Slidell
Little Theatre is holding auditions March 9 and 10 for everyone’s favorite
musical, “Kiss Me, Kate.”
Audition
times are 7 p.m. both nights.
Directed
by Renee Saussaye, the musical features a number of roles for men and women of various
ages. Auditions are open to the public.
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| Renee Saussaye |
Prior
to the auditions, Renee offers her Top 10 Audition Tips …
1.
Act. Don’t just read.
Remember,
you are auditioning to act in a play. Yes, there are times when simply
being a cute little kid is enough, but for the most part, we are looking for
actors. So many people stand before the director and read the lines they
were given that when someone really tries to act out the part they make a big
impression. And that’s what you want…to stand out from the crowd.
2.
Bring a photo.
You
need to do everything you can to help the director remember who you are, and
not blend in with the crowd. That becomes much more difficult to do if
the director can’t place a face with the audition form. When you turn
your photo in during registration it is attached to the audition form, so when
we look at your form at the end of the auditions we can remember who you are.
3.
Learn a little bit about the play you are auditioning for.
The
more you understand the play and the characters, the more you will be able to
do with the piece of script you will be given to audition with.
4. Take
the time you need to prepare.
Remember
Rule #1 – Act. Don’t just read. Once you are given your piece of
script, take some time to get familiar with the part you are given to audition
with. Don’t worry that it isn’t the part you want in the play.
Parts will be assigned after the auditions. We just want to know
that you have the ability to actually act. If you did your research and
learned a little bit about the play, you can start to make some decisions about
how to play the part during your audition.
5.
Slow down and enunciate every word.
One
sure sign of nervousness is speeding through the lines. When you talk too
fast it is harder to make sure each word is understood, and the emotion that
should accompany those words does not come through. Slow down and make
sure you say each word clearly.
6. If you make a mistake, battle though it.
Even
the best actors occasionally make mistakes on stage. But good actors know
how to work through their mistakes without letting the audience realize that a
mistake was made.
One
of the things we are looking for is poise. We want to know how you will
react when things don’t go as rehearsed. If you fall apart during an
audition, it doesn’t give the director much confidence that you will react well
on the nights of the show. If you do
make a mistake, don’t apologize. Don’t ask to start over. Just pick
up from where the mistake was made and push forward.
7. Try
to come early.
In
order to make the best impression, you should make every effort to come
earlier. Not only are we fresher and more alert, there are also fewer
auditions for the director to compare you to. The later in the auditions
it gets, the harder it is to make an impression, and to have the director
remember you and your performance.
8.
Don’t be too cocky.
No
one is guaranteed a spot in a play. It doesn’t matter what other roles
you have had, or what other theaters you have worked with. If we decide
you are not the right fit for the role, you will not get the part. If you
have good acting experience, and you audition well, you greatly increase you
chances of getting cast. If you come across as being someone that is hard
to work with, it makes it much more difficult for the director to give you a
part. After all, who wants to take on a headache?
I
have seen quite a few actors walk into an audition because they just assume
they will be given a part, and their audition is flat and uninspiring.
Then they are shocked when they didn’t get a major role in the play.
If you are taking the director’s time to go through the audition, you
need to give it your best. Every.
Time.
If
you have acting experience, we will know from the information on your audition
form or your resume. And we do like to see some previous experience, but again,
that does not guarantee you a part. It is not unusual that a person with
no previous acting experience gets a good part because they blew us away in the
auditions.
9.
Audition often.
One
of the biggest obstacles between you and getting cast in a play is your
nervousness. Nervousness makes you more timid. It makes you rely on
the script in your hand too much, so you end up reading and not acting.
It makes you talk too fast. It make you less memorable and more
likely to get lost in the crowd.
The
best way to overcome your nervousness is to practice. That means
auditioning more.
If
you don’t get the part, shake it off as a learning experience, and when
the next show rolls around, go out and audition again. The more you go
through the process, the easier it becomes.
10.
If you don’t get the part, don’t argue about it.
The
decisions about who to cast and who we have to say “no” to are not always easy.
There is a lot of discussion about who does and who does not get a role.
If the director decides that you are not the best fit for this show,
please respect their decision about what they feel is best for the show they
are directing. It doesn’t always mean that you had a bad audition, or
that you’re not a good actor. It just means that you were not the best
actor for this part in this show. Arguing
leave a bad impression on the people that cast the shows. You will not
change anyone’s mind. All it does is make it more difficult for the
director and producers to cast you in a future production. That being said, it is appropriate to ask
what you could do to improve so you have a better chance of getting into future
shows.
For
additional information about the production, please email your questions to Kate@slidelllittletheatre.org
“Kiss
Me, Kate” is presented through special arrangement with Tams Witmark Music
Library.
