Auditioning at RCT
Only very rarely do any of our activities take place by audition, but almost all our full shows will have auditions for principal parts, solo lines etc. for those of you who would like to try for something bigger. For those auditioning for the first time, or as a reminder for our regulars, Pamela (our Head of Crazy Plans) has put together some answers to frequently asked audition questions.
🎭 Should I audition?
It’s entirely up to you! No one has to audition, all of our shows are designed to have lots for everyone in the chorus to do, but if you’re thinking about maybe going for a solo line or a bigger part, then absolutely go for it. Everyone is welcome to audition regardless of experience.
🤔 How do I decide what part to audition for?
Most shows will have a breakdown of parts and some guidance to age, size of part etc. You can go for any part you like, but if I have been specific about age range I’m not likely to cast outwith that (for a whole host of reasons). Think about what suits you – the temptation to go for the ‘biggest’ role is often high for young people, you’re often best going for the part that suits you the best.
😬 What if I’m really nervous?
That’s absolutely normal. Regardless of how ‘non-scary’ I make them, auditions are still always a little scary. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get nervous for auditions (including all the RCT adults!). That’s part of the whole experience. The more you do, the more you’ll be able to use that nervous energy rather as a positive, but nerves are a normal part of auditioning (and indeed performing (I’ve always said when I stop getting nervous going on stage, I’ll stop performing 😊).
👨👩👧👦 Can Mum/Dad/Auntie/my pet budgie come in with me?
An audition is meant to replicate performing on stage, and although I know going in on your own is a little scary (especially for our tinies) it’s the closest thing we can do to replicating being on stage performing solo. A big part of my job is not only picking the right cast, but it’s making sure I don’t push our performers into something before they’re ready. Sometimes bigger parts come with a lot of pressure, coming in on your own is a good sign you’re ready to take that step.
😢 What if I don’t get the part?
This is a really hard one - everyone invests so much in auditions and works so hard, but the chances are, more often than not, you might not get the part you want (We often have 60 / 70 people going for the one part for some of our bigger shows). I’m always happy to give feedback, but sometimes it might be that you didn’t do anything ‘wrong’ at all for the auditions, but for whatever reason (eg. different type of character/voice/age/height needed somewhere else in the cast etc.) I went with a different option. It’s not often our younger cast members experience this type of situation. My strongest advice would be to prepare yourself (and for parents, your kids) for the realities of auditioning and the possibility of not getting that part. While it is absolutely vital to approach an audition with confidence and self-belief, we often find the kids who take knock backs the hardest are the ones who’s parents haven’t talked it through with them.
🥳 Will I still enjoy the show if I don’t get the part I want?
Yes! If you don’t get the part you want you’ll inevitably be disappointed, but once we get into rehearsing, that feeling will go. Hard though it is, pick yourself up and attack the show with the highest levels of oomph and energy and trust that we’ve put everyone in the right places. We’ve been doing this a loooooooong time!
🔁 If something goes wrong will I get a 2nd chance?
If something goes wrong technically with the music, or something major happens, yes, we’ll normally let you go again. If you audition and then just think you could have done it better, probably not. It’s absolutely normal to come out of the room thinking you could have done it better – as performers we second guess each other constantly. In all my years of doing this, I’m not sure I’ve ever had someone come back into the room and do it better a second time. Just go for it and move on!
🔊 What if I’m asked to do something again?
This might be for a range of reasons, maybe I have a different vision for the character and want to see if you can change direction, maybe I missed something when I was writing the first time, maybe I think there was a glitch in the track and want to give you another chance – never try to read to much in to this, it could be for a whole number of reasons. Embrace it!
⏰ When does the audition start?
From the moment you walk through the door! As above when I talked about nerves, while we will ALWAYS help our tinies, if you have to drag yourself into the room and wont talk to us, it makes it harder for us to see you on stage on your own performing. Have confidence and a smile!
🎶 I find the audition song hard, can I use an original track with the voices on?
Guide tracks are there to help you learn the song, hear where the music comes in etc. Particularly with our Broadway Jr. shows, these are identical to the performance tracks to help you practice. However, if you sing with the guide track we can’t tell if you are in tune / time on your own, or because you’re following the track. We need to hear your own voice! Practise with the guide track, then start practicing with the performance track. If there’s a bit you’re finding particularly difficult, go back and listen to the guide track till you can hear it.
🙅♀️ I don’t like the audition piece, can I pick a different one?
I have picked the audition pieces to show specific parts of the character, or something specific in the song / dialogue that I want to hear. It’s always important to do the pieces asked for. If you’re in any doubt about what they are / when they start / stop etc, just ask.
👯 Can I audition with my friend?
Very often we’re asked if you can come in and audition alongside your friend. This doesn’t tend to go well, and limits me in what I can see in each of your performances. It also makes it much harder if one of you gets the part you want and the other doesn’t. Where there are two parts in a piece of audition dialogue/song etc one of us will read/sing in the other part.
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