Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2011 Audition Technique: A Survival Guide (For College Undergraduate Students) Meghan Kelleher Virginia Commonwealth University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.edu/etd Part of the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.edu/etd/212 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact libcompass@vcu. AUDITION TECHNIQUE: A SURVIVAL GUIDE (FOR COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS) A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University by Meghan Kathleen Kelleher BA Musical Theatre, Emory & Henry College, 2007 Dr.
Barnes, Director of Graduate Studies, Theatre Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia May, 2011 ii Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge Lorri Lindberg, Noreen Barnes, and Amy Baumgartner Hutton for their support on this project. I would like to thank the students who participated in my audition workshops, audition technique classes, and coaching sessions, especially Sarah, Carla, Jackie, Antonio, Maddy, and Shatera; your courage, talent, and willingness to take risks was inspiring. Thank you also to the teachers, actors, and casting directors who have shared their wisdom throughout the years. A special thank you to Anna Kurtz for her caring heart and for being my copilot on this journey, Mandy Butler for her keen eye, my father for his unending support, and Nate for his love and compassion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .8 Chapter One: Get a Job: That Pays You.11 Strengths and Weaknesses.12 Chapter Two: Before The Audition .14 How to Choose Your Pieces .14 Rehearsing Your Pieces.19 Do Your Homework.21 Chapter Three: The Actor’s Toolbox.30 Chapter Four: The Look.36 Chapter Five: The Audition .39 Speaking to the Accompanist.40 The Slate is Your Friend.44 The Dreaded Dance Call.44 Chapter Six: After the Audition.47 The Audition Journal.53 Books for Further Reading.54 Appendix A: Songs & Monologues to Avoid.55 Appendix B: Where To Find Auditions.56 Appendix C: Resume Example.60 Appendix D: Essence Questionnaire.61 Appendix E: Audition Journal.62 Appendix F: Course Proposal, Syllabus, SETC Proposal.74 v Abstract AUDITION TECHNIQUE: A SURVIVAL GUIDE (FOR COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ) By Meghan Kathleen Kelleher, MFA. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Dr.D, Theatre Many great actors don’t work and many mediocre actors do. Why? The perfect monologue and great song isn’t enough to get you hired.
Sadly, students are not prepared and equipped with the necessary skill set to take control of their careers. In this economic climate, the ability to audition could not be more imperative. In this thesis, readers will be introduced to the basics of audition technique as developed for Theatre majors at Virginia Commonwealth University as a precursor to their senior year. It will guide them through the first stage of their career.
Furthermore, there are unspoken rules, etiquette, and untapped opportunities of which many young actors are simply unaware when auditioning. Through the exploration of auditioning as a technique and not just a means to an end, students will find confidence, understanding, and the tools to prepare them to be successful in gaining employment in the theatre. An Introduction In a article I read somewhere, a writer discussed bed bug outbreaks in hotels, particularly in New York, and expressed the need for more “bed bug checkers.” She then went on to say that her best employees were “out of work” actors. She loved working with entertainers because they were flexible, able to deal with high stress situations, and could work quickly.
Out-of-work actors who survive by working in unskilled jobs is not uncommon; in fact, it is almost a cliché. Why are so many actors not doing what they love? Why are they not using the degrees they earned? These are the questions I have asked myself for years. Every time I heard of a friend who had “quit the business,” or another who had “given up,” or another who was “pursuing other interests,” I felt troubled. My disappointment came from the fact that most of the stories were of actors giving up on lifelong dreams, even though they were naturally talented, creative, and they had attended good schools.
Slowly, I came to conclude that there was one reason these actors had failed: they had not been taught the business side of theatre. Since I was a teen, I have been aware of the importance of audition technique. As a teenager, I decided to audition for an Equity production of Rapunzel. I came to the audition knowing nothing about what was expected of me.
I did a respectable job at the audition, but I did not get the part. After the crush of not getting cast followed by the disappointment and 6 jealousy of seeing my friends perform on opening night while I remained in the audience, I decided that I would learn as much as I could before the next audition. I read several audition books; I took a musical theatre class; I read over a dozen books on acting, and I sought advice on how to format my first professional resume. I even made my first “head shot” with the family camera and the help of editing software at the local pharmacy.
I practiced my songs and monologues for hours on end. I was convinced that preparation would result in success. Eight months later, my work paid off. I was cast as Charlotte in the musical Oliver!, and then went on to perform in eleven productions at Mill Mountain Theatre before my high school graduation.
This experience and subsequent audition experiences have continually proven to me that preparation is a key component to acting success. Next, I went off to a small college in Southwest Virginia to earn a degree in theatre. Three months into college, a friend called me from the theatre conservatory she was attending and told me about the courses she was taking at her school. She boasted about the training she was receiving, the shows in their season, and how she could not wait to start auditioning for summer stock companies.
At my liberal arts school, I had only taken one acting class; the rest of my courses were general education. I worried that I would not be taken seriously in the professional world because I was not attending a “serious” program. Always competitive in nature, I began to study on my own. I read every book on auditioning and marketing I could get my hands on.
I persuaded a regional theater to let me sit behind the casting table at their next open call. I began auditioning anywhere and everywhere, and by the time summer stock season came along, I was ready! That summer, I booked a great season at a dinner theater that housed 7 and paid me. I could not have been more proud of myself. This strategy has worked for me; I have never been without an acting job since graduating from college.
I wish I had stories to tell about the time I was discovered as the next big talent, or how my hard work finally paid off when I got cast in my first national television spot or Broadway show. If I told you these anecdotes, I would be lying. I can, however, tell you how an average looking girl of average talent, from a small town and college, decided she would become a professional actor and did. Not only did I work as a professional actor, but I paid all of my bills with acting too! There is simply no way for me to credit all the information I have gained throughout the years, or to even figure out to whom it should be attributed.
I was very lucky in that I learned from others’ mistakes, was mentored by successful actors, and was taught by talented directors and casting directors who gave me some invaluable advice. It is through these experiences that I have distilled the information I present here. However, be sure to look in the back of this thesis for suggestions of books to continue your study should you want further explanations. In gathering my experiences and this information, it is my hope that more talented actors will not be forced to give up their dreams because they lack the skills to audition well.
Designing a Class In the current economic climate, unemployment is particularly common among actors. Therefore, it is even more imperative that we teach our students to survive and succeed in the business. So critical is this component to the actor’s success, that presenting oneself well through auditioning techniques should be considered a core skill in the development of an actor. 8 In 2009, I saw the need for an undergraduate audition technique course at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
I set about creating such a course with a colleague, Anna K. Kurtz, who shared the same vision. We recognized that senior theatre students at VCU were given extensive training in business skills and audition technique their senior year. We felt, in order to fully develop a business mindset, the students needed to be introduced to the ins-and outs of auditioning earlier in their actor training.
Like VCU, many universities wait until the senior year to teach these tools which puts many students at a disadvantage. Earlier introduction would emphasize the importance of professional presentation, enable the students to develop these skills while they learned acting skills, and serve as a precursor to their senior year. Furthermore, presenting audition techniques early in their training would encourage the student to pursue summer work and other acting opportunities, thereby further developing their confidence and their resumes. In 2010, we began our first semester of this new course.
We quickly saw success in our students’ abilities and confidence. They performed better at auditions, and many of them passed the Southeastern Theatre Conference screening auditions for the first time. In 2011, encouraged by this success, the course was offered a second time and will be offered for a third time next year. It has been a joy to see these students realize their potential and channel their unique gifts in a way that makes them hirable.
With this training I believe they will be ready for more advanced application of this work in their senior level classes. You can refer to the course information and syllabus in Appendix F in the back for further explanation. This thesis is based on the class developed for Virginia Commonwealth University theatre students but is written for all undergraduate theatre students who are ready to begin their 9 journey into the professional theatre world. It has been my privilege to share what I have learned throughout the years to students of all ages in various auditioning workshops and classes.
This is not meant to replace an entire audition course, but rather to serve as an introduction and a simple survival guide to young theatre students as they begin their trek to becoming a professional actor, as well as to empower them to make their careers happen for themselves. These are the ideas that I currently present in the classes I teach, and I hope they will prove to be as successful for you as they have been for me and my students. 10 Chapter One: Get a Job That Pays You.For Acting! Congratulations! You are now Chief Executive Officer of “You, Incorporated.” Today, you have become the leader, as well as the only shareholder, of your very own company. Now, this may sound extreme, but there is a reason it is called “show business.” It is a business--a business in which you can work.
Don’t believe professors who paint a gloomy picture of acting opportunities or try to dissuade you from your dreams.