Though I have done both kinds of auditions, I prefer the closed door audition.  First off, there is no distractions, you don't have someone trying to prepare for their audition at the sametime as the auditioner.  Secondly, I like to see auditioners show me their idea of the character and not copy what the last person just did.  And lastly, this allows me to work with the actor in various ways, i.e. my committee and I can have them read a character differently to see if they will take direction well.  Like having Maria Von Trapp not the nice nun that she is but rather have her as a controlling school marm that hates children.  This is merely an exercise but allows me to see how they can take direction and create the character together.

Speaking as both an actor and director, I prefer an open audition.  When I am auditioning, having an audience there to play to seems to add a spark to what I'm doing (all right, I'm made of pork) and when I'm auditioning other actors, I like to see how they respond to having an audience in front of them.  I think you get a better and truer performance from them.

As a director and performer I HATE open auditions and the reason is the "cattiness" of many performers and now that I run a mostly youth theater group I have seen the parents and it is just not fair to have these "stage moms and dads" critique these kids!

Originally posted by B-M-D Originally posted by krisk71 As a director and performer I HATE open auditions and the reason is the "cattiness" of many performers ...... Well doesn't that just go with the territory?   Some performers are going to be catty and diva like. It's not like they're sudedenly like that because it's an open audution.   It's simply the way they are.   I still prefer an open format.

yes, those people are always going to be around, in fact you'll see them at almost every audition because rarely are they busy actually DOING a show. Closing the audition won't stop cattiness or the pathetic psych out techniques employed by some "actors", it will only move it into the hallway where the cats will feel free to be a little louder and a little meaner.

I use closed auditions. Why should people who are not casting the show be hanging around, watching? While there is not a lot of time for "chat" in an audition it is an opportunity for the person auditioning to ask the director a questiion or to make a comment that might be something they don't want to discuss in the presence of a group of onlookers.