Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Auditions involving 130 middleschoolers

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Karin
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Topic: Auditions involving 130 middleschoolers
Posted: 12/28/06 at 10:44am

This is my third year as middleschool play director and I am looking for suggestions on how to run a smooth audition. During my first year, 70 students showed up in our auditorium for auditions.... last year 100.... I wouldn't be surprised if 120 showed up this year. In terms of the process, all students were given numbers pinned on their shirts and a sheet with various lines to read. They were also asked to "walk across stage like an old man" and given lines to read in an "excited or angry" tone. Five teachers joined me as judges to select the 40 students callbacked for a second audition later that week. The auditions lasted 3 hours each afternoon. There must be a better way. Any suggestions on how I can improve the process?

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B-M-D
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Posted: 12/28/06 at 11:23am

Sounds like things were fairly organized and with that many auditionees it may be tough to cut down on the time. With a 120 kids at the initial audition that's an average of 1.5 minutes per child. With the 40 it's 4.5. I'd say you're doing great timewise.

How about having your intial audition over two days rather than one. It would give people another choice and perhaps cut down on the waiting time for the kids.

I'd be thankfull that even half that many middle schoolers are even interested in doing a play! There are more than a few schools that would love to have your problem!

Good luck!

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard."

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Playwright
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Posted: 12/28/06 at 3:23pm

I second B-M-D's idea. I was going to suggest something like that.

Perhaps break the audition days into grades or classes. I'm not up on what grade levels are in middle schools as they don't have very many of those here in my city. We have grades JK/SK/1 to 8 in one school. Then high schools with grades 9 to 12.

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 12/31/06 at 5:07pm

120 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS??? - in one room???

God Bless You.

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jphock
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Posted: 12/31/06 at 6:13pm

I believe the only viable way to improve this process is to consume 2 perfectly mixed cocktails (of your choice) just before you begin.

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MartyW
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Posted: 1/01/07 at 4:40pm

sounds like the right plan overall... I have been on casting committes for Annie and Sound of Music... each had about 200 kids showing up for 7 roles... The only trick I used was a digital camera, so I could put the name, and number with a face... BUT .. If you know them all that well, your doing great from what I can see..

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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Techiemama
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Posted: 1/02/07 at 7:43am

We recently ran auditions and cast 90 middle school students. We selected a scene from the play we had chosen, with multiple roles and had them read the roles they were auditioning for stressing that even though they were reading for a part, they were being considered for all parts. It worked out fine for our time constraints and we were able to get a good look and listen to kids and made notes well enough to cast them. Some hearts were broken, but such is life in the audition process.

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avcastner
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Posted: 1/19/07 at 3:28pm

120 kids? Goodness! I would have come up with some sort of paperwork indicating all the rehearsal times and hard work required--try to scare a few off before it even started.

Other than that, you look like you have the right idea!

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jdlewallen
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Posted: 1/20/07 at 10:51pm

The title of this thread sounds like one of Dante's punishments from one of the lower levels of Hell...... LOL

Best of luck with this one!!

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lwood
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Posted: 3/29/07 at 3:39pm

My town's middle school is the same way. For one thing, talk to a few of your former cast members who've moved up to the high school about coming back to student direct. I've student directed two shows so far, and we handle the crowd control/talking/whatever else the director doesnt have time to do so that the director can focus on the job at hand.

As far as auditions go, we always have over 100 kids, so we do the initial auditions over 3 days--1 day for each grade. They start out in the auditorium and are seperated into groups of 10 based on their last name (the assigned groups are printed out on a big paper which they check when they arrive at auditions.)

The groups are taken out for the singing, cold readings, and dance auditions while all the groups not being used stay in the auditorium and do homework. The student directors (and sometimes our producer) get the kids where they need to be and when the groups arent being used we take a polaroid of each group (and write teh names of the kids underneath) for the director to refer to during casting.

the following week, a general callback list is posted so the director can see actors from various grades audition at the same time. They are usually given some sheet music (the day the callback list is posted) which they are asked to learn before the callbacks, which is a big help for our music director.

its probably too late for this year, but this system works fairly well and can be relatively organized. good luck! =D

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Topic: Auditions involving 130 middleschoolers( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
Karin Lead Joined: 12/27/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 47	Topic: Auditions involving 130 middleschoolers Posted: 12/28/06 at 10:44am
	This is my third year as middleschool play director and I am looking for suggestions on how to run a smooth audition. During my first year, 70 students showed up in our auditorium for auditions.... last year 100.... I wouldn't be surprised if 120 showed up this year. In terms of the process, all students were given numbers pinned on their shirts and a sheet with various lines to read. They were also asked to "walk across stage like an old man" and given lines to read in an "excited or angry" tone. Five teachers joined me as judges to select the 40 students callbacked for a second audition later that week. The auditions lasted 3 hours each afternoon. There must be a better way. Any suggestions on how I can improve the process?

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B-M-D Celebrity Joined: 11/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 346	Posted: 12/28/06 at 11:23am
	Sounds like things were fairly organized and with that many auditionees it may be tough to cut down on the time. With a 120 kids at the initial audition that's an average of 1.5 minutes per child. With the 40 it's 4.5. I'd say you're doing great timewise. How about having your intial audition over two days rather than one. It would give people another choice and perhaps cut down on the waiting time for the kids. I'd be thankfull that even half that many middle schoolers are even interested in doing a play! There are more than a few schools that would love to have your problem! Good luck!
	BD "Dying is easy, comedy is hard."
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Playwright Celebrity Joined: 4/01/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 126	Posted: 12/28/06 at 3:23pm
	I second B-M-D's idea. I was going to suggest something like that. Perhaps break the audition days into grades or classes. I'm not up on what grade levels are in middle schools as they don't have very many of those here in my city. We have grades JK/SK/1 to 8 in one school. Then high schools with grades 9 to 12.
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 12/31/06 at 5:07pm
	120 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS??? - in one room??? God Bless You.
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jphock Lead Joined: 10/21/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 35	Posted: 12/31/06 at 6:13pm
	I believe the only viable way to improve this process is to consume 2 perfectly mixed cocktails (of your choice) just before you begin.
	IP Logged

MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 1/01/07 at 4:40pm
	sounds like the right plan overall... I have been on casting committes for Annie and Sound of Music... each had about 200 kids showing up for 7 roles... The only trick I used was a digital camera, so I could put the name, and number with a face... BUT .. If you know them all that well, your doing great from what I can see..
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
	IP Logged

Techiemama Player Joined: 1/02/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/02/07 at 7:43am
	We recently ran auditions and cast 90 middle school students. We selected a scene from the play we had chosen, with multiple roles and had them read the roles they were auditioning for stressing that even though they were reading for a part, they were being considered for all parts. It worked out fine for our time constraints and we were able to get a good look and listen to kids and made notes well enough to cast them. Some hearts were broken, but such is life in the audition process.
	IP Logged

avcastner Star Joined: 12/21/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 85	Posted: 1/19/07 at 3:28pm
	120 kids? Goodness! I would have come up with some sort of paperwork indicating all the rehearsal times and hard work required--try to scare a few off before it even started. Other than that, you look like you have the right idea!
	IP Logged

jdlewallen Player Joined: 1/11/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Posted: 1/20/07 at 10:51pm
	The title of this thread sounds like one of Dante's punishments from one of the lower levels of Hell...... Best of luck with this one!!
	IP Logged

lwood Player Joined: 2/10/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 3/29/07 at 3:39pm
	My town's middle school is the same way. For one thing, talk to a few of your former cast members who've moved up to the high school about coming back to student direct. I've student directed two shows so far, and we handle the crowd control/talking/whatever else the director doesnt have time to do so that the director can focus on the job at hand. As far as auditions go, we always have over 100 kids, so we do the initial auditions over 3 days--1 day for each grade. They start out in the auditorium and are seperated into groups of 10 based on their last name (the assigned groups are printed out on a big paper which they check when they arrive at auditions.) The groups are taken out for the singing, cold readings, and dance auditions while all the groups not being used stay in the auditorium and do homework. The student directors (and sometimes our producer) get the kids where they need to be and when the groups arent being used we take a polaroid of each group (and write teh names of the kids underneath) for the director to refer to during casting. the following week, a general callback list is posted so the director can see actors from various grades audition at the same time. They are usually given some sheet music (the day the callback list is posted) which they are asked to learn before the callbacks, which is a big help for our music director. its probably too late for this year, but this system works fairly well and can be relatively organized. good luck! =D
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