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Singers! How To Audition using tips from the Acting World
How To Audition in a way that allows you to be more fully yourself!
Often, I find it helpful to look to other arts (and sometimes I go even farther afield - to science, data programming, gardening! etc.) to find answers to some of the challenges we face as singers.
Recently, I came across an interview with 4 highly respected casting directors from "The Casting Company," who have cast some very well known movies - The Da Vinci Code, Jurrasic Park, Harry Potter...
Why should YOU, a singer, care about what these casting directors have to say?
They see many, many actors each day. They have a sense of what qualities draw them in and what turns them off. They look for "the truth" in an actor.
We singers also need to find within ourselves, our own unique expressive truth and be willing to offer that powerful being to the people who hear us...
How To Audition With The Truth Of Who You Are
One of the interviewees was asked to speak about the "truthful" qualities she was looking for. She replied:
"...Whoever you are today, bring that with you. You all have an idea of what it is that you’re doing in this universe, why you’re here, why you’re taking this class, and why you’re pursuing that, what your interests in the world are. You have to bring that quality of who you (really) are...You can’t do it really well unless it is in your heart.”
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(Learn more about auditions. And here are some audition tips especially for singers-over-forty.)
It is one thing to say "be yourself," or "know who you are today" but another thing to really know what that means in terms of how to audition better.
Here are two suggestions:
1. Notice what attracts your attention. Notice what events, situations, people, vistas, and activities really light your fire.
Put aside what your friends think is cool. For a few days, forget about what your wife or husband wants you to be interested in.
Just notice what draws you in, charges your batteries and fuels your excitement about life.
2. Start to do some of these things a little more often. No big changes required. Just add a little more of your passionate likes to your everyday life.
Over time, you may begin to understand more about who you really are. And this knowledge will fuel your singing and it may change or broaden your choice of songs. And ideally, that deeper kind of self-knowledge will allow you to walk into an audition with a greater sense of purpose and self confidence.
Audtions are not just about showing off a great voice. They are about you being as fully yourself as possible in that moment.
Doing an audition in this way may not get you the job. But it will certainly leave a powerful impression.
As one of those casting directors said: And then, if you’re really terrific, even if you don’t get the job, six months from now, I’ll be saying, “Remember that guy that came in, he was from Cameron’s class, wore that blue shirt? He would be right for this.”
I wish you great singing!
Barbara Lewis
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