If you take the time to audition for one of our plays, we’d like you to ace the audition. Knock our socks off. Give it your all. Own the character so clearly that no one else poses serious competition. Walk in with confidence, and you may walk out with the role. But, how does one ace an audition?

Whether this is your first time trying out for a part, or your thousandth audition, here are a few things to bear in mind at an audition with us.

Cover the bases first

Before you can soar above the clouds, you have to get off the ground. In other words, it’s important to go through all the necessary preparations to achieve success. If the casting call asks you to reserve a spot at the audition, skipping that step and just showing up wont cut it. It’s also important to bring a headshot when one is requested, prepare an acting resume ahead of time, and know your schedule before you start filling out a list of conflicts.

Show up a few minutes early (on-time is only a mishap away from being late) and give yourself time to relax from the drive so that you don’t have to rush your delivery. If you’re giving a monologue, you may want to practice in front of a mirror or videotape yourself to gauge your own performance. If you’re cold-reading sides, do some research to learn about the role you want to land… and maybe a few of the other roles you might be asked to read for!

Believe in yourself

Build up your own confidence before you go on-stage. Whether you need to listen to “Eye of the Tiger” to pump yourself up, rely on breathing exercises to help unlock your voice, or even if you need to chug a 128 oz jug of super caffeinated coffee to wake up, you know you. Take the time to get in a good place before you walk in that stage door.

Think of it as an interview

If you’re unclear about the headspace to aim for, perhaps you have some experience being interviewed for a job. If it helps find your focus, think of the audition stage as a very big interview cubicle. Interviews also go both ways; an engaged prospect will have questions about safety, hours, compensation, and other details that show commitment.

Our director is there to direct. Don’t be afraid to ask for her guidance on how to interpret a role or if she has any notes you can incorporate if reading a scene more than once. Seeing how you respond to direction is an important part of the audition process.

After the audition

It may take a few days to get a response from your audition, so please be patient with us. Things get muddled – did you leave clear contact instructions? In case your resume & notes get jumbled, it’s a good idea to copy your contact details on the back of your headshot as a backup.

You may wonder: What’s our timeline for filling the roles? We don’t play around with notifications, nor do we want to leave anyone hanging. If you are chosen for a role, we’ll notify you ASAP via phone or e-mail. [Callbacks are typically scheduled for a week after the initial audition, but will only be used in rare situations.] Please confirm quickly – that allows us to either move on to our alternative casting choice or move on to notifying all the applicants that they didn’t get the part. If we don’t receive an email response within 8 hours, we will attempt to call or text for confirmation. Please do not go camping in the woods or otherwise off grid immediately after auditions!

And, remember, while theater is a profession and a craft, it’s also a lot of fun. Have fun with us, and the roles will follow!