Auditioning for Musicals: What To Do In The First Audition

Here's the second of three articles I wrote on the process of auditioning for a West End or Broadway show.

For actors singers and dancers, auditioning for musicals is a way of life. But what if this is your first musicals audition? How do you behave, what do you have to do, and how should you prepare? This article focusses on the first (private) audition in the process of auditioning for a musical

Auditioning For Musicals: What To Do In The First Audition

You've got an audition for a musical theatre show. What do you do and what do you aim to achieve?

First, let's explore what an audition is for. For the casting panel, it's an opportunity to see new people, or to remind themselves of familiar people. It's a chance to see who and what is out there, to make decisions about casting, and to match up different actors to make a company. For you, it's an opportunity to let the casting panel get to know your performing ability, hear you sing and see you in your choice of character.

Now let's explore what the first audition is not. It's not a true performance - the audience doesn't applaud, they haven't paid to see you, there are no lights, no costumes and no makeup (other than what you have brought with you). It's not a complete show either, as the panel will expect to watch you come in as you, then change into character in front of them. And finally, the first audition will not get you the job. That may sound odd, but in reality West End auditions and Broadway auditions can go on for up to 9 recalls spread over several months. And on large-scale musicals you definitely won't be cast on the strength of your first audition.

Remember that the company wants to know how skilled you are, how well you inhabit the character, how well you deal with being on stage, and whether you are the appropriate professional level for the production. So the key points are to appear professional, well-prepared and confident with your material. And for the first audition it's vital for an actor, singer or dancer to use song material that's suitable for their casting, voice and abilities.

Let's examine some of the common mistakes that auditionees make. Singers might be confident of how they sound, but don't think about character or story. In musical theater, this is a complete no-no. Yes, you might have a lovely voice but we're interested in your character's journey through the song. Musical Theater differs from opera or song recital in that the music serves and heightens the text, and characterisation is vital. Conversely, actors might be very confident of their subtext and characterisation, but might not have a solid vocal technique. While strong character decisions can carry an actor through dodgy vocalising, remember that this is a musical genre, and usually you will be performing 8 shows a week or more. For your own sanity (and the sanity of those around you), it's imperative that your vocal technique is strong and clear enough for you to sustain and repeat what you are doing accurately and without strain. If not, a single cold can knock your performance sideways. For dancers who are used to expressing themselves in movement, using words and music can be a real challenge. And since many dancers start very young, learning a solid technique in a new discipline can seem like a mountainous task. It's important for dancers to find voice, text or singing teachers who are able to adapt their teaching styles to the dance-trained body and mind. Choose repertoire that you have a physical connection with, pieces that you feel they can play with. And don't be afraid to move during an audition - you don't have to stay rooted to the spot!

When coaching a singer/actor/dancer for the first call, the sessions usually focus on choosing repertoire that suits your physical and energetic casting, and helping you find (and maintain) your very best performance of it. We will also deal with the various problems surrounding auditions using your own-choice songs - presenting YOUR version of the song to the pianist in 15 seconds or less, how to find the focus of your song and get into character instantly, interacting with the panel, even altering your performance of your familiar repertoire to suit the style of that particular show.

Sometimes you can alter the subtext or storyline of a song to fit the show that is currently casting. If you have to sing just a 16bar excerpt or a cut version, your storyline will be different anyway - it's not a good idea to try playing the full song journey if you're only singing half the song! You might focus on the one aspect of the character that appears in that extract, or impose a journey on the music, or bring an event that happens later in the full song into that particular musical moment. So if you are using the same song for the cattle call and the first full audition (also known as the privates), you will almost certainly need more than one mental map of the song.

Once you have found good songs, a session from a qualified coach can help you find your own version of the material, and lead you to create living, sustainable characterisations that use your best talents and assets. With songs that match your casting, good performance skills and a professional attitude, you will definitely be noticed.

And what do you aim to achieve in the first audition? To get the first recall.

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Jeremy Fisher trains singers and performers to find and maintain their best. He's the author of Successful Singing Auditions, and creator of the Voicebox Videos (featured on the BBC and broadcast to an estimated 44,000,000 people). Sign up for Jeremy's free newsletter containing original interviews, pre-release offers and receive your BONUS free copy of "86 things you never hear a singer say" at http://www.vocalprocess.co.uk/


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