10 Tips For Theatre Auditions

 4 MIN. READ

Creating a successful and memorable college audition is no easy task, but here are some tips to successfully prepare and deliver your best college audition: 

Know What is Being Asked of You

Read the audition requirements carefully. Though typically similar, they can vary from school to school. Whether it be two contrasting monologues, a one-minute monologue and 32 bars of song, or a song and a piece of movement or choreography, know what your goals are before you begin. 

Show Your Authenticity

When looking at audition material don’t lose sight of who YOU are. Look for material that compliments you at this stage of your journey as a performer. Trust your gut. Does the piece resonate with you? Do you connect to it? Is this piece a reflection of you right now? 

Get Excited

The pieces you choose should excite you; they should be fun to work on. You are hopefully going to be working on them for quite a while. When picking monologues or choosing songs, find pieces that speak to you and get your creative juices flowing. 

Give In to the Contrast

The pieces you choose should be drastically different. Focus on one piece at a time. Once you find your first piece, allow yourself to search for the opposite of what you have already found. Whether it’s contemporary and classical, comedic and dramatic, or serious and absurd, the contrasting piece should still reflect who you are and show the audition panel how versatile you can be. Remember, the panel is not only evaluating your talent, they’re looking to see how you could fit into their program. Show them as many colors as possible. 

Do Your Homework

After your pieces are chosen, work them one at a time. Start with what you may not understand. Look it up, consult your resources. A common mistake is actors speaking lines they don’t understand. Know what the words mean and why you are saying them. If you want the panel to believe you, then the words have to be your own. You can only do that once you know what you are saying and why you are saying it. 

Make It Your Own

Your pieces, monologues or songs, should be a reflection of you and your work. Don’t try to copy the Broadway performance, the film or television version, or the YouTube clip you searched for. This is YOUR interpretation of the piece. Do your own work and connect it to your own life and experiences. 

Personalize It

When working through your pieces beat by beat, know what the circumstances and subtext mean to you. What story are you telling? What’s your objective? Who are you talking to? What is your relationship with this person? Make it your world, your story, and your words. When we personalize the text we begin to find the truth and that’s really what everyone wants to see. Truthful storytelling.

Live In the Text

When the day of the audition comes the nerves aren’t far behind. There are thousands of tiny thoughts running through our heads. Don’t let your lines be one of them. Rehearse and prepare until you know your material inside and out. Rehearse with intention and specificity. Trust yourself on the day and rely on the good work you have done. When the time comes, focus on telling your story through the pieces you have chosen and live in each and every moment.

Seek Feedback

Getting constructive feedback is crucial and sometimes the key to finding the moments you might have missed. If you don’t have an acting coach or teacher near you, use the world of virtual instruction to your benefit. There are some really wonderful acting and music coaches all over the world who teach online. Be sure to do your own work beforehand to maximize your coaching time.

Stay Positive

No matter the rehearsal process, audition itself, or outcome, remain positive in the work you have done and the journey you are on. Not every school is for every actor. Take pride in your rehearsal time, put in the work needed to deliver a strong and specific audition, and relish in your accomplishment. You’ve got this! 

Anderson University’s musical theatre program is designed to help you develop your acting and directing skills, while also learning about the historical and technical aspects of performance productions.

Performance opportunities each year include two main stage productions, two lyric theatre productions, and two black box productions. In addition to working with our own faculty, students work with a variety of guest artists and directors to develop their artistry and enhance their professional skills and connections.

Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.