Auditions

Auditions Tips

If you’re auditioning for the first time at NBYT—or anywhere else—you might be nervous, but so is just about everybody else! The important part is to be prepared, do your best, and have fun!

For plays, the director will ask you to read a few lines from the script. You may read with someone else who is auditioning, and the director might ask you to try saying the lines some different ways. If you have trouble reading a word or line, don’t be afraid to ask the director about it. Make character choices of your own, but also listen to the director’s suggestions! The director wants to know if you can take some direction and make some interesting choices. Remember that you’re performing, not just reading! For some auditions, you might also be asked to prepare a monologue. Contact a Teaching Artist at NBYT if you need help choosing a monologue or need some coaching to prepare for an audition.

For musicals, you might be taught something short to sing or you might be asked to have something prepared to sing. When you sing, there sometimes might be an accompanist to play music for you,  you sometimes might be allowed to play pre-recorded music, or you might be asked to sing a cappella, which means without accompaniment. The music director will look for you to be loud, be on key, and be confident. If you make a mistake, just keep going. And if the director tells you to stop, don’t worry that it’s because you’re bad—it’s just because they’ve heard enough to know your voice. Just like reading, remember that you’re performing and not just saying (or singing) words and lines!

Overall, the most important thing to know for your audition are these:

• be prepared
• look and sound confident and enthusiastic
• be entertaining or emotional
• be loud and clear
• be polite
• do your best
• HAVE FUN!