Any audition is a daunting one. Anyone who says otherwise is probably lying to cover their own nerves and make themselves feel more confident. Musical auditions can be extra hard because you need to make it through three different disciplines – and you may not get your best discipline first, making it harder to wow the director and get through to the next round.
On top of all that, your nerves can really betray you when singing. Voice and breath control are essential for singing and shaking from nerves can easily be seen or heard in an audition. The key to combatting this is to make sure that you are prepared when you walk in the room.
Read The Requirements
When you get the audition notice and confirmation of your timeslot, make sure you read through everything carefully. Make a note of the place, the date and the time – write it out big and stick it to the fridge if you are worried you might be late or miss it. You should also check how long it takes to get to the venue so that you are ready to leave at an appropriate time.
Once you have those details, check out what you need to prepare for the audition – do they give a specific song or just a type of song, and what will be expected for the dancing and acting parts of the audition? Getting comfortable with this information will help you to keep your nerves under control because you’ll be able to visualize the audition process.
Be Prepared For Anything
Knowing what to expect at the audition is great for calming the nerves and making it easy to relax and play now, rather than feeling stressed and on edge. However, you should never practice everything in a set way because then you’ll get completely thrown if things suddenly change on the day. The director might ask you if there is another song you can sing to show a different side of your performance skills. They could also ask you to start in the middle of the song instead of at the beginning. This is why you should always have the sheet music for more than one song that you know very well with you at an audition.
The initial audition may originally be just for singing, but they could decide to throw a cold reading at you for the character. This is a good thing and take it as a compliment that you’ve so far impressed. Then, take a moment to read the piece and then give it a go with confidence.
Dress Appropriately
You don’t necessarily need to dress for the character – you may not want to paint your face green for your first audition for Wicked. However, you should come ready for anything while at the same time keep things neat and professional. You want to make a good impression on the casting panel. It’s also important that you feel comfortable and confident.
Finally
Remember that the more you audition, the more comfortable you will get with the process and the easier it’ll be.
