Reading Is Fundamental

I have some positive news, but I'll announce that in another day or two.

Last week, Wed. - Fri., I was a reader for the 1776 auditions at Olney Theatre (I auditioned as well). If you don't know: when an actor auditions for a play, if they read from a side (a scene selected from the show), the theatre may provide a reader to read the other part(s). Readers can range from someone sitting a chair literally reading the lines without any value whatsoever -- which is agonizing for the auditioner -- to someone who gets up and performs with them, hopefully while also letting the auditioner be the main focus. Most actors, myself included, like this sort of reader, and that's what I tried to be. One auditioner even exclaimed, "Oh, thank God!" the moment I stepped up to read the scene with her. Here's the thing: a lot of acting is giving to and reacting off of someone, and it is hard to give and react to nothing.

Being a reader was also very worthwhile to me, and I strongly recommend it for other actors. First, the theatre powers-that-be can get more of an impression of you as a person than a 5-minute time slot can ever provide. Also, you can watch other actors audition and see what you think they do right and wrong. And so here's some unsolicited audition advice, for myself particularly and for my fellow actors as well.

1) Be Confident, Be Natural, Be Yourself, Have Fun and Play. Easier said than done, I know. I had the chance to see a lot of actors put on their "game face," that mask that attempts to hide the nervousness. So how to do you be confident / natural, etc.? I'm still working on that, but I think the idea is to think of the audition as part of a bigger picture -- read the last paragraph for more on this.

2) Don't Look For Subtleties From The Powers-That-Be To Inform You On How Well You Did. There's just too much going on in the audition room to read what looks and gestures may or may not apply to you. The director stopping you halfway into the scene is common, and doesn't necessarily imply lack of interest -- I now know for a fact that's often not the case. Also, if they don't call you back, it doesn't mean you did badly. I saw some great auditioners that didn't get called back, and a few lousy auditioners that did. It has to do with how they see you fitting into their production.

3) Be Decisive. Hoo boy -- some auditioners would bring a music selection, but wouldn't give the accompanist a specific start or stop point. Some, when given a choice of scenes, would say, "What would you prefer?" Some would give vague answers when asked about scheduling availability for further callbacks or rehearsals. It's tedious. If you can't provide a specific answer to a scheduling question, say, "I don't know, but I can call later and let you know."

4) Be Aware That Every Interaction Is Part Of The Audition. Not just when you "enter the room," but also when you arrive, you sign in, when you talk with a theatre rep over the phone or via e-mail, etc.

Here's the thing: the official "audition" is just one part of joining a theatre community. It is not the be-all-end-all, God-I-hope-I-get-it, that it seems to be. Sure, do your best at the audition. Realize that you might not "fit" this particular production for whatever reason -- but if you do a solid audition, maybe they'll remember and say, "You know, I think he/she'd be good for this production we have coming up later." The more in-the-community you are, the more indistinct the line is between the job and the rest of your life. The people I audition for and with are people I hope to spend a fair amount of my future with, as coworkers and friends, and I want them to feel the same toward me. This extends even to the audience -- I want their reactions and their applause, and I also want them to see my name attached to a show and say, Oh, Peter's in that, Let's go see it. They may also see me in public, at the bookstore, the park. So, in a way, I am auditioning at any (every?) given moment in time, which means I need to be the best "me" I can be as much as possible.