Ah, the audition.
The audition is a funny thing. It’s two minutes. Yet sometimes it’s a whole day. If you count callbacks it can add up to weeks of engagement. Sometimes auditions run late. Other times they run early. Not to mention the stress, rejection, and anxiety. What should you bring? What should you leave at home? Musicals, new work, revivals, straight plays, staged readings, conceptual shows…no two auditions are ever truly alike (although they do blend together). How do you prepare when you don’t know what you are walking into?
The philosophy of the Stage Manage Yourself Series is:
- Define your process.
- Create your ideal conditions.
- Have what you need.
Let’s start from the stage manager’s perspective. According to my stage management handbook:
“The primary function of a stage manager during auditions is to prepare the space, making sure the room for the audition is well lighted and that there is a place for the auditionees to wait and prepare or freshen up. The stage manager should also maintain accurate lists for the director if there are appointments, and make signs and/or notices that will help people find the entrance to the room, studio, or theater. Remember that this is a time when everyone involved is nervous and on edge – the creators are anxious that they might not find what they are looking for, and the performers are often tense about their auditions. It is helpful to maintain a formal but calm air in your handling of both groups. If you can, provide as much information as possible for the auditionees. Perhaps print up a sheet that includes the production’s title, dates, creative staff, and- most important to auditionees- whom they will be meeting or performing for that day.
…Throughout the audition process, whether it is at the highest level of agent submissions and appointments, or a large group call, the stage manager can do much to help humanize and ease tensions. Have water, tissues, and plenty of change for the phone available. Treat people as courteously as possible, and try to avoid condescension when answering their questions. Try to introduce each person individually whenever possible, after having checked the pronunciation for their name. Double-check that they are ready; sometimes that one extra breath or straightening of clothing is necessary to give them the confidence to go out and put themselves on the line.
If actors are reading from the script, be sure they are absolutely clear about what section is to be read. Sometimes the stage manager is called upon to read with the actor…Also indicate on the stage with tape where the actor should stand for the best light and acoustics. The audition process will be the first contact you have with the future cast of your show, so let them see from the outset that stage management is well-organized, supportive and aware of the performer’s needs.”
– The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management, 2nd Edition by Thomas A. Kelly (linked to 3rd ed)
(Allowing for the fact that my stage management handbook was published in 1999 and suggests change for the phone, know that this information is highly accurate.)
The first thing I want you to notice about that passage is this: We really are all in this thing together, aren’t we? The production staff is nervous about seeing you just like you are nervous about seeing them. It’s like one big group blind date.
Now let’s flip this on it’s head.
While this book insists it’s the stage manager and/or production staff’s responsibility to provide these items and information, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes signals get crossed. Sometimes the snow comes down in June.
How to Stage Manage Yourself at Auditions
1. Find a place to wait and freshen up. If you’ve auditioned in Chicago, that might be easier said than done. Sometimes lobbies are small or non-existent. So find out the audition location as soon as you can, and suss it out. You don’t actually have to visit the location ahead of time. Just ask around. “Does this place have a bathroom?” Sometimes the answer is “Yeah, it’s in the restaurant down the street.” It’s nice to have a mirror on hand in those cases.
2. Once you get there, it’s fine to ask where you will be auditioning and how long (approximately) it will be before you go. So rather than wait for this information to come to you, it is fair game for you to politely seek it out. The key is in #3.
3. Be polite. Listen. And don’t ask the same thing a million times. Don’t irritate stage management or monitors. They have a relationship with the director already. They won’t hesitate to tell them you are a pain in the ass. Or that you are late. Sure, they might not, but they could. Just keep your panties on.
4. If an info sheet is not provided, try to find out the production’s dates including rehearsals and performances, creative staff and who you are auditioning for. Sometimes this information is available on a theatre’s website or on a breakdown, but sometimes it’s not. If the production staff doesn’t have answers for you, then they don’t. Don’t belabor it.
5. Although it’s great if water and tissues are provided, it’s even greater to have your own. Same with pens, pencils, and copies of sides. Don’t assume that because you submitted your headshot and resume they won’t ask for another copy. It’s not unheard of to show up and have them as for 5, one for each person at the table. (See my Performer Checklist for additional items)
6. If you are reading from sides, make sure you have the right ones and you are clear on when they begin and end. (Most of the time, this is information you procure before you arrive.) If you are sent sides via email, go ahead and ask if a copy of the script is available beforehand. Worst case, they’ll say no. If you are trying to get as much information as possible, there is no better information than the script.
7. Stage management knows you are nervous. They know what you are doing is not easy. Believe it or not, 9 times out of 10, stage management loves actors and really do want to be their advocates. You’ve got a friend. Treat them like an ally deserves to be treated. While I adore the book Audition by Michael Shurtleff (adore to the point of tatters and recommending it in most of my coaching) I disagree with him that the stage manager is part of the “enemy camp.” I disagree because I’ve seen that proven wrong on many occasions. Still, while they may be there to help you out, they aren’t your buddy and they have a complicated job to do. Be nice. Ask appropriate questions. Then get out of their way. Let them do their jobs.
8. Once you are in the room, if it isn’t indicated, ask the folks behind the table where you should stand or at least start. Before anything else, your job is to be seen and heard. Get all the information you can about doing that.
9. Truly, this is like the first date for you and the production staff. You really want to go on a second date, too. Even if you know the director, the stage manager or anyone else, it’s the first date for this role, this production. Have high standards for yourself and your performance, but also cut everyone (including you) a little slack. Auditions are unnatural things at their heart. Relax, go with the flow, and get what you need.
Special Situations
My Stage Management Handbook has a special section for dance auditions. I will cover that as well as a couple extra thoughts on musical auditions, or auditions where you will play an instrument or exhibit a special talent.
But let’s look at dance first.
“On a musical, there will often be large chorus dance auditions. These take a great deal of organization to avoid chaos… groups of twenty or thirty dancers [go] into the audition space and learn a dance number with the choreographer. ..After teaching the combination or dance to a large group, the choreographer may dismiss some people and then start auditioning the smaller groups…this screening process will go on until all the smaller groups have been seen, then those who have been asked to remain will return to learn what is usually a more extensive combination or dance number and perhaps to be seen individually as well…This may also be the time to hear the auditionees sing, and sometimes men will be called back in order to be paired with different women and vice versa.”
If you don’t know already, that can make for a long day. For extended auditions such as dance calls, conference style and cattle calls, callbacks, open calls, and Equity crashes; if you aren’t prepared for a long day, you’re not doing all you can to help yourself be successful. Packing a small snack, lots of water, dance shoes, dance clothes, a book or two (I like to knit. It’s something to do, while still being alert) can be a life saver. Ipads and smart phones have made this more bearable (I might add, bring a charger).
Prepare yourself, and be glad you’re doing theatre all day, even if it’s the tense part. Also, think of your comfort. It’s nice to have a sweater or a sweatshirt for overly air conditioned spaces, or for balling them up into a cushion when seating is limited. I like to have a pair of flats or flip flops for when the heels or the dance shoes come off. (I’m reading a book right now with a section on the joys of taking off a bra, but we won’t go that far.) Think of a day long audition as a short, stationary road trip. You might just need Twizzlers, the latest Cosmo, and a Coke Zero. For a dance call, it’s best to be prepared for any genre from ballroom to tap. Bring different styles of shoes.
If you don’t end up at the dance call and do your singing there, you will probably have an audition involving 16-32 bars. As this is not a post on HOW to audition, but rather How to Make it easier on yourself, I will simply add that having a pitch pipe or a keyboard app, lots of water or tea, any sort of honey or throat lozenge, and well-marked music would be added onto your list of supplies. Even if you aren’t a dancer, having a pair of dance shoes available is never a bad idea. Although in Chicago it’s rare, they just might ask you to come back in and learn a quick combination.
At this point, you are probably considering hiring a Uhaul just to get yourself in the door. Remember, it’s not about bringing a LOT of stuff. It’s about bringing the RIGHT stuff. So to repeat:
- Find out as much as you can ahead of time.
- Know what YOU need personally and provide that for yourself.
- Be flexible.
Check out the Performer Checklist for a comprehensive list of supplies actors often use in auditions.
Also, check out the Audition Tracker and Audition Journal for additional resources to help you organize your audition process.
Go get ’em, Tiger,
Your Audition Coach
I love the Stage Manager’s kit. My heart flutters when I see that big ol’ tackle box on the first day of rehearsal. I feel, I don’t know, protected. Cared for. Disaster proof (I used to volunteer for the Red Cross.) I want to feel that way all the time. Prepared. In preparation lies freedom, my friends. That is the whole purpose of this series I’m calling Stage Manage Yourself. Freedom to do your job, be creative, and have all your talent and vulnerability and senses available. I’m about to go a little corporate-speak here but never forget I’m trying to make your creativity available to you with the least amount of stress possible.
People of the theatre often spend a lot of time in crisis mode, frazzled and overwhelmed. We each do the work of ten people and feel like we are never completely on top of things.
So before you even walk out your door into the wide world of the life of the performing artist, ask yourself do you have everything you need? I mean EVERYTHING. I’m talking about your favorite pens and pencils. Do you have your headshots and resumes? Do you have your full breath support? Do you have your body with you? You actors know what I’m talking about. Remember your training? If you are anything like me the answer is: No. I haven’t breathed in a few hours, I only have red pens, my resume is crinkled and I left my butt on a bus.
But before we get into that, let me tell you a little something about myself.
I am an actor, coach, and theatre person, however I am also an executive assistant. Like the character Peter in the movie Office Space, I have four bosses.
I do spend a lot of time saying things like:
Michael Bolton: PC load letter! What the f*ck does that mean?
OR
Milton Waddams: The ratio of people to cake is too big.
But I have learned a few things along the way. My Four Bosses (the spinoff of My Two Dads) are pretty good at Getting Things Done. Two things have stuck with me in particular that may help a more creative type keep their hectic lives together.
1. I believe that (clutch your pearls) the business world can teach artists a few things. These things have nothing to do with money. Stay with me.
2. Executives get what they need.
Let’s pretend, nay, let’s INSIST that you are, for our purposes today, Vice President of Performance Strategy for the You Corporation (ie An Actor). How are you going to deliver? The first thing a new executive does is assess their space and supplies. Office furniture and accessories tout their ergonomic design. But ergonomics can go far beyond keeping your spine aligned.
Ergonomic: adj. designed to minimize physical effort and discomfort, and hence maximize efficiency
This came up when I googled “ergonomic”
This is the theme of Stage Manage yourself. Minimize physical effort and discomfort with smart preparation to maximize your efficiency.
In the world of theatre we pride ourselves on making do. As well we should. I truly believe theatrical magic happens when resources are limited. It’s more amazing to me to watch an effect made out of paper and strings than a bazillion dollar contraption. There is a reason this scene from Apollo 13 is one of my favorites (ignore the super-imposed corporate jargon):
We excel at taking a flight suit, a plastic bag and a tube sock and making it into something amazing. Great theatre and great performances are much more than the sum of their parts. So I must insist that what I’m about to tell you is not about spending. It’s about being creative, which you’re already great at, so let’s get to it.
Get What You Need
One of my old bosses taught me a very valuable lesson: make your work space work for you. She would arrange her desk and computer just so, buy an ergonomic chair and adjust to her perfectly, get the exact kind of Avery tabs she liked to use, the type of file folders she liked. She wanted her phone handset to feel right. She wanted her mousepad to be exactly what she was looking for. Retrofits, new purchases, reworks. Whatever it took. And her space was the most highly functional office I’ve ever seen. She was happy and efficient. Executives get what they need so that they can do their jobs at the highest level possible. If you prefer gel pens and pink highlighters to red pens and post-it’s, then friend, get the gel pens and the pink highlighters. If you like Duo lash glue over Ardell, if you like warming up with recitations of Shakespearean speeches instead of yoga, if you like gatorade instead of water, if you like headphones on instead of chatting with actors as you get ready. Honey. Do that. Those are all tools. Make do, but make it work. You may not be at a theatre with unlimited resources. Most of us don’t work in the world of private dressing rooms. This isn’t about demanding that everyone meet your needs. YOU need to meet your needs.
Certainly, in the corporate world, these requests can become ridiculous. I remember an executive saying he couldn’t use the conference room we provided because it didn’t have enough natural light. The room had SIX windows. I wanted to offer him a nice breezy spot on the roof of the 30 floor building, with a free non-stop ticket by way of my foot up his ass, but the HR manager said I shouldn’t do that. So the point is not to be fussy like Mr Pain in the Ass. The point is to know what you need to get the job done like Ms. Efficient. As actors, our work space isn’t a cubicle, but rather our own bodies and the space that body is in. So what do you need? Physically – top to toes, psychologically, professionally. Really honestly what do you need? How do you like to work?
GOALS:
NOT THIS
But THIS
SPACE
First, the space. We will deal with the rehearsal and performance spaces in future posts. For now, we focus on home. Having a designated work space can be really helpful and even inspiring. A place to put your research. A place to pull out a chair to practice your monologue. A spot for your theatrical library. Some of us musical theatre folk have pianos and keyboards. Sheet music. Office supplies. Binders, dear God, the binders. In this, the digital age, we need to be connected so whether you have a laptop, ipad or smart phone, it’s nice to have a place where you can sit down and respond to audition postings, read information from your stage manager, read pdf’s and do all the other sorts of things actors do online. We use lexicons, manuals, reference books, different editions and translations of plays, pencils, pens, highlighters, notebooks, tabs, binders, staplers, printers, paper, ink cartridges, labels, envelopes, stamps, hard drives, memory sticks, yoga videos, plastic bags, tupperware….It’s overwhelming to think about everything we do to keep our shit together as performers. But if you can identify ALL the tools you use, you can always have them on hand.
We also need mental space. We’ve got so much crammed in there. Lines, dates, notes, callbacks…sometimes finding a place to meditate or just breath can do wonders. Think Winnie the Pooh’s Thoughtful Spot.
Another space we use is our body. What does your bod need? What kind of shoes? What kind of beverage? How much sleep? Can you take a sick day to chill out? Can you schedule in a nap? What kind of food makes you feel better? What makes you feel gross?
And finally the other space that is solely our own is what we use to transport this stuff. Our bags, our bikes, our cars. I have what I call “The Rehearsal Kit” but in reality, it’s a dopp kit built for someone who isn’t at home very much. I have three to four of them and they are pretty much identical. One goes in a bag with me to my day job. One goes to rehearsal or the show. One goes to auditions. I expand on a fourth if I will be traveling. I don’t do this because I’m crazy (jury’s still out). I do this because I was sick of transferring and juggling between my different “lives”. Screw it, said I. And simplified. I know that seems like I was getting more complicated. But it de-stressed me. To me the definition of simplifying is making some easier and less stressful. If that means purchasing three sample size deodorants instead of one, that’s what I’m going to do. I will get to the contents of the rehearsal kit in a future post, but for now check out my free Performer Checklist to get you started.
DE-STRESS INSTEAD OF DISTRESS
This came up when I googled ‘prepared’
PERSONALIZE
Get basic first. Think in in categories.
Sit down with a notebook and list EVERYTHING. Even stuff you might not use. You can edit later. Just dump the contents of your brain onto paper. Truly, what would make life easier for you as an actor? Even write down the seemingly impossible.
Really think about how you could make everything easier in terms of commute, day job, homework, clothes, food.
A word on food: If you aren’t careful, being in a show can cost you more than you are getting paid. By the time tech rolls around you’ve bought every meal, eaten bad choices, and generally don’t feel that great. Think ahead. Lots of quickie stuff that is healthy can be frozen, or prepackaged. Maybe designate a weekend morning to packing snacks to save you cash and help you feel better. (In the future I’ll post cheap and easy on the go food ideas.)
A word on clothing: the day job outfit, be it wait staff, office assistant, or teacher, does not often rehearsal wear make. Try organizing outfits ahead of time, so you don’t even have to think when you are dragging your tired self out of bed on Thursday of tech week. (I’ll do a post on clothes and theatrical attire in the future.)
You can see I’m talking about absolutely every area of your life. A lot of work and organizing now, can make for much more fluid and relaxed auditions, rehearsals and performances later. But the point is not to overwhelm. I bring up many choices so that you can customize and make a crazy lifestyle work for you.
In solidarity,
Your Audition Coach.
Coming soon: Stage Manage Yourself: Auditions
Stage Manager
When under the tutelage of a great stage manager, somehow everything seems right with the world. The birds sing prettier, the sun shines a little brighter (or in my case, it goes behind a cloud a little more quickly. I don’t do direct sunlight.), the Advil and number 2 pencils are abundant, and the breaks come at regular intervals. A fantastic stage manager takes a production from good to great. They are paragons. They are rare. Like the unicorn, they are wonderful and mysterious creatures, I don’t understand them yet I just love them.
- Stage Manager
But.
The reality is we don’t always have access to the savvy motivated stage manager and their magic AND we don’t spend all of our time in shows and rehearsal, either. Nor is the stage manager meant to be the actor’s personal assistant or advocate. We spend much of our careers on our own, researching, auditioning, taking classes, running lines. While the movie stars have their staff, most of us are left to our own organizational devices, schlepping our shit and trying not to lose our delicate and fragile minds or cause others to lose theirs. I encourage you not to take advantage of the stage manager, nor bemoan their absence from your larger life, but rather emulate them.
I encourage you not to take advantage of the stage manager, nor bemoan their absence from your larger life, but rather emulate them.
They are artists, too. There is a reason actors and stage managers are represented by the same union. Their carefully and artfully timed cue is just as powerful as your own. And they have to manage a crew at the same time.
Stage Manager
We juggle multiple projects, dayjobs, social lives (sort of), auditions, family. It’s downright exhausting if not handled properly and let’s face it, we’ve all seen careers die just because actors didn’t want to juggle all of that anymore. The passion died because they needed a nap, a drink, and a system.
I can’t nap or drink for you, but I can help with the system.
Stage Manage Yourself
Our good friend the stage manager is a miracle worker not because they are actually mythical and magical creatures with time bending powers and endless access to office supplies, but because they are organized and they have a plan.
As artists, we often labor under the idea that we will be forgiven our flightiness or odd behaviors because our creative genius is too valuable to lose. Well, here’s the thing, there are a lot of creative geniuses who have their shit together. The actor who habitually shows up late, doesn’t do the work, behaves badly or obliviously eventually stops being hired.
There are a lot of creative geniuses who have their shit together.
Even though combining the word “business” with “art” is somewhat taboo in the land of non profits and mission statements, allow me to encourage you to think of yourself as a small business. A self-contained incorporation. It’s not about looking at profit margins because lord knows there aren’t any. It’s about asking who and what your team is, how it’s working for you, what you need to acquire, and what needs to go. Agents, publicists, your repertoire, your wardrobe,your education, your reading material, the classes you take, your headshots, your resume, even the office supplies you choose are all working for you. They are your employees. How are they doing? It might be time to have a staff meeting.
Before we dig full force into those larger areas – Girl, you need an executive assistant.
In theatre, we call them the Stage Manager. And for your career? It’s all you, baby.
I actually own a stage management handbook. While I don’t use the chapter on rail plots or working with sound supervisors, I’ve found a way to use almost everything else. Being self sufficient makes you easy to work with, gives you that soldierly sense of “Good to go.” Anna Deveare Smith says the rehearsal room and stage are sacred spaces. I agree. When the production staff sweeps and clears the stage or room in preparation for the creative work, it’s a ritual we need to respect and even emulate when it comes to our own process. We need to do the work it takes to prepare what Peter Brook calls “The Empty Space.”
“This whole creation is essentially subjective, and the dream is the theater where the dreamer is at once: scene, actor, prompter, stage manager, author, audience, and critic.” – Carl Jung
In this series of blog posts, I will give you an actor’s translation of a stage management handbook: strategies, systems, suggestions, and tools that will make life easier on you as a performer. Easy as it is to make fun of us performers, it takes certain conditions to be able to stand in front of a bunch of strangers and dig down into the depths of your vulnerability, technique and talent. The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management defines, in part, the job of the stage manager thusly, “…They establish a creative environment by combining the ability to prioritize and anticipate and solve problems, with calm sensitivity and grace under pressure.” They have to do it for a team. You only need to do it for you.
Define your process. Create your ideal conditions. Have what you need.
Stay tuned for Part One: On the Home Front. Coming soon.
One week ago today, I launched my new biz! Here’s a review:
On Monday, July 2 I got the party started!
On Tuesday, July 3 I told you what I do and I how I do it. I also gave away my Audition Tracker (pdf).
On Wednesday, July 4 I gave out three free coaching sessions to drawing winner Maxwell Burnham!
On Thursday, July 5 I told you the haps from June and gave away my Audition Journal (pdf).
On Friday, July 6 I gave away my favorite list: The Performer Checklist (pdf).
And that wasn’t all! I coached, I even had an audition myself. I saw a fantastic piece of theatre by one of the world’s greatest playwrights. I cracked into a great book. I threw a party for the fourth, I saw a movie, had dinner with my huz and friends, and even managed to get a little rest.
Things stay hoppin’ this week: This week I start rehearsals for my new show! I also have more coaching scheduled, and soon I will post an interview with an industry pro! In the meantime, many theatres have begun to post Season Auditions. Schedule a time with me to shine up your presentation!
June was quite a month ’round these parts! I spent June revving up for my July launch:
- On June 4th I announced my new business! Check out my Facebook Page to see all my posts and links.
- I posted my Down and Dirty Guide to Monologue Prep
Monologues are tricky little buggers. Here’s my quick rundown on how to make your monologues sparkle and shine.
- I talked about Rehearsal AND Practice
How to practice your theatrical scales.
- I talked about Meryl, Brecht, Mother Courage and Shakespeare
Accessing the hard stuff in the Classics.
July is already full of fireworks! Thanks for tuning in!
You might be wondering about just what it is I do, how I do it, and how effective I am. For a quick run down on my auditioning philosophy, check out my About page. But for a more practical idea of what I actually DO as a coach, read on.
WHAT I DO
I work in several different ways. But here are some common types of sessions:
1. Monologue and/or song coaching. You have a particular piece you want to use in auditions. I help you make it sharp, specific and professional. We go through the piece moment by moment, upside down and inside out.
2. Repertoire consulting. I take a look at your repertoire (monologue and/or musical) and help you hone it, expand it, and focus it so that it is designed to show YOU off as a performer, and not anybody else. I find the gaps, the bulk and the weaknesses. Also, I make sure you have pieces that work right now, as well as a plan to develop more and better material for the future. More importantly, I show you how to highlight your strengths.
First, I send you a questionnaire that gives me information on your current repertoire and experience. Then we meet. I will have you perform a sample of the repertoire. Then we talk about creating a development plan. After our session, I will email you specific recommendations. Then if you choose, we can get together again to work on specific pieces.
3. Callback coaching. I will help you prepare your sides and presentation for the callback.
4. Audition Consulting – I’ll help you pick the right combination of material for your audition.
HOW I DO IT
Every actor is different and needs and wants guidance in different areas of their repertoire and presentation. After you contact me we will have a discussion about you and your goals. I tailor each session to the individual actor. I have a created a questionnaire that I will send to you and we will talk about your answers so I can really learn about you and the best ways I can assist you on your professional journey.
I tailor each session to the individual actor.
A sample session with me might follow this general plan: After you arrive, I have you perform your piece(s) immediately. Then we talk about the piece, the character, the play, etc. We also talk about who you will be auditioning for and what you hope to achieve. Then we will work through the piece moment by moment. (Lengthier monologues or songs may require a couple sessions to fully stage.)
After we meet, I will always follow up with a summary email about what we discussed. So many times coaching or classes are filled with tons of valuable information, but as we perform on our feet, we tend to forget many of the moments that spoke to us.
I’m an actor, too. I coach in addition to acting, so I am well aware of what you face in audition rooms. Rest assured I will help you to audition with a very current knowledge of theatre today.
THE RESULTS
You might be thinking, “Yeah, yeah. But I’m an actor and not exactly swimming in funds. How do I know if coaching with you is worth it?”
Let me tell you two things:
1. Everything I do, everything I write, everything I offer is created to provide value to you as a professional. I mean this down to every link I post on Facebook or Twitter. I write what I write because I wish somebody else would have written it first. I post links to articles that I think offer great insight, perspective or practical knowledge that will help an actor be a better actor. I do what I do because I wish somebody did it for me. I created my system for audition preparation because I needed one. I want it to help you too. Doing things cheaply, haphazardly or with bad intentions makes me feel all yicky inside. If it’s crap, I won’t send it your way. Truly, I care about your career and your successes. I read books about auditioning. I take all sorts of classes. I work. I have an investment in helping you to do well.
Everything I do, everything I write, everything I offer is created to provide value to you as a professional.
2. People I coach are consistently cast, called back and complimented on their auditions. Check out my testimonials page to hear directly from my clients. If you want more details from those I’ve worked with, please contact me and I will provide you with direct referrals. I can’t ever guarantee casting, but I can guarantee I will work hard for you.
People I coach are consistently cast, called back and complimented on their auditions.
I will boost your confidence and encourage you to spread your wings. You are not alone out there. The feedback and guidance I provide will calm your nerves and even make auditioning fun!
Don’t miss today’s Giveaway!
*I recommend letting this play as you read the rest of the post…you know, for atmosphere.
TODAY IS THE DAY!
3-2-1 LIFT OFF!
I am officially open for business!
All this week I will be giving out discounts, freebies, contests and all sorts of fun stuff!
Today’s offerings!
1. A 25% discount for any session scheduled today (7/2/2012)! (You can schedule for a date in the future, you just have to contact me today to lock in the discount.) Just mention the discount when you contact me.
2. Special this week only: I am offering special launch week hours ALL DAY this Thursday, July 5. Take advantage of today’s discount and book your session. (I have other availability this week. Thursday includes special extended hours.)
3. Enter for a chance to win THREE FREE SESSIONS from me. Enter by subscribing to my site (link on the right). Winner announced July 4th! If you have already subscribed you are automatically entered!
And that’s just today’s offerings! More fun stuff coming this entire week.
Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.
Orison Swett Marden
How You Feel After a Session With Me:
How I Can Help You:
I created Authentic Auditioning, my core system for audition preparation, to help you audition at the top of your game. Read more about me and Authentic Auditioning here.
YOU, who you are…what you like…what you dislike…what makes you tick, YOU are the informing principle of how you audition. I will help you find the best material, hone the best repertoire, and show the best You in any audition.
I am an actor first. I am out there auditioning and working and I know what you face. I also have directing and music directing experience and know what it’s like on both sides of the table.
Check out my Services/Rates page for information on how I work.
But don’t take it from me, check out my Testimonials page to hear straight from my customers. I can also provide direct referrals.
How You Will Feel at an Audition After Meeting with Me:
I will help you to be confident in your performance and have fun at the same time!
All the best performers bring to their role something more, something different than what the author put on paper. That’s what makes theatre live. That’s why it persists.
Stephen Sondheim
My Goals for This Week:
- Help me get 100 Likes for Launch Week! People who “like” my Facebook page get info first as well as free support and inspiration.
- Help me book Thursday to the max! Get your discounted session by contacting me! I have other availability this week. Thursday includes special extended hours.
How I Feel About Acting Coaching
It’s not enough to have talent. You have to have a talent for your talent.
Stella Adler
I have a talent for honing YOUR talent.
Let’s get it started!
Authentic Auditioning 