Anyone who has ever been part of a theater production of any sort can relate not only to the sudden void you feel when a show run comes to an end. But before you can get to the rewarding experience of being in a show, you must also go through the long and sometimes disheartening process of auditions to get a part to begin with.
Many actors’ least favorite part of their craft, whether professional or otherwise, is the audition process. They can be a trying experience for anyone— a lesson I learned when I first started college. Even before I was officially a student in the theater department, I participated in every audition the department held (open to anyone at the college), all of which occurred in my first two weeks of college. I learned more than a few things along the way so here are my tips to help you join college theater productions and departments in college too.
Figure out the theater department audition schedule
It may seem overwhelming to some that there are so many auditions within such a short period of time at the beginning of the fall semester, but if you’re going to be a theater major, or even just want to be a part of your college’s productions, you need to know the audition schedule before you arrive on campus. That way, if there are several auditions in the first few weeks, you can properly prepare.
Usually, you want to attend an audition prepared with a monologue or two—and at least one 16-bar cut of a song if you’re auditioning for a musical. I learned this lesson the hard way by starting the semester completely unprepared as an actor, and I was slightly overwhelmed. Thus, when I had three auditions and a callback in my first two weeks away from home, it’s really no wonder nothing came of any of them.
Be willing to learn from failure
So why go to all these auditions when the beginning of the school year is stressful enough as it is? This is something I grappled with several times during those two weeks of stress and auditioning, but consistently going to auditions, even if you think you don’t have much of a shot, shows initiative and a willingness to learn. Getting them all out of the way at once can also be nice. More than anything, your auditions marathon will teach you a lot about acting and how different it can be between high school and college.
Related: College Audition Do's and Don'ts
Try things out of your comfort zone
Some of my college auditions were the standard monologues or reading scenes in front of the director, but others included things like improv exercises, theater games, and short pantomimed scenes—things I’d never done outside of a few theater classes in high school. I also had my first-ever dance call for a musical audition in those first weeks of college. Even if you don’t land a part, these new styles of auditions will be an incredible learning experience and often will get your foot in the door with the department to join the cast of another show during a later semester.
Branching out of your comfort zone might also mean pursuing acting outside of your school’s theater department. I was in a show with the local town’s community theater organization later that semester, something I never would have been able to do if I’d been in a production with my university. It was a show I’ll always be glad I did, and it just goes to show when one opportunity closes, another one opens.
Embody the cliché “never give up”
Above all, the most important thing I learned as I began my journey into college theater was to never give up on myself. I know this sounds cliché, but I was so much better at my craft when I made myself keep working at it, even when things got rough. It was a little scary auditioning over and over again—and disheartening when I wasn’t cast over and over again. After all, the whole reason to do theater in college is to try to reach the “next level” after high school theater. But it’s easy to wonder whether you’re good enough for the next level with every no.
After several weeks of unsuccessful (but not pointless) auditions, I was cast in a small role in that community theater production and had the time of my life with an amazing cast and crew. In the spring, I auditioned for my university theater once again and was cast in my biggest role at the time. I went from an incredibly fun, albeit small, role in the fall semester to a “how am I ever going to memorize all these lines” role in the spring—both of which I am still grateful today. So don’t let one audition that doesn’t go your way deter you from going for another, your persistence and improvement will be worth it in the end.
Related: What You Need to Know About Theatre Programs and Admission
As someone who lived through most new theater majors’ biggest nightmare, I truly believe that everything will work out the way it’s supposed to in the end for you. You may not be able to see it right away, but keep working at your art, believe in yourself, and remember why you’re passionate about acting to begin. Have fun with it and break a leg!
Have you chosen a college to pursue your acting dreams yet? Consider some of the schools on our featured performing arts college lists!
