Five Tips for Auditioning from a Director

So you've read the Five tips for Auditioning from an Actor's perspective, now it's time to flip it around and look at the audition process from the directors perspective.

1) Be prepared. Read the audition notice, Now read the Audition notice again. If it says you need to bring sheet music bring sheet music, if you need dancing shoes and comfortable clothing, please don't show up in a miniskirt and platform heels. Always be prepared with a audition song that shows off you vocal ability even if the audition notice doesn't specify to prepare a song. Believe me it is not easy judging your ability by listening to you sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star when you're trying to cast a rock musical.

2) Be confident and Relaxed. Never Arrogant. Please don't exhibit Diva like tendencies or give hints that you are hard to work with. Pulling a show together is difficult enough without having your actors butting heads.

3) Be open to suggestion. The director has a picture in his (or her) head about what the show will look like, feel like, sound like and smell like (okay maybe not smell) When the director asks you to re-read something in another way she may be testing to see 1) if you are directable and 2) if you can play the part in a way that is similar to what is in her head.

4) Be versatile. The director may choose someone else to play the role you think you're perfect for. Play along and give your best to alternate roles that perhaps you fit the directors vision for better. You may find the alternate role a better role then you thought.

5) Be Honest. Write down ALL of your conflicts. If the Director wants you it will probably not deter him that you are away on vacation for a week. And yes, we totally understand when an emergency arises - someone gets ill, someone in the hospital etc. However .... it will be a major issue if the schedule has been made to accommodate everyone's absences and then you "forgot" that you had a dance recital, family reunion, Birthday or some other event - on the day you play a pivotal role in the scene, dance or what have you. Nothing is more frustrating. Nothing.