A pleasantly sunny #TechTuesday to all of you, Encore fans! With auditions for The Talented Clementine just a week away, today we have the pleasure of hearing advice from not one, but TWO, music directors who know a thing or two about talent themselves. Sarah Markovits and Astrid Lundberg will be teaming up to music direct our world premiere production and were gracious enough to share some words of wisdom with anyone who may be considering auditioning.
Some helpful steps for any audition (including Encore’s!):
1) Read the instructions carefully while preparing. There may be specific requirements for the types of song you’re allowed to prepare, specific information about yourself you need to provide, or even specific instructions for how to get into the building and find the right room! It would be a shame not to be completely prepared just because you missed a small piece of information.
2) Give yourself plenty of time to get there. You never know what’s going to hold you up on the journey or in the building, and if you’re running in to your audition late and in a panic, you won’t be in the right mindset to do your best.
3) Lots of people get tense while auditioning, but a tense body makes it harder to sing. If you feel yourself getting too anxious, breathe slowly, and try to relax your shoulders, jaw, and stomach muscles. It can also help to picture a place that makes you calm. I like to imagine my grandmother’s garden when I’m anxious, and it always makes me feel better.
4) Stay positive and engaged, even if you feel like you’ve made a mistake. You can politely ask to re-start a monologue or song if you feel really lost, but whatever happens, your confidence is more important than whether you did everything perfectly.
5) Don’t take it personally if you don’t get the part you want. Sometimes, directors are looking for a very specific thing, and you may not be that thing no matter how wonderful you are. If a girl with a beautiful high-pitched voice auditions for a show that only needs a low-pitched voice, the fact that she doesn’t get in doesn’t make her voice any less beautiful. Everyone hosting the audition will be happy to have seen you try your best, and rooting for you in the future!
~ Astrid (Assistant Music Director)
Projection
Teamwork
Creativity
Kindness
Let’s break those down a little bit:
Projection:
It is so important that those on stage are able to be comfortably heard by the audience – even the people sitting at the very back of the theatre. Whether you are singing or speaking, be sure to get a really good, low breath, and use the breath to support your sound. In an audition, you’ll usually be asked to tell us your name and something about yourself – it is important to speak loudly, slowly, and with enthusiastic joy! When you are asked to sing, we usually will sing a phrase and have you repeat it back. In this situation, I like to tell people it is important to not be afraid to make a loud mistake – even if you sing a wrong note, a bold singer is always noticed!
Teamwork:
I like to think of acting and singing as team sports. Everyone pulls together and relies on each other to make a show or a song really great. When everyone brings their very best attitude and hard work to the rehearsal, everyone gets to enjoy the rewards of a fantastic performance. In an audition, we want to see how well you work with others. Rather than trying to show us how great “you” are, can you show us how great “you all” are? Some kids are more comfortable as leaders, and others are more comfortable being led – we want to see you break out of your comfort zone!
Creativity:
This may seem like an obvious one – most theatre folk are creative, right?? If someone were to ask you in an audition to tell them your favorite color, for example, you could say, “My favorite color is blue.” This would be a perfectly fine response (if it had good Projection!) A more creative response might be, “My favorite color is the shade of blue right at the edge of a really puffy cloud, where it seems slightly hazy, but really bright at the same time.” Both responses provided the same basic information, but the second one shows us that you are thinking beyond the obvious!
Kindness:
Encore is a place where all kids are free to express themselves in a safe and fun way, no matter who they are. Bullying is not tolerated in any form. Many fast friendships have been forged in the rehearsal room! This can only happen when everyone treats each other with respect and kindness. In the audition, we look for outward signs of openness and kind behavior between those auditioning.
Can’t wait to see and hear your auditions for The Talented Clementine!
~ Sarah (Music Director)
Photo by Clarence Chan
We look forward to seeing you at auditions for The Talented Clementine on March 11th and 12th from 5 – 7 PM! Questions? Email us at info@encorestage.org and we’ll be happy to help.
Photos by Larry McClemons, Aileen Pangan Christian, Connie Polnow, Cindy Kane Photography, and Clarence Chan. Blog contribution by Shannon McCarthy.