song. Tell us a story with your song! So we want to see that you can use your body, your hands, and your facial expressions at the same time as you sing.
It's very, very important that you make bold, exciting choices and give the character a strong personality - that is much more important to us than having you sing or act perfectly! We can sometimes change the key of the song for the right actor. And it's our job to direct you to make you even better. But we do want to see you give it all you've got!
Be familiar with the style of the show and make clear choices.
Do some character research! Watch videos of other performers doing your song and decide what it is you like about their performance, or don't like, and WHY. Were you bored because they just stood there and sang with their hands by their sides? Were you entertained because they acted out the lyrics well and had great facial expressions? Did you like the way they voiced the character? Did they choose things to do physically that helped tell the story? Did they have an interesting emotional arc? How was their energy? What can you do to make some memorable choices about your song and scene? :)
Please do not merely imitate other actor's performances.
The key to comedy is timing, being in the moment and making fresh choices!

(Matilda Audition Info: Act-1 (no date) act. Available at: https://www.act1la.com/matilda-audition-info (Accessed: 11 August 2023).

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