musical auditions - audience
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2399
Printed Date: 11/23/24 at 1:26pm
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Topic: musical auditions - audience
Posted By: trutter
Subject: musical auditions - audience
Date Posted: 5/09/07 at 11:36am
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I have auditioned both ways, but I was wondering if people prefer the private-type musical auditions (where people come in one at a time), or the kind where everybody is in the auditorium watching everybody else. My personal feeling is that if they are scared to audition in front of everybody else, then they might be scared on stage. But someone else I talked to preferred bringing people in one at a time, so the other people auditioning couldn't get "clues" from those who came before. I will be auditioning tons of kids for high school musical in a couple of weeks and am trying to decide which to do. I already have restricted the vocal audition to "america the beautiful" for everybody. Thoughts? ------------- ------ Troy A. Rutter Author, "Kids in the Biz: A Hollywood Handbook for Parents" http://www.kidsinthebiz.com/ - http://www.kidsinthebiz.com/ A Heinemann Drama Publication |
Replies:
Posted By: biggertigger
Date Posted: 5/09/07 at 12:28pm
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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.
With many shows, especially HSM, the kids are very familiar with the characters and are going to try and "ape" the movie version. And that is fine if that is what you want for this show, but if you want to work with them, having closed door will allow them to focus better.
I wouldn't worry about stage fright for them, a small casting committee can be just as frightening as a large audience.
Good luck with your auditions. ------------- The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes. |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 5/09/07 at 12:31pm
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My preference when auditioning for anything either as a performer or director is to have it all "out there." This notion that someone will pick up "clues" or "hints" is a fantasy perpetrated by the untalented who haven't a clue as to what it takes or any notion of the variables that can go into casting a role.
Other than that I have no strong opinion one way or the other.  ------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 5/09/07 at 4:42pm
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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.
The idea of auditioning in front of only one or two people scares me silly. Luckily, I've only had to do that once in about 40 years! ------------- "I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!" |
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 5/10/07 at 1:46pm
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Also, been there, done that... To a certain degree, I can see the "music" side of the audition, but even then, if you can't see how they play off other people it's a limiter... Personally, when auditioning, I like to do it with an audience.... I have fun with it.. It's almost like a game show. Some times, I will have as much fun auditioning for a part that I don't get as one I do.. ------------- Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.." |
Posted By: krisk71
Date Posted: 5/10/07 at 4:00pm
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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!
So we bring groups of kids in- for HS Musical we did groups of 8-10 at a time - for my other shows I try to do groups of 5 at a time. All parents are not allowed in! I should mention my panel of 5 made the kids more nervous with fright than the parents would have!
------------- Kristina www.capitalareaproductions.com |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 5/10/07 at 5:52pm
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. ------------- BD
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: eveharrington
Date Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:34am
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. ------------- "If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights." |
Posted By: eveharrington
Date Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:38am
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OH YEAH, and as for catty parents, they shouldn't be allowed into the room and neither should anyone else who is NOT auditioning. That should go without saying. I can't stand it when I go to a CT audition and there is someone there who obviously knows people and has worked with them before talking about how they aren't going to read they just came to see what kind of turnout or whatever. What IS that? ------------- "If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights." |
Posted By: Theatrestation
Date Posted: 5/11/07 at 5:08am
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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. ------------- http://www.castbuilding.com http://www.theatrestation.com |
Posted By: jaytee060
Date Posted: 5/13/07 at 1:06pm
| If you have the luxury of time on your side i would choose closed, one on one auditions first and then have a group call-back of all your best auditioners. The call-backs are wonderful since you can see all the quality performers without the burden of trying to be fair to everyone. You can also see how they work with others and compare apperances and sizes at this time. It may sound a little rude but the first one on one audition is basically a weeding out type situation. After all, you know pretty fast when someone is not what you are looking for. |
Posted By: dougb
Date Posted: 5/15/07 at 10:21am
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I just started doing both. I bring a group of ten to twelve actors in for a group audition. We do improv games, movement games - things that are fun and that a brand new actor can do easily. I look for people to be part of the group, how they move and speak. It gives me a chance to see the new actor in an environment that does not single them out. I then give each actor a monolog and a scene to read and send them out to prepare. I then bring them back in one at a time and ask if they have anything prepared they would like to share then have them read a short piece of the monolog then give them some direction then the same with the scene using the SM as a scene partner. I have found that I am far more likely to successfully cast new people than I was under the old system. |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 5/15/07 at 1:00pm
I guess I'm old fashioned. I just throw 'em to the wolves and see who survives.
I think if you're a good actor you'll be good no matter what the audition "environment." I don't have alot of time for hand holding or caring about someone's preparation technique or worrying if thier aura is in the right place. Just give me what I'm looking for or wow me with something that makes me go "ahha I'm goin' with that!" A good actor like a good athlete will be able to "bring it" no matter if the setting is closed, open or group therapy. ------------- BD
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 5/15/07 at 5:57pm
| I just started doing a combination of both also, but in a different order then Doug. I have closed auditions first. I let everyone show me what they think their best is. I get to see how prepared they are for the auditions. I make my first cut decisions after the closed auditions. Then I have everyone come back for ensemble auditions. That way I can see who "plays well with others". I was amazed at the attitude change of a woman at my last audition. She was perfectly pleasant at the closed audition. She became snide, defensive and difficult when she was with the group. I would have never known until it was too late unless I had auditioned her with the ensemble. I like the combination. Linda |
Posted By: avcastner
Date Posted: 5/20/07 at 11:50am
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It depends on how many are trying out and how many spots I have.
If I have 90 trying out for 20 spots, I'll use a group audition to weed it down to a manageable number for callbacks.
Then I'll use callbacks for solos, duet, and trio auditions, based on the character groups. ------------- |