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Thanks
to all who submitted!
You will receive
notification by mail by mid-July.
EQUITY AUDITIONS:
MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 10:00AM-6:00PM
NON-EQUITY AUDITIONS:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 10:00AM-6:00PM
The
New Jersey Theatre Alliance, the consortium of the state’s
professional (Actor’s Equity) theatres, will hold auditions in
New Brunswick, NJ on Monday, August 11th,
10:00am-6:00pm, for Equity performers; and Tuesday, August 12th
, 10:00am-6:00pm, for non-Equity performers. Over 25
professional theatres are expected to be in attendance.
Please
remember that we are in the process of moving our office and
may not be able to respond to your questions until the end of
July.
AUDITION
TIPS
MATERIAL SELECTION
(Non-Singers):
Length: You have
2½ minutes. In order for us to stay on schedule, you will be
timed. Please make sure your material fits easily into the
allotted time frame. Do not try to fit a lot of material into
this short amount of time. It is wiser to simply do what you
do best and not rush through your material.
Versatility: Two
contrasting monologues are preferred: one contemporary, one
classic; one comedic, one dramatic. Show us your range and
your strengths as an actor; introduce us to who you are.
Select material which is well rehearsed. You can also perform
one monologue, if it is your best. Just make sure it shows
range and fits into the time frame.
The
theatres range widely in the type of material they produce.
While few actually present Shakespearean plays, most are
interested in seeing evidence of classical training. If you
do not have a Shakespearean monologue that YOU DO WELL,
consider another classic writer who does not write in verse.
Appropriateness to Performer:
Select material that is appropriate to your age, experience
and your type. If you are 18, do not select Amanda in Glass
Menagerie; try Laura. Seems obvious, but too many people
are drawn to a monologue because it is strong, funny or
because it provides emotional material. A good monologue is
not a good monologue unless it shows us your range, your
essence and how we might cast you. Be realistic. It should
be a character you might actually play.
Appropriateness to Company:
Do some research before you determine the most appropriate
monologue material. We suggest you check our website
www.njtheatrealliance.org to see what our member theatres
are producing.
Originality: Do not
be afraid to use over done material. If it is a great
monologue and one where you excel, use it. Monologues are
usually overdone because they are terrific monologues. Trust
in the well-known playwrights, they are usually well-known for
a reason. Writing your own monologue, adapting a poem/song,
or picking a monologue that is not from a play/musical is
usually not the way to go.
It is
also risky to do monologues that bemoan the fate of the actor
or attack the auditor. It can sound like sour grapes or
whining, and can shut the auditor down.
Taste:
The most prevalent complaint our auditors want you to know:
PLEASE DO NOT CHOOSE MATERIAL THAT IS VULGUAR, OBSCENE, OR
TASTELESS. Do not attempt to “grab” our attention or be
memorable by using insulting language or images. Do not
take off your clothes. Certainly, you want to be
memorable, but be memorable because you have made us laugh or
moved us. For the same reason, do not pick a piece for shock
value; it is ineffective in getting the audience’s attention.
Well
Written Material:
A strong monologue should have a journey. There should be an
arc, a peak; a resolution…something about the character is
different at the end than at the beginning.
THE AUDITION
Appearance: Remember
this is a job interview so dress appropriately.
Be neat, organized and in
control. Be yourself. Not only are we deciding if you are
right for a particular role, but we are also consciously (or
unconsciously) deciding if we would enjoy working with you.
Your
Introduction: The
way you enter, look at the auditors and say your name, and the
title of your piece(s) is as important as the audition
itself. Do not explain your piece…it should work on its own.
If you need to explain it, you do not have the right piece.
Point
of Focus: You
should NOT
direct the monologue to the auditor. It can make us very
uncomfortable. We suddenly feel that we have a responsibility
to react to the actor and keep eye contact with the actor so
we do not throw them. What we want to do is evaluate the
actor’s work, review their resume and take notes. We prefer
if you do not talk to a chair; but, select a point of focus
somewhere over the heads of the audience, in the center, or on
stage, where the other character would be. Do not select a
point that makes you face upstage for most of your monologue
so we only see your back.
Body
and Voice: These
auditions take place in a theatre; we need to know that you
can fill it. This does not mean you should scream at us, but
you should not perform your monologue as if you are in a small
audition room. Let us know you can project and that you can
move. If you play one monologue sitting, play the other
moving, or at least standing. We are not looking for
histrionics, but let us know you can walk, talk, and think
¾all
at the same time.
Running Overtime:
If the timekeeper cuts you off before your piece is finished,
accept it with good grace. It is not the timekeeper’s fault,
and glaring at him/her will only make you appear difficult in
the eyes of the auditors.
Resume: Please make
sure your resume is stapled to your picture and that it is
trimmed to the same size as your picture. It is easier for
the auditors to keep their files organized if all resumes are
a consistent size.
Make
sure your vital statistics are up-to-date and accurate, and be
sure a current and valid phone number is listed.
MUSICAL AUDITIONS
To
Sing or Not To Sing?:
You should sing if you believe you can be cast in a
professional production in a singing role. People who can
carry a tune should not sing just because they can. You do
not want people to hear you do something that you can not do
really well. Obviously, Moonface in Anything Goes does
not require the same technique and ability as Ravenal in
Showboat, but if you look and act like Ravenal and sing
like Moonface, you should not sing.
If you
consider yourself a singer and actor you should do a monologue
along with your song. Most of the auditors are casting for
both musicals and non-musicals.
Preparing your Music:
Make sure your sheet music is in good shape, in the right key,
and clearly marked for the accompanist. Do not expect the
accompanist to transpose your music for you on the spot.
Music
should not be on single sheets, printed front and back. It
should be mounted accordion-style or put in a ring binder.
If your
music was produced by a computer, have an accompanist
proofread it and be sure to indicate chords and tempo/dynamic
markings and lyrics.
If you
are transposing your song, consider the easier key for the
pianist.
Make sure
the pianist knows your tempo, even if it is a famous
song. It is not helpful to say “not too fast” or “medium”
because the accompanist might have a different idea of what
that means. Softly sing or speak the first line of music at
your speed.
Singing a
song that is too unique and obscure can potentially throw the
pianist off, and ultimately hurt your chances at impressing
the auditors.
If the
pianist has misunderstood you as you start to sing the song,
stop, say “I am sorry, I guess I did not explain” (even
if you did) and indicate the correction quietly at the piano.
It is never a good idea to attack the accompanist¾
it only makes you look temperamental and hard to work with.
We
suggest you consider singing AFTER your monologue. It gives
the accompanist a chance to look at your music while you are
doing your monologue.
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