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Newbie to Acting and Need to Audition
I am currently in my first year of university and decided to try to join a Drama Association. I went to an interview where I was asked a few questions and in about a week and a half I have to audition. They require me to do an improvisation, a monologue (which was chosen during the interview at random, but they still haven't sent me what monologue I'm supposed to be doing), and some sort of artistic presentation (recite a poem, a dance, singing, etc.). The thing is that I have acted before but nothing too big. I'm basically a newbie to theatre. I'm having trouble with the artistic presentation I need to bring - I seriously have got no idea what I should do. Its a theatre audition so I don't know just ‘what' would be preferred. I like singing and dancing a lot, but its not like I'm an expert in either one. I'm super nervous because I have never done anything like this and I'm afraid I'll screw up and look like an idiot. What tips should I follow through? Anything I should avoid?
PS. I'm a girl, although its not really that important, I don't care about acting male or female parts.
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Maybe give some free advice about: Theater?
My only experience with acting was at a very large church who put on several plays a year and had a drama teacher and a drama team of which I applied for. But we all had to do improvisations, because it was one of the best ways our teacher had to take people who had no experience in drama and get them to loosen up and have fun and be themselves and allow their creative juices to start flowing and basically trust themselves.
Since improv is the creative activity of immediate ("in the moment") acting or singing or playing of music, there is no wrong way to go about it. So thats why you have not been told ahead of time what you will be told to do once on stage. To know ahead of time would mean it was no longer improvisation.
I'll give an example: Your on stage and told to play the part of a mother and a Dr who is telling you that your child was in an accident and is in emergency. The options are endless. You could play a single mom and this child is your only family as you were an orphan. You could have a husband and need to call him at work to tell him and then act the scene of what happens when you are in the waiting room awaiting the Dr. coming to give news of your child. You can choose to have him tell you your child will survive or that he'll be in ICU and it will be touch and go for a while. If you want, you can toss in calling your church to have the pastor and others start praying for you. Put emotion into it. Just for that short time, really imagine how you'd feel if you were that person.
I got to watch two on stage performances of plays where there was only one person playing all the parts and they spoke the roles of multiple people and it was great. One was the Bethlehem Christmas story by a visiting actor to our church, the other, my husbands boss's neighbor. This neighbor lady was gay and decided to create her own monologue play depicting the tough issues that LGBT people come up against in life and how they might feel as they are going through it and it was great. Its not props or things that you have in prov, its your imagination, its like being a story teller, creating a story on the spot, like writing a scene in a novel but instead of just reciting your story out loud to an audience, you act out the events that unfold between several people and act out their parts.
To get used to doing this before the date, ask your family to help you. Have them sit in the living room as your audience and each one take a turn to give you a scenerio to act on the spot. Once you've done this a lot of times, it becomes easier and easier. You may fumble at first for ideas but the thing is to come up with an idea quickly and just go with it. It can be short, just a couple minutes but a lot can be conveyed in that time so have family or friends help this way and set a timer so you only have maybe 3 minutes to do the one improv before going on to the next. Its actually lots of fun. I'd love to host a party and have all the guests do improv as a party game. Practice ahead to become good at doing improv and you'll be able to handle whatever they throw at you once you're on stage.
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Theatre auditions are so much different than straight up acting auditions. While acting auditions expect you to be composed and "natural", Theatre auditions are quite the opposite. Since it is a life performance, Theatre requires their actors and actresses to be enthusiastic, and animated. Depending on the play you are acting in. I would suggest choosing a monologue that offers a wide expression of your emotional strength. If your acting strength is portraying anger, choose a monologue that is an argument. Use facial expressions, hand gestures, and use the stage to your full advantage.
Don't hold back and look uncomfortable on stage, theatre directors will know by your body language and voice. Be loud, and have fun. Directors look for people who can have fun on stage and portray a character properly. If you feel most comfortable dancing, then find a way to add dance into your audition.
Drink lots of water the night before, don't go on an empty stomach, do the best you can to settle your nerves, get lots of sleep, and have a game plan! Knowing what you are going to do on stage before an audition is so important- unless improvisation is your best feature.
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