Auditions

Actors are so nervous at auditions… and as a producer I have to laugh and shake my head.  The fact of the matter is that producers are far more nervous about auditions than you are.  Look at it this way:  if you blow an audition, you simply don’t get the gig and move on.  But if we blow the audition, the whole show’s a disaster.  We want you to be good.  In fact, we’re desperate for you to be good.  The show depends on it.

I was fortunate to have some fantastic auditions for this project.  And I’ve found there are things you can do to get better work out of your actors.  So I present to you a producer’s list of audition tips:

1.       Try to get a reader that’s a decent actor.

2.       Get the sides to your actors as EARLY AS YOU CAN.  As an actor, I’ve auditioned for shows where I got the sides exactly 1 day before the audition.  This is idiocy.  How can you except great work with only one day to prepare?  I like giving my actors at least a week and a half.  I know it’s not what’s commonly done.   But I want to be better than what’s commonly done.

3.       Send them the full script.  It only makes their work better.  If you’re embarrassed to send it, then you’re not ready for production.

4.       Writers may argue “but if I send them the full script they can pirate it!”  Nonsense.  And if you’re at the level where you’re worried about piracy then you don’t need my advice.

5.       Sometimes, when you send out the full script, you’ll get a few replies stating “due to unforeseen circumstances I won’t be able to make the audition.”  What they really mean is “I read the script, and it's not for me.”  Don't be alarmed.  This is a good thing.  You don’t want to hire an actor that doesn’t believe in the material, and this process weeds them out for you.

6.       Be super kind and supportive when they come in the room.  Actors are so nervous at these things, and they’ll do better work if you put them at ease.

7.       Don’t ever hold “open auditions.”  This leads to chaos.  Chaos leads to bad work.  Always schedule individual appointments.

8.       Don’t over book the day.  Rushed auditions never go well.  I like to give each actor an 8 to 10 minute timeslot.  This will turn into 15 minute timeslots after all the cancellations.