The Audition

For professional actors, their constant task is auditioning to secure the next job. The audition is often a nerve-wracking process for actors, but what is it like on the other side of the table? How does a director handle the audition process? Auditions happen in several phases: The preparation, the initial audition in the room, and callbacks. Ultimately, the goal of an audition is for a director to see and hear actors who want to be in the production.

Terminology

• Callbacks: An audition in which an actor is “called back” for another audition so that the casting team can see more of their skills and abilities for a particular role.
• Casting Director: A person or group of people who help a creative team cast professional productions.
• Cold Reading: An audition that gives actors only minutes to prepare a presentation from a script or side provided by the casting team
• LORT: The League of Resident Theatres.
• Monologue: A speech given by a character.
• Sides: An excerpt of a script to perform at auditions.
• Slate: An introduction of yourself and your material at the beginning of your audition.