Ace Your Audition: Part III

The Big Day

Hello, thespians (that's another word for actor)! It's Maeve. OH MY GOSH! IT'S THE DAY OF YOUR AUDITION! No worries. Here are a few things you can do at the audition to help calm your nerves and show those directors what you've got!

Read Part I: Preparing

Read Part II: What to Bring

Know Where to Go The key to a great audition is being as stress-free as possible when you hit the stage. Make sure you know exactly where and when the auditions are being held, and leave in plenty of time to get there. Arriving late is sooooo unprofessional.

Dealing with Nerves Some of us get nervous no matter how much we practice, and that's perfectly fine! Deep breathing exercises always help beat my nerves. It might help to do this exercise while laying on the floor, but you can do it standing up too. Put your hands on your stomach and breathe in through your nose for 10 seconds. You can tell that you're breathing correctly if your stomach rises when you breathe. If your shoulders are rising when you breathe, you're not getting a deep enough breath. After you breathe in through your nose, breathe out through your mouth. Repeat this breathing exercise until you calm down.

First Impressions Are Key Contrary to popular belief, directors are people—not robots or scary monsters. Show them that you are someone who is fun and easy to work with by shaking his or her hand and saying "Hi!" The more a director likes the PERSON you are, the easier it is for him or her to like the audition you've prepared.

Dance Auditions If you are auditioning for a musical, most directors will ask you to learn a dance combination to see how well you pick up on choreography. Don't worry so much about perfecting the dance. The most important thing about dancing is looking like you know what you're doing, even if you don't! Don't be afraid to ask questions, it shows the choreographer that you care about getting the dance right. If you mess up, don’t get upset and run off stage, just keep dancing! Whatever you do, make it bold and big. Keep a smile on your face and make every move with confidence!

Be Nice to Everyone You know you have to impress the director, but everyone else in the audition room (and the waiting room) is just as important. Some of them might turn out to be your future castmates, and there is nothing worse than castmates who think you're a diva!

Break a leg!