Preparing Your Audition

Auditioning is intimidating, and so many things are out of your control: your bus to the venue might be late, you might not have had time to warm up, or the casting team might be running behind and grumpy. With so many tricky variables that you can’t control, you as the auditioner want to make sure you have total mastery over what you can control: your preparation!

Here are some guidelines for picking audition material, prepping that material, and the audition day itself.

Guidelines for picking material*

• Pick a song you know well. It might be tempting to switch up your song at the last minute, because you got cold feet about your choice or you heard of another song that sounds just perfect for the audition, but it’s best to stick with a piece you know like the back of your hand. You’ll be able to connect more deeply to the lyrics and character because you won’t be worrying about forgetting the words.
• Pick a song that is appropriate. “Appropriate” can mean many different things in an audition context. Pick a song that is appropriate for the style of show you’re trying out for – if it’s a Golden Age musical, don’t do something contemporary. If it’s a comedic show, don’t pick a sad ballad. It’s almost never a good idea to pick a non-musical theater song, unless the casting team asks for it. Pick a song that’s appropriate for your age and “castability.” Even in a youth production, know the age range you could conceivably play – if you read very young, don’t pick something too sexy or sophisticated, and if you’re a much older student, don’t pick a song written for a child. It’s also a good idea to be careful about doing material with adult themes or language. Sometimes this is appropriate and sometimes it isn’t, depending on the show, so try to use your best judgment.
• Pick a song you can sing even when you’re vocally tired. You might wake up on audition day with a frog in your throat, and you want to feel confident about your ability to perform. Pick a song in which the highest and the lowest notes are well within your range, even on your worst day. You never want your song to feature any notes that you can’t confidently sing 100% of the time.
• Pick a song that allows you to tell a story. More than just showing off your voice, your audition song will show off your acting ability. Musical theater is much closer to theater than it is to a concert, so pick a song that allows you to transform into a character and be a storyteller. Ideally, something in the song should change from beginning to end – maybe the character has a realization, or something unexpected happens in the course of the song.
• Pick a song you like and care about. This is perhaps the most important guideline of them all. Never choose a song you feel meh about just because it seems like a “good fit” for the audition. Pick a song that resonates with you, that feels right for who you are, and that you enjoy singing. This will allow the real you to shine through in the audition, and ultimately that’s what it’s all about.

*Please note: at YMTC, we mostly ask for audition songs, but most of these pieces of advice can apply to monologues, as well.

Guidelines for prepping your audition

• Rehearse! Thinking about auditions can be intimidating, so it might feel calming to just put it out of your mind until the day-of. Don’t do this! Plan out your audition beforehand. Are you going to do any blocking (movement) in your song? Who is your character? Who are they singing to? Where will you be looking during the audition?
• Prep your materials correctly. Most musical theater auditions will ask you to perform a song or cut from a song. Many theaters, including YMTC, will provide an accompanist for you. Bring sheet music, double-sided, hole-punched, and in a 3-ring binder for the accompanist to read and IN THE KEY YOU WANT TO SING IN. Clearly mark any cuts or changes in the music. And be prepared to explain it to the accompanist. They are not a mind-reader, so help them to help you by explaining how your song goes. If the audition asks for a headshot and resume, always staple these together so the team only has to look at one page.
• Practice beforehand with a pianist. Singing along with the cast recording, or even an online karaoke track, could not be more different than singing with a live pianist. The accompaniment won’t sound the same, and it might throw you off! Practice your song ahead of time with a voice teacher, piano teacher, or even just a friend who plays piano and can sightread. If you absolutely cannot find a pianist to help you practice, try to find an online accompaniment track that is just piano.

Guidelines for the day of the audition

• Have a positive attitude going into the audition. Auditions are hard enough without putting a ton of unnecessary pressure on yourself. Try not to give in to negative thoughts or self-doubt – in fact, try to reframe the idea of what an audition is in your mind. It’s not a scary moment where you will be judged on your abilities, it’s a chance to do what you love: performing. In your mind, turn the audition room into your Broadway stage and the casting team into your adoring audience. You’d be surprised how much more fun auditioning can be with this mental shift!
• If there’s a dance call, act your face off! Whether you are a seasoned ballerina or an “actor who moves,” the #1 most important thing to do in a dance call is to act out the story of the dance. If you forget a step or mess up, keep telling the story. Especially for non-dancers, “fake it till you make it” is the name of the game.
• Be intentional about the moments right before and after the audition. As soon as you walk in the door to the audition, it’s your chance to put your very best self forward. Be yourself! The people behind the table want to see the real you, so say hello, greet the accompanist while you tell them about how your song goes, and introduce yourself clearly and confidently. Take a moment to prepare yourself before you sing – some actors like to close their eyes, or even turn around before beginning their song, and most accompanists will wait to begin playing until you open your eyes and/or nod to them. After the audition is done, thank everyone and answer any questions they have for you. No matter how you feel it went, don’t “apologize” for your performance with your words or body language. You did a hard thing, and the casting team appreciates your work!
• Be respectful and friendly to everyone you encounter at the audition. This may go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway. The casting team wants someone who will be fun to work with and help create a respectful and pleasant atmosphere in the rehearsal room. It never hurts to be kind and courteous, especially in an audition setting. This includes the waiting room – you never know, the person checking you in at the door who overhears you gossiping about another actor might be the one who makes or breaks your chances of being cast.
• Be kind to yourself afterwards. After the audition is done, try to forget about it and let it go. Don’t analyze every little detail and nitpick all the moments that didn’t go perfectly. Chances are, you did way better than you think – so go celebrate your bravery and treat yourself to time with loved ones. And remember – the casting team is rooting for you. They want you to be the perfect person for the role, so believe in yourself!