Sunday musings...
Auditioning has come up again and again - of course.
Some of you freeze, some of you hate it, some of you love it, most of us view it as a necessary evil.
So, what is it? REALLY?
Guess what? It's about you.
It's about you doing your research on the company, the casting director, the artistic director, the "who's who" in the room;
It's about you doing your work on your voice and your repertoire that you are going to audition with;
It's about you doing your research to understand what you are actually auditioning for and what the requirements might be;
It's about you figuring out what flatters you physically, because we see you first;
It's about you figuring out how you walk into the room;
It's about you knowing how you come across honestly;
It's about you learning how to reveal only what is necessary;
It's about you being comfortable in your own skin, in your own preparation, in your own time, and being okay with that;
It's about YOU.
Thinking about THEM simply takes you out of the game.
What are you there to do? Are you prepared to do that? What have you done to get you there? Are you present in that knowledge and that commitment?
There are no apologies, no "yeah, buts", no self-sabotages, no over-revealing, no over-sharing, no extras.
Auditioning is like a job interview, yes. Even more intimately, auditioning is like a first date. If it's not a blind date, you have done your research. If it feels like it might be a good match for you, you are simply focused on getting a second date!
Revealing too much on that first date can make them suddenly have an emergency and leave; or simply not call you again. Be aware of what you are revealing. DECIDE on that. Nobody needs to know everything on a first date. The panel doesn't have to see all of it at an audition.
They need to see just enough to be intrigued enough to say "hmmm, let's call her/him back."
Write your audition script, but be prepared to stay present enough to improvise when needed. Don't sabotage your script.
I often do workshops on the authenticity of auditioning. Something as seemingly frivolous as knowing what foot you used to step into the room with allows you to remain present and focused. You'd be amazed at how many of us are already over at the piano before we walk into the room! Literally!
Nerves are nasty things sometimes. However, I have learned to look at nervous energy as a sign that SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. So hone the nerves. Focus them. What do you want to focus them for? What can you focus them away from?
Know what happens when you aren't present and the nerves take over: do you laugh? Do you talk too quickly? Does your speaking voice get higher? Do you walk too quickly? Do you "snap" your answers?
We have to practice the audition to actually stay present in it when it happens.
Do it in front on the mirror. Do it with friends you trust.
Be aware of how you come across, and if you don't know, ask someone you trust.
If it's important to you, you have to find out what happens and how you come across.
It's all about you. Make it count TOWARD getting that call back or that possibility!
Be prepared.
Be focused.
Be serious about the work, and not take yourself so seriously.
Do the research, including the research on yourself.
Write the script. Play the script. Know your actions, and your decisions and your motivations.
Know who that person is who walks into the room. Know that person intimately. Know how to play that person. Know how that person responds, and reacts. Know what you that person will reveal and nothing more.
Make it about you. HONESTLY, AUTHENTICALLY, YOU.
Auditioning has come up again and again - of course.
Some of you freeze, some of you hate it, some of you love it, most of us view it as a necessary evil.
So, what is it? REALLY?
Guess what? It's about you.
It's about you doing your research on the company, the casting director, the artistic director, the "who's who" in the room;
It's about you doing your work on your voice and your repertoire that you are going to audition with;
It's about you doing your research to understand what you are actually auditioning for and what the requirements might be;
It's about you figuring out what flatters you physically, because we see you first;
It's about you figuring out how you walk into the room;
It's about you knowing how you come across honestly;
It's about you learning how to reveal only what is necessary;
It's about you being comfortable in your own skin, in your own preparation, in your own time, and being okay with that;
It's about YOU.
Thinking about THEM simply takes you out of the game.
What are you there to do? Are you prepared to do that? What have you done to get you there? Are you present in that knowledge and that commitment?
There are no apologies, no "yeah, buts", no self-sabotages, no over-revealing, no over-sharing, no extras.
Auditioning is like a job interview, yes. Even more intimately, auditioning is like a first date. If it's not a blind date, you have done your research. If it feels like it might be a good match for you, you are simply focused on getting a second date!
Revealing too much on that first date can make them suddenly have an emergency and leave; or simply not call you again. Be aware of what you are revealing. DECIDE on that. Nobody needs to know everything on a first date. The panel doesn't have to see all of it at an audition.
They need to see just enough to be intrigued enough to say "hmmm, let's call her/him back."
Write your audition script, but be prepared to stay present enough to improvise when needed. Don't sabotage your script.
I often do workshops on the authenticity of auditioning. Something as seemingly frivolous as knowing what foot you used to step into the room with allows you to remain present and focused. You'd be amazed at how many of us are already over at the piano before we walk into the room! Literally!
Nerves are nasty things sometimes. However, I have learned to look at nervous energy as a sign that SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. So hone the nerves. Focus them. What do you want to focus them for? What can you focus them away from?
Know what happens when you aren't present and the nerves take over: do you laugh? Do you talk too quickly? Does your speaking voice get higher? Do you walk too quickly? Do you "snap" your answers?
We have to practice the audition to actually stay present in it when it happens.
Do it in front on the mirror. Do it with friends you trust.
Be aware of how you come across, and if you don't know, ask someone you trust.
If it's important to you, you have to find out what happens and how you come across.
It's all about you. Make it count TOWARD getting that call back or that possibility!
Be prepared.
Be focused.
Be serious about the work, and not take yourself so seriously.
Do the research, including the research on yourself.
Write the script. Play the script. Know your actions, and your decisions and your motivations.
Know who that person is who walks into the room. Know that person intimately. Know how to play that person. Know how that person responds, and reacts. Know what you that person will reveal and nothing more.
Make it about you. HONESTLY, AUTHENTICALLY, YOU.
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