Auditioning Advice Notes

Attitude:
 Be determined to help them reach their ambition – solving a problem – think like a director
– Show up thinking: how can I make this show be a better event for the audience. What
contribution can my talent add to this show
 3-second rule for auditions – make up their mind and maybe have another 20-30 seconds
o Do I like my walk? Video my walk and see if I like it (confident? Assertive?)
o People in any audience make very quick judgements about a performer based on
their walk, their smile, their posture, their eye contact, their clothing, their personal
appearance and then finally their voice
 How will they remember me after hearing/seeing another 100 people in the next 4 hours?
o Take inventory of my strengths and find an “edge” which sets me apart from all the
others – delight in that difference

Wardrobe:
For on-camera auditions, wear jewel-tones, with v-necks and no busy patterns as they look best on
film. When filming avoid all tightly-patterned shirts – strobing effect
Headshots and CVs:
Bring Hard-copies of my headshots and CV

Over the last few years, I’ve stepped outside my usual role as an actor and instead have dedicated a
lot of time to directing and producing plays. As a result, I’ve spent a ton of time in the audition room
behind the table watching actors audition. The experience of seeing hundreds of back-to-back
auditions has made it very clear to me that most actors think about casting in a way that works
against them, fills them with anxiety and prevents them from doing their best work in the casting
room. They walk in with a single thought that sabotages them, when a simple shift in thinking could
make all the difference between getting that “thanks-but-no-thanks” email and booking the job.

Here is the insidious thought I’m talking about: “What do they want to see?”

Does that sound familiar? Have you asked yourself or your acting buddy that question after reading a
casting breakdown? Have you lain awake the night before an audition trying to solve the casting
puzzle, second-guessing your monologue choice or interpretation of the audition sides? If so, you are
not alone. It is a perfectly reasonable thought to have when you want something (the role) that
someone (the casting director/director) has to give you. It is also perfectly destructive.

When you worry about what the auditors want to see, you give away all your power. You turn the
people you’re auditioning for into judges with yellow pads and Pellegrinos, eager to mock you for
your failure rather than what they actually are: people who genuinely want you to succeed. You may
not believe me, but every casting director and director I’ve ever spoken with about holding auditions
has said the same thing. On the other side of the table, we are hoping beyond hope that you will
walk in the room and solve our problem, which is that we don’t yet have the right actor for the part.

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When actors come in with confidence and rock the audition, we breathe a sigh of relief knowing that
there’s someone for the job. When you come in nervous or desperate we still hope that your work
will surprise us. Directors and casting directors NEED actors! We NEED you! We get bummed when
you cancel your audition or come in less than prepared because you have the power to turn our
directorial vision into reality. Let me say it again: Actors have power! Directors can’t do their job
without actors.

There have been times (and maybe I shouldn’t be saying this) when I’ve been in that casting room
and been completely clueless as to what exactly I was looking for, where I couldn’t even answer the
question “What do I want to see.” There have also been times when the idea I had in the morning
about I wanted was completely upended by an amazing, confident, artistically exciting performance
by an actor who showed me something I could never have come up with on my own. As a director, I
love those moments. I love having actors who come in with a point of view that fuels my own
creativity. It gets me excited to have that actor in the room, excited to have them inspire me again
and make my work better. Again, that is the power you have as an actor.

So, with all this in mind, I offer an adjustment to the question. Instead of asking “What do they want
to see?” ask “What art do I want to make with time I’m given?” Instead of worrying about pleasing
everyone on the other side of the table, which, by the way, no one in the history of acting has ever
been able to do 100 percent of the time, treat the audition as an opportunity to act the way you’ve
always wanted to act. Do your work, make your choices, but do it for you! That’s what the actors
who find success have in common: They are unapologetically confident in their own artistry. You’re
the only one who has your point of view and your particular artistic vision. You are not right for
every role, every project or to work with every director. You will find the ones you are right for you
by owning the idea that your audition is your time to create something uniquely your own. By
shifting your thinking, you will begin to audition with integrity, confidence and, most importantly,
joy!

The Importance of Stillness

Having spent numerous years in the audition room, I can honestly say that for many actors, the need
to “do something” seems to be an addiction.

Instead of trusting that the words/lyrics have their own dramatic weight, many actors feel that they
have to move about in their auditions (and onstage) in order to impress or to feel in the moment. If
you are one of these actors who tend to gesticulate (often wildly) with your hands, or have a
penchant to sit/stand/walk about in your auditions, consider this: stillness can be your best friend.

Many times, I am pulled out of a fascinating scene or song because the actor has decided to move
extraneously about the room. If you are going to move, pick your moments carefully and make sure
that such movement is motivated. Why are you moving? Is there something that has just been said
by you or the other character that motivates you to stand/turn away/come forward? If so, great. If
not, then please trust in yourself and the scene, and stand still. Trust in the text. Trust in the power
of the moment.

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In the various seminars I teach, a question that often comes up is, “If I don’t move, won’t my
audition/scene be boring?” OK, sure, if you stand there the entire time without emoting or flinching
a muscle, yes, you will be boring. But this is not the kind of stillness I’m talking about. Nobody wants
to watch a statue! Being still on the outside does not mean you can’t be fully engaged and vibrating
on the inside. An actor must always have an inner energy that propels them, their character, and the
scene forward.

To illustrate my point, I leave you with the image of a spinning top. From the outside, it looks still
and silent but we all know that in reality, the top is twirling furiously and with such impressive
momentum. This is the kind of power that I find fascinating in an actor, and, in my experience, helps
you book the job.
Don’t Put a Hat on a Hat
First of all, let me say that I ripped off (borrowed?) this phrase, “Don’t put a hat on a hat,” from one
of the directors I have worked with on numerous occasions over the years. Why? Because it conveys
so brilliantly an issue that plagues many actors’ auditions: the art of overdoing it.

With an earnest zeal to impress, many actors simply go overboard and over the top with their
auditions. They don’t realize the power of “less is more”—the main theme I am addressing here. This
concept of “less is more” applies to any audition, whether it is for film, TV, stage, dance, etc.

I’ll give you an example. When I’m holding large dance calls for “Chicago,” the first thing I tell all my
actors is to trust in the material and what they already bring to the table. I go on to remind them
that Bob Fosse’s moves are already incredibly sexy. Ditto for the classic Kander and Ebb words and
music. The actors that I’ve brought in are already appropriately glammed up in tight, skimpy outfits
appropriate to the world of “Chicago.” In other words, the mood is already set, so there’s no need
for anyone in the room to “play sexy” when the music starts and choreography begins! And yet,
many dancers immediately scrunch up their faces with curled, snarly lips and “muscle” all the moves,
believing that this is what is going to get them the job. Sadly, many times it has the opposite effect.
It’s a turn off.

Remember, there is a grace and class achieved by wise, clean choices. (Only one hat required!)

Mindfulness for Auditions

How do you start your day when you have an audition? Do you speak lovingly to yourself, or does
your inner critic spew judgment, criticism, doubt, and worry your way? If it’s the latter, here are five
steps to taming your inner critic (and a quick guide for feeling good) at auditions:

Become more mindful

Since whatever you focus on expands, becoming mindful of the thoughts you are thinking and the
words you are saying is the first step to taming your inner critic before, during, and even after your
audition.

Notice how your thoughts make you feel.

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We are all using affirmations all day long. The question is are you affirming something positive or
something negative? You’ll always know by the way it makes you feel.

Choose to change it.

If you don’t like how you feel, change your thoughts. When you begin to change your way of
thinking, your inner voice will always react immediately with either fear or love. To decipher
between the two, declare this statement to yourself: “If it feels good, it’s true for me. If it feels bad,
it’s a lie.” This will help silence your inner critic in its tracks.

Then, once you notice your ego trying to convince you that you not [insert your favorite adjective
here] enough, you will know that it is a lie.

Acknowledge your fear.

As you begin to make this conscious awareness a habit, when a thought doesn’t feel good you can
recognize it, acknowledge your fear, and flip the script by talking to it like this:

Thank you for sharing, fear. I hear you.

You are F.E.A.R (False Evidence Appearing Real.)
You are a lie I keep telling myself.
Today I choose the truth.
Today I choose to think loving thoughts.

The more mindful you can become of how you are talking to yourself, the easier it will be to change
it.

Think a better-feeling thought.

Here’s a quick guide to feeling good on audition days. (Feel free to write your own or print these.)

Getting out of bed:

Anything is possible today.
Things are lining up for me.
I love having opportunities to play.
I am grateful for [list 5 things]

Getting ready for the audition:

I am the perfect age right now.
I am exactly where I need to be.
I am more beautiful than ever.
I am a shining light, happy to be in the game.

Leaving home:
Things flow smoothly for me today.
New opportunities arise for me throughout the day.
Parking spots open up and traffic flows.
I am safe and things unfold perfectly.

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Parking or getting off the subway:
I take a deep breath in, and exhale.
I picture myself returning to my car/the subway feeling proud of my work.
I am excited to be here.
I am ready to play.

Walking into the casting office:

I send good energy and kindness to those I meet.
I smile and send love.
I am uninterested in what any other actors are doing or saying or thinking.
I am unique and excited for my opportunity to play,

Walking into the audition room:

I have fun, I have faith, and I surrender.
I love playing in this playground and meeting all my playmates in the room.
I connect with everyone and make eye contact.
I am confident in my work and detached from the outcome.

Leaving the audition room:

I leave graciously and easily.
I am open to the unlimited possibilities the universe has in store for me.
I am proud of my work.
I am excited for the rest of the day.

Driving or taking the subway home:

Everything always works out for me.
I know the best is yet to come.
I look for things to love about my life on the way home.
All is well in my world.

You’ll be amazed at what begins to show up in your life when you are filling your mind with loving
and encouraging thoughts.

Unpredictability rather than perfection.

That’s right: you’re delivering an identical performance to every other auditioning actor.

In effect, an audition is a business pitch for a job. You are attempting to stand out among all the
applicants. You are trying to deliver a memorable job interview. We are looking for a specific
character. We have certain parameters in our mind of who fits our project.

If your version of the character is steadfastly (and alas, predictably) driven by the page—what I call
the writer’s version of the character—then you can rest assured I’ve already seen this version.

Many times.

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So I move on to the next actor. Or I switch off as I do on airline safety demonstrations. (On some
airlines, I can even recite the lines they are saying I know it so well.)

READ: How to Stop Over-Thinking Your Auditions

It’s the same with auditions. I have seen this scene many times. I know what moments are coming,
what reactions you are most likely to deliver, and where you will place the dramatic...pause.

So what should you be aiming to do?

Right now, you’re saying, “But all my drama training teaches me to get the dialogue right, to find and
perfect the rhythm of the page and deliver a pristine version of the character described in the
breakdown.” Yep, just like cabin crew do. They rehearse and rehearse to get it exactly right.

When do you notice them? When something goes wrong. When they add a moment of personality.
When they deviate from the expected.

So, how do you prepare for these mistakes?

1. Ignore punctuation. That comma was put there to separate thoughts. It tells you that there are
different contemplations of the character. It does not indicate a pause. Well, not necessarily.

2. When you have all your thoughts and moments in place, do the scene at double the speed. Guess
what? The scene still works. You see, we know what the next moment is. You don’t need to give
dramatic weight because we’re already anticipated it.

3. Don’t indicate what the character is thinking or feeling. There’s no need to embellish the
character’s hidden reflections because we know them. (We also know how a seat belt buckles
without being shown.)

4. Find the opposites. We know the path of the scene. We know the emotional arc of the character.
Show us an angle, a unique perspective that makes us pay attention.

If you’re an actor in the classic sense, striving for emotional veracity, then I suspect it will be easy to
reject my thinking as the superficial dismissiveness of a busy casting director. You believe—
somewhat idealistically—that a deeply moving, significantly emotional characterization will cut
through the forest of other auditions.

And perhaps it will. But you must also be prepared to know that in most cases, it won’t. That your
audition will be passed over because in almost every case, we’re not looking for the best
performance. We are looking for the best (read: most interesting) version of the character.

And that is found with unpredictability rather than perfection.