Auditioning for college theatre programs needn’t be a mysterious process.  Here are some things you can do to increase your odds of success:

Work with a coach

This is not blatant self-promotion on my part.  You’d be foolish to rely on the advice of your high-school drama teacher, friends or family for such an important audition.  Go to a professional with a record of success preparing students for college auditions.

Start Early

I can’t stress this enough.  Please don’t wait until the audition is coming up to begin preparing. As soon as you know you want to audition start working.  You put yourself at a distinct disadvantage if you don’t. 

Choose your audition pieces wisely

Check out my blog about how to choose an audition monologue here.  Some things to consider are: Choose monologues from plays instead of films or television.  When choosing musical pieces avoid songs strongly associated with star performers, difficult patter songs (Getting Married Today), Very rangy or overdone songs (Defying Gravity/On My Own) and songs by composers difficult for accompanists to play (Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown).  Don’t do dialects.  Let them hear your voice.  Choose age appropriate material.  Also choose contrasting pieces (stylistically and lyrically) and avoid profanity and overtly sexual material.

Bring your best self to the audition

Odds are any actor you admire has a unique sense of themselves that you respond to.  They are comfortable in their skin and project a confidence and ease on stage or in front of the camera.  They are not afraid to be themselves and they are certainly never dull.  They simply allow who they are to shine without apology.  This self-confidence is attractive.  It is very important that you bring your best self to the audition and leave the scared, nervous, shy you at home.  What you wear, the way you answer questions and the pieces you choose to perform all must all reflect who you are as a person on your best day. 

Be Physical

An actor comfortable and relaxed in their body allows an audience to relax, watch and listen.  Auditors do not want to work with a talking head reciting lines someone else wrote.  They want to see that you have a whole body that you are comfortable using to communicate your intent.

Of course, there are many other things to consider but if you do these things and you’ll be well on your way to securing a spot in the program of your choice.  If you’d like help preparing for your college audition drop me a line and we’ll start working together to achieving your college audition success!

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All my best,

Philip

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Philip Hernandez is a respected acting teacher and singing coach in NYC. He is also the only actor in Broadway history to play both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert in Les Miserables. He created principal roles in Broadway’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Paul Simon’s The Capeman. You may also know him from his many television appearances: The Blacklist, Gotham, Blue Bloods, The Path, Bull, Nurse Jackie, Elementary, Person of Interest, Law and Order, Hostages and Damages to name a few. For information about acting lessons CLICK HERE or singing lessons CLICK HERE. 

Follow him on twitter @philip24601, on Instagram @philip24601 and on Facebook at @philip24601.