Auditioning For Theatre May 8, 2019

Hi all,

We just finished up casting for a season at one of the regional rep companies that I have had the great fortune of working with every year.  For the most part, everyone did a really nice job and made me proud.  Actors came in with materials prepared, off book, scripts read, made choices that were interesting, and one actor even created his own map to scale as a prop.  Color me impressed!

All these audition details make for a really great audition and throw in a great attitude, a willingness to take direction and play a bit, and a sense of humor….well you have pretty  successful session with several actors being cast.  One glaring aspect was missing though, and suprising as this was from some of my most seasoned actors as well as newer ones,  I thought it prime time for a little blog time to give you all  a real quick tip.

It’s quite understandable that when you come in to an audition room you want to scale back your read vocally for the size of the room.  I’m sure nobody wants to feel like they are yelling in a small space or are to big for the environment.  This is true to be sure for film/tv.  You need to be very, very small, truthful and real.  That being said, when you come in for a theatre audition, the director is looking not only for your acting skills but making sure your vocal instrument is strong enough for their theatre and 8 shows a week.  So when an actor comes in and gives what seems to be a filmic auditiion for a 1000 seat house, the director and artistic director are instantly concerned that anyone past row B is going to hear you at all.  So, whenever you come in for a theatre audition, (and assuming you have checked out the the theatre, it’s size etc. so you know who you are auditioning for.) make sure you show off not only your acting chops, but your vocal chops as well.  Don’t pair it down for the audition room.  Give them a full, strong voice, and assure them not only can you reach row XX,  but you will sound amazing while doing it.  It is always easier to ask an actor to try it again, and not so big this time, than to send someone off disregarding them because you don’t think they have the vocal skills to fill the theatre.

Hope this helps!

Break a leg.

 

Slow Times…how to not freak out May 31, 2018

So it’s a gorgeous day on the last day of May, the sun is shinning and we are finally wearing shorts, all of summer to look forward to…but it’s so quiet in our business, you could hear a pin drop in our casting studio.  So how do you as an actor not freak out when all the auditions come to a grinding halt and you have no idea what the future holds, much less this week?

Our industry is a cyclical one, and there are times of year we are frantically busy and others, well like now…when it’s no problem to take a day off and take the staff to a Cubs game.  All I know, is when I was an actor I only knew when the phone rang or didn’t.  And, when it did, all was right with the world and when it didn’t I figured I must have been blacklisted by the whole world for no good reason and should move back home with my mom and dad.  But there is a whole lot of relief that comes from being informed, and voila’….here I am to do that for you.

There is a lot of tv shot here in Chicago, I’d say right now it’s the brunt of our business.  New seasons of most of our shows begin right after the 4th of July and end at the end of April.  We still work on theatre, and independent films during the slow period, but nothing nearly as busy and high paced as when our shows are rocking and in full force.  Even knowing that from May to July is slow, it can be disconcerting.  For us too.  We start out organizing, taking vacations, doing generals and meeting 100s of new faces, but then the silence gets deafening and it’s easy to get antsy (as my mother would say).  So how do you not freak out when it slows down?  Not get worried, second guess yourself, worry about money, and how to stay productive?  Well first of all, call your agent and have a conversation about what’s happening currently in the business hopefully that should put your mind at ease.  Knowing what the ebbs and flows of the business are help put it all in perspective.  But there are things you can do, to up your game when there is nothing going on.  Productive ways to be better than ever , when everything starts up again.

1.  Meet with your agent and have a real conversation about how she/he thinks you are doing.  What you could improve on.  Maybe new headshots, different haircut. loosing or gaining a few pounds……)  Ask how she sees you and how you can market yourself better.
2. Take a class.  This is a great time to hone your craft.  Learn a new skill, improve your audition techniques, take a scene study class.  If money is an issue, ask if they will trade a class for work in kind at their office.
3. Exersize.  Work out with a trainer and get toned up, ride your bike on the lake and breathe deeply, take a yoga class,  run, play, move.  You’ll look better, but more importantly you will feel better too.  Hard to be stressed out when your just trying not to die lifting weights.
4. Network.  Find activities, events, seminars to up your game and meet other people in the business.  Check out any panels available to hear speakers on any aspect of the business.
5. Go to theatre.  See shows, get new ideas and get inspired.  If money is an issue, there are so many theaters that have actor’s nights where you can pay what you are able to.  Second City’s improv at 1100 is free too.
6. Do temp work.  This is a perfect way to make some cash and keep busy.
7. Help someone else.  There is nothing that takes your mind off your worries than helping someone.  Volunteer, help a neighbor, donate blood, read for the blind…do something.
8. Hang in there.  It will all be much better in July!

Hold on… Being put on hold is a good thing! June 18, 2015

Often times after a long day of auditions, I get to grab a quick second to check Facebook, and undoubtedly I’ll see a few postings by actors who’d commented on their audition that day.  There are always comments about how well it went or conversely maybe they are contemplating poking their eye out after a really crumby one. Side note,  I keep looking for the one that says “I just couldn’t concentrate because the casting director was too stunningly beautiful”….but I digress.  What I’ve seen quite a bit lately, are angry posts about being put on hold or “check avail” time and time again, but never getting the booking, loosing to another actor, or worse yet, loosing out to someone from LA or NY when our show is shooting in Chicago.  I know how it feels to be an actor.  I started out as one.  Your reality is that you know so little of what goes on before and after your audition you’re left to fill in the blanks.  All you know is what you do to prepare, how damn long it took to find parking for a two second audition, and whether or not you got the job.  Nothing in between.  So, frustrating as it may seem to be continually be put on hold for a role, only to have it go to someone else…let me assure you that it’s a good thing, a great thing, and something that should keep you positive and motivated to boot.

So for blog purposes, and so I don’t turn this in to a novel, let’s concentrate on a TV series and I’ll fill you in on what goes on when you leave the room.  Usually the director and producer are in the room when I’m casting one of my series episodes, I usually only bring in 5 actors per role.  That’s because first of all sometimes I’m looking for upwards of 25 roles and unless the audition day is going to morph into a pajama party, I need to make it as tight and time efficient as I can so they can get back to their tech scout and don’t fall asleep.  Casting sessions can be long, and they count on me to bring in the best, so they don’t have to see 42 actors per role.  So if you are one of those five actors, that is a good thing to start off right there.  After we finish seeing actors for a role, we take a beat and the director and producer confer and select their top two picks.  This is when we call your agent, and put you on check avail, or hold.  That means, you are one of the top two choices, and your audition is now in the universe on it’s way to the show runner, and writer/producers in LA for them to look at, at which time, they will pick their number one choice.  After they make their selection, it goes to Network for approval.  This usually happens over a couple days, which I’m sure in actor time seems like a year and a half of waiting.  There are a lot of cooks in the kitchen guys, and sometimes decisions come down to hair color, or the fact that you are taller than the series lead and he doesn’t want someone bigger than him in the scene,  It’s subjective.  Often times, when it’s a really large role, the series casting director in NY will also be looking as well, so there will be choices coming from him too.  Being put on hold isn’t to torment you, it’s because you were great and the decision makers in the room think you’d be good for the role, it means you  are close to snagging the job.  Now sometimes, actors are on hold for a week, and the reason is usually this…so everyone on the planet has now picked their number one choice, and bummer, this time is isn’t you….but your still on hold.  This is because things change, actors forget they are getting married during the shoot dates, the play they are in doesn’t have an understudy ready to go on, they can’t afford to join SAG…stuff happens.  So we will keep an actor on hold until the booking is firm, and if something happens you are still available and we can give the job to you!  Also, another important thing to keep in mind is that being put on hold doesn’t mean you give up other gigs, it simply means, we’d like first dibs on you and if you get another offer, we’d like a call from your agent who will say, “time to make a decision or your going to loose her.”

My hope is that my little explanation will help to dispel the frustration that so many feel when they are being put on hold all the time, and maybe turn the perception around to a positive thing, which it is!

Last note,  on one of my walls in my casting studio are the words “We’re on you side”.  It’s true.  Don’t forget it.

Now go soar.

You’re greatest tool…..Preparation June 21, 2012

I’ve spent the last couple weeks immersed in regional theatre auditions which are usually really wonderful.  I don’t know why it seems that the more time we give our lovely actors, the less prepared they are, but it’s a mystery.  A mystery I’d really rather not be part of  I’m thinking.  Keep in mind, that for one day of auditions, we usually spend 3 weeks to a month getting ready ourselves.  We read the script, get breakdowns out and pre read anyone that may be right, but we don’t know well enough, and putting together schedules.  Typically we bring in only 10 actors per role. 10 actors that we are hoping are the most perfect actors on the planet for the role, the actors that are going to come in to the room and wow the director and artistic director.  The actors, that (bottom line most important) will make us look like rock stars.

Okay, now for the reality check…..Two of the ten come in wearing shorts for a character who is a buttoned up lawyer, three come in without a bit of makeup on for a role that is supposed to be glamorous,  three or four clearly have not read the script and proceed to ask the director what the story is about, and one so obviously just read the sides on the bus ride over I am thinking during her audition that I very well might stick a bic pen in my eye.  Then there is that one person, who comes in the room, having read the script, memorized the sides, dressed in a way that informs the character, and makes a big choice.  Ahhh, the nirvana moment for a casting director.

It seems silly to have to even mention it, but you need to walk in the room prepared and with the midset “as if” you were really going to get this job.  The script needs to be fully read, the sides should be close to memorized, and while nobody expects you to come in a costume, you should dress with your character in mind.  For instance if he is a professional type, a suit is appropriate, if your character is a lower class female in the 50s, a very casual dress.  What you wear will inform your physical movements and your acting choices.  Reading the script and memorizing sides will give you the information and the freedom to make choices for your character.  Even if you come in the room, and have misinterpreted, and make choices that ultimately the director wouldn’t have chosen, I guarantee that those watching will be impressed, and that alone will  earn you 10 actor points right there.  You have to keep in mind that during an audition, not only are we looking at your audition piece, but looking at your professionalism, preparation,  and getting a feel for your energy as a person.  The whole package deal so to speak.  Actually, I can’t even tell you how many times  that just the fact that someone came in so prepared and “together”, got them ten  more auditions at our office because I was so impressed with them as professionals.  I have a real respect for those who respect themselves and take what they are doing seriously.  I am always willing to give them another chance.  People like to work with people who work hard.  And trust me, directors remember when you come in and seemingly haven’t put any time into an audition.  It actually can feel a bit insulting to them.

So, oh lovely, actors in cyberspace, take a tip from me.  Read your script, memorize your sides, make a strong choice and go wow them!

Ta Ta for now,

Claire

Four Words that will change your audition. December 6, 2010

When I was fresh out of college and swimming in the audition world without a paddle, I’d made an audition appointment at a large theatre and was required to bring a classical piece.   The college I’d just graduated from was a liberal arts college which translated for me was “we will teach you a little about a lot of things and will prepare you for nothing ..”.  Thus I left college with a whole lot of confidence and no clue how to navigate the professional world.  So, as you might expect, I was totally unprepared with any kind of monologue, much less a classical piece.  I randomly searched my Shakespeare plays and looked for a monologue for a woman and proceeded to memorize it.  Not reading the play itself, or understanding what the heck I was saying.  As you can imagine my audition was a train wreck.  (I still have not gotten over it and it’s been one hundred and thirty two years since that fateful day).  In industry terms, we would call this an “off day” (to put it mildly).

Now, I am sure that you all believe that all the fabulous, established, talented actors that you so admire are beyond “off days”, but I am here to tell you, we all have them.  Even the best and the brightest.  People come in to audition for me everyday and there are simply days when someone is tired, distracted, not connected with the material and a myriad of other human reasons why someone might not be at their best.  For newbies, it’s usually nerves.  I think simply knowing that everyone might have a day every now and then that they are off, may put the audition process in a little perspective and may prevent you from beating yourself up too badly next time it happens.  But most importantly, I have four words that may change your audition life forever.  We’re – on – your – side.

It is so easy when you walk in to the audition process with four people sitting on a couch all staring blankly at you to feel it’s “you against them”.  That they are waiting for you to mess up or to prove something.  But I am here to tell you, no, promise you, that everyone in that room is not only rooting for you, but hoping you are amazing.  They are praying that the next actor in the room solves their casting program.  They are hoping you are “it”.

If you happen to be having an off day, your car just got towed, you just broke up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, gained 3 pounds or what ever sets you off kilter, when you get to the audition take the time you need to collect yourself, breathe, focus on the material and then remind yourself that everyone in that room you are about to blow through is on your side.  Knowing those four words should empower you to go in and do your best, and if for some reason your reading is off the first time, just politely ask to do it again.

Just last week we had auditions for a television series that we are working on.  We had an established actor (very established) come in and his reading was really off.  Now it’s just those circumstances that a casting director has your back and will ask you to do it again, or help in any way we can, if we know what you are capable of.  In this case, every time he had a go at it, he got more and more frustrated until he stopped and said, “I’m leaving, you don’t want me.”  And with that, he left the room.  The producer and director were speechless to put it mildly.  I told them he was usually wonderful, and they said they loved his face and the sound of his voice and would have given him all the time he needed.  Hard to land the job though if you’ve left the room.  Everyone in the room was on his side and would have waited for him to collect himself and do the reading I knew that he was capable of.

So, next audition my advice is prepare, and come in positive knowing that everyone you are about to meet is on your side.  They are hoping you are brilliant.  They want you to win the role.  And with all that positive energy focused your way how could you do anything but be wonderful!

Welcome to my Casting World November 16, 2010

About a hundred and forty two years ago I graduated from college with all the enthusiasm and none of the preparation necessary to become a highly successful working actress. I had non realistic expectations, and all the passion in the world. I expected pursuing this career to be a smooth transition from the nirvana of college. After all, I was Cecily in the Importance of Being Earnest for God’s sake. Who wouldn’t want me?

Most everyone, it turns out. I auditioned and made every mistake I could possibly make, I had the wrong headshots for the market I was in (I fancied myself sexy and the rest of the world saw fit to see me as a young mom), the wrong audition pieces and the wrong perception of how to get ahead.

After graduation, I knew I would get all the leads, just as in college. Flash forward ten years and I would have been happy to carry some nice actors spear on stage. With all the passion that actors have, for that flame that never seems to blow out, I dedicate this blog. For now, lots and lots of years later, after being an agent for many really talented actors and now being a casting director for almost twenty two, I can only think I wish I had known then what I know now. I am going to try and share what I know, so I can save some young graduate from going to a commercial for a fitness product from wearing a sweater dress and clunky boots. So I can save someone from a disastrous audition in front of producers and just mentioning that if the script says the character is in his underwear…..you should not audition in your underwear. (This has happened).

So thus I begin a journey with you. I will share what I know. And hopefully make you a more successful actor. and a happier well adjusted human as well. 🙂

Ta ta for now.

Claire