I'm fortunate that I'm happy both sides of the back stage wall.  If I don't get a part I'll take a tech part.  In addition, I see the committment to theatre as a long term investment and if don't get a part in one show I know there will be another one in a few months.

That being said, the most fun I've had at auditions is when both the actors and the director are relaxed.  The best audition was probably was a Beauty & The Beast show where the director had everyone line up in different rows.  The head of each row would read for a part and once that was done, that person could get in any line for a part.  It was fast paced and everyone kept it light.  I didn't get the part I wanted, but I did enjoy the audition.

The Other MJ 

I prefer auditioning in front of a room, as I feel there's more energy for me to play off of in the scene I'm reading.  But I guess I'm hypocritical in that when I direct, I audition privately, because (I'll freely admit), although I give everyone a shot, some people I'll audition for much longer than others, or with different scenes, etc, just going on my gut of how I think they might fit, instead of seeing what different things each actor can bring to the one same monologue and only that.  Callbacks I do open, though.

My favorite audition as an actor was a few years back for Julius Caesar where the director wanted to really get a sense of our mob quality, so he'd have switch us out, having one of us read one of the funeral speeches whilst being heckled, and other such activities.  While improv games can be fun, I think they're inappropriate during an audition unless they contribute substantially to your evaluation of the actors (e.g., if the show requires a lot of physicality and an improv game would demonstrate that, etc.)

Well, obviously we disagree here.

For the many times I've had to suffer through an (or many) improv exercises during auditions, I've had maybe one time where I understood what purpose it served in evaluating us.

When I direct, I want to know how the actors interact with each other in THE PLAY I'M DIRECTING.  Stage presence, chemistry, creativity will come across in how they read the scenes/ monologues.  Leadership- I don't want actors who think they're natural leaders- they end up being pains in the ass.  I'm the leader.  And ability to work cooperatively in a group?  A bar to that usu. doesn't come across in auditions, improv or not.  I think most actors realize that they should convey civility during an audition.  And topical improvs, like telling about a family tradition... eh.  I don't care what your family tradition is, even if tradition is important to the show, as long as you can handle the character in the scene.

I think sometimes directors use improv not consciously to waste time but because they've been taught by some acting teacher that improv is valuable and don't know any better.  I've never found it to be valuable.  Obviously, you feel differently.  Maybe I just haven't been exposed to directors who understand it enough to use it well, but, in my experience thus far, it just ain't my style.

Yes, we'll agree to disagree on this.  Obviously we are looking for and see different things in improvs.  I guess if you know what to look for, the improv procedure will work better for you.

I have never been asked to or asked anyone to be an apple tree.  There are lots of other improv exercises out there that are pertinent and that deal with human interactions, situations, and emotions. Perhaps, as you say, you haven't been exposed to directors who know how to use it effectively, or who know the right types of improvs to use.

Improvs also let you see an honest representation of the potential of people who don't read aloud well, but who might give you a terrific performance when given the time to work on and memorize the lines. 

Let's also remember the topic....ways to make auditions fun and less tense.  I made the suggestion as a possible way of achieving this.  Some other people besides myself actually do enjoy improvs, and some even utilize them in auditions!  (see the following website:  http://www.aact.org/documents/AUD1.pdf  )

(I don't know if you have to be registered with the AACT message board to be able to access it or not.)

More suggested reading:  Stage Directions Guide to Auditions by Stephen Peithman (AACT website webmaster) and Neil Offen, ISBN 0-325-00083-2.

Love these spirited discussions!

I use improv as part of the audition when improv is part of the performance. In 1940's Radio Hour the first 10 muinutes plus are completely improved. I don't ask actors to sing & dance at auditions for a straight show, or do a dramatic monologue for musical comedy. If they need to improv, I include it as part my auditions. I want to see what their strenghts are in relationship to what I need them to do.

Linda