No matter your experience level, you can start building your acting resume right now; the opportunities are out there for landing your first role in theater. The great thing about acting is that virtually every community in the country has live theater in it or nearby.
Finding Auditions
Local newspapers often run audition notices in their theater listings. You can just as easily call theaters in your area or check their websites. Open auditions, as the name implies, are open; they’re looking for new faces.
In larger communities, theater associations and actors’ groups will also have a list of audition leads for you. (Some roles may be open only to members of the actors’ union, Actors Equity, but most will be open to you, too.)
As you become known in your local theater community, friends and colleagues will share audition news. As often happens, opportunity leads to more opportunity.
Auditions 101
- Be Prepared
Every audition has specific guidelines that you must follow:
- They may provide a few script pages (called “sides”) for you to read.
- You might be asked to bring a monologue of your choosing.
- For a musical, you’ll be told to bring sheet music with a specific number of bars.
Insider’s tip: Don’t audition for a musical with music from that show.
- You’ll always need photos. Don’t spend a fortune on headshots early in your career. Ask around; there are inexpensive options for professional-looking photos. College students in theater or photography often shoot for free just to gain the experience.
Insider’s tip: Do not sign away rights to your image in exchange for free photos. You never know where it will end up.
- Write a strong bio. If you have limited experience, list everything you can, including relevant classes you have taken, theater volunteer work, and callbacks from auditions. You can even list books and articles you’ve read under “professional development.”
As you progress to larger roles, drop the walk-ons and one- or two-line roles. Strive to get leading roles on your bio.
- Know your music or your monologue. I recently sat through a painful audition in New York where an aspiring professional actor didn’t know the piece he’d brought. There was a hallway full of other actors waiting for a chance, and they were prepared.
- They may provide a few script pages (called “sides”) for you to read.
- Audition Appropriately
If they’re looking for a middle-age woman and you are a young man, don’t audition. If they want triple-threats who act, sing, and dance, and you don’t sing or dance, don’t audition. Sound silly? You’d be surprised.
In every city, the theater community is a world unto itself. You begin building your reputation in that world through auditions. And as in a small town, word gets around.
- Improve Your Craft
Whether you are landing parts or not, keep improving your skills. As you get better, directors will notice the improvement.
Auditions offer excellent networking opportunities with other actors in your area. Where are they training? Where are they finding opportunities?
Volunteer even if you’re not getting roles yet. Learning more of the many and varied jobs that go into bringing theater to life on stage is a great asset for you. And, of course, this expands your network of contacts.
- Don’t Quit
You are guaranteed not to get parts you don’t audition for. So keep trying. The producers, directors, and casting directors you audition for are pulling for you. They want you to succeed so you can help them succeed.
Treasure up good experiences as you land parts and get them on your bio. Get friends to come see you; we all need encouragement.
Shake off bad experiences such as a bad audition or an unfriendly director. There’s usually a reason when things don’t go according to plan. Learn from every experience and don’t quit!
Colleges and Universities
If you’re just starting your acting career, consider getting a fine arts degree – even if you’re returning to school after a long absence. A college theater department will offer training, acting opportunities, and a well-rounded education on theater basics. It’s a great way to build your resume.
As an alternative, many colleges or universities will allow you to audit courses for far less than the cost of tuition. Auditing a course lets you enjoy all the benefits of participation, but you don’t receive college credit.