Audition 101

Preparing for an audition - How do I get ready?

Auditions can be daunting. Here's a guide to help you get started, and hopefully ease your nerves.

What to bring

Water. Number 1 thing to always have with you is a full water bottle. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things for an actor. And, at an audition, your throat may be prone to drying up from nerves, so always have your water bottle at hand!
Clothes and shoes you can move in. Often for theatre auditions, you'll want to wear something non-distracting that you can move in. Even if you're not doing a dance call, there may be improv games and such at group auditions. Attire can be specific to each audition, so make sure you read the casting call. But, for the purposes of 100 Mile Youth Theatre auditions, we just ask for clothes that you're comfortable moving in!

15 minutes before the audition

Arrive early. It's always better to plan to get there 15-30 minutes ahead of your audition time (often I will leave early even for getting there early), and not just because of traffic. Arriving at the venue early allows you some time to decompress and calm your nerves (and, if you're like me, triple-check the email five different times to make sure you're at the right place at the right time). It also gives you time to prepare.
Use the washroom. You might not feel like you need to now, but once you're in the audition room and it's all nerves, you don't want one more thing distracting you.
Do some vocal warmups. Even if you're not auditioning for a musical, it's a good idea to get some tongue twisters in there so you're less at risk of fumbling over words. Breathing exercises are also a great idea, both for breath control, and to calm yourself down if you're feeling nervous.
Do any personal pre-audition rituals you have.

How do I choose an audition monologue?

A few things to take into consideration when choosing an audition monologue:

Find something that fits you. While it may seem like an oxymoron when it comes to acting, be yourself!
Consider the length. Most of the time, audition monologues will be between 1-2 minutes in length. Look for something that you can do start to finish in that time frame, and not have to cut off the scene halfway.
Choose a monologue that means something to you. If you don't connect to your material, that will be translated to the casting directors. Likewise, if you're really passionate about your script, your audience will be, too!
When choosing a theme, often a comedy and/or drama is a good way to go to engage in your audience (but this isn't always the case, depending on the role or audition).
Familiarity. If you're using a monologue from a play you've never read before, read it! Familiarize yourself with the context of the monologue, and really dig in to the content. Do your "actor's paperwork" and find the stakes and objectives of every beat. Or, choose a monologue you're already familiar with, perhaps from a play you've already done. Know your content.
Consider the role you're auditioning for.
Show-off your dramatic range! What are your strengths in acting?
Have fun with it! Make bold choices! Directors prefer to see actors who make bold choices (even if it's one they don't necessarily like), than an actor who only goes halfway. Don't be scared to act! Acting "too big" is a compliment when it comes to stage acting, and something far easier for a director to bring down a few notches, opposed to getting someone to make bigger choices.

Where do I find a monologue?

Have a monologue already in mind? Script Slug is a database full of scripts from TV and Film you can look at for free!

Don't know where to start? There are plenty of free online monologue databases out there where you can search for the perfect script. Here are some to get you started:

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