How to audition for a play
How I did it: Well, this might be a little convoluted from me since I went to college for theatre. I did shows in high school, two colleges, and now I do whatever shows come my way. Let's do this like the play I just got cast in. I found the casting call, figured out if they wanted prepared pieces or cold readings. Looked around the internet for character information since I didn't have time to read the play before hand. Went to the audition was very polite, smiled a lot, and generally looked like I would be fun to work with. Read as well as I could. And thanked everyone when I left.
Lessons & tips: Know as much as you can! If you can read the play, do it! Smile and be nice to everyone there. Have fun! I like to look at auditioning as a chance to A) Change someone's mind and B) to play a character like I think they should be played before the director changes it. One of the best things you can do at auditions it just make a decision about your character and commit to it, even if it's the wrong decision. One way to see what decisions you should make: if you get to watch the others audition for the same parts, watch what they do, if they all do the same action on the same line, change it up. If nothing else you'll stand out and give the director some relief from the same boring ideas.
What I like to do to, is to tell myself it's okay if I don't get cast. That way I won't be as nervous when I read. There will always be more shows!
Resources: My time earning and A.S. and a B.A. in theatre helped the most. And just watching others at auditions, shows, rehearsals...you learn a lot for watching others.
A book that can help An Actor Prepares by Stanislavski. It's a little tough to get use to, but it's the foundation to most acting in this country.
