On Self-Tape Auditions

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On Self-Tape Auditions

Dear Actor-Vocalists,

I would like to offer some thoughts, tips, and advice to help make your next theatre self-tape audition/callback a little smoother and effective.

[*Warning - This post is mainly geared toward toward performers and those interested in the online audition process!]

We may be working with this medium for much longer than any of us would like or hope, and I suspect some theaters will see some value in self-tapes even post-quarantine.

As an actor, vocal coach, and accompanist, I know the struggles and worries very well. Being in front of that camera is nothing like being in front of an audience.

And as a Musical Director who recently went through an online audition and callback process, I have some thoughts that - I hope - will alleviate some of your stresses and get you focused on what matters most to those watching the tapes roll!

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The Piano Person

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The Piano Person

Let’s set the scene:

You’re at an audition. It’s your time. You walk into the room. You light up the room with a delicious sense of your personality. You greet the humans behind the table. You turn and -

THERE!

Right there! Behind the large, tinkly music box -

The Piano Person.

Now, this person is very mysterious. There are many unknowns about them:

“Are they on the creative team? Are they the Musical Director? Or hired in? Are they part of the decision-making process? Have I seen them before? Is this the person who messed up my pop audition last week? Are they tired? Are they grumpy? Are they pleasant? Are they a good sight-reader? Will they be able to play my cut? Are they eating a snack right now??”

And these can be nerve-wracking unknowns. Let’s not forget, these people have the ability to aid or hurt our auditions. Though - a little secret - 90% of the time they want you to do wonderfully and are just there to make good music with you for the 30 seconds you’re singing.

But what do we do with this Piano Person? How do we interact with them? Is there a general formula you can use to have the best possible interactions?

Well, as a piano person myself, allow me to offer you some of my thoughts.

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God I Hope I Get It

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God I Hope I Get It

Audition (noun) - A necessary, and often grinding, step to acquiring a theatre performance job, which some actors love, many actors hate, and everyone else is relatively indifferent to

*Warning: This post is geared mainly toward the actor-folk and those interested in the audition process!

Last week I found myself once again in an audition room - this time behind the table, which was a lovely change! Generally speaking, whether or not I am part of the casting team, I’m hearing/viewing auditions on a weird side angle from the piano. So this was a lovely little treat!

Over my years of taking classes and workshops on “THE AUDITION” I have certainly learned many things about the audition process, and particularly about myself as an auditioner. But there is no better way to learn the ins-and-outs, dos-and-don’ts, and [other-cliched-phrases] of auditions than to sit on the other side of the table and observe with non-actor-oriented eyes/ears.

So, here are some of the things I’ve learned about auditioning.

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