Auditioning for the First Time? Start Here

Posted on January 10, 2026January 3, 2026 by Thtrthts

The start of a new year is a perfect time to try new things! If your resolution is to give acting a try, you’ve made a good choice. Theatre, however, comes with a lot of unwritten rules, and if you’ve never done it before, you might be at a loss where to start.

This is a quick-and-dirty guide to get you started on auditions. It’s not an in-depth audition guide, but it will guide you through what you need to know as simply and directly as possible.

Finding Your First Audition

If you’re unsure how to find auditions in the first place, maybe start with this guide: How to Find Auditions for Theatre and Film

The answer needn’t be long and complicated, though. Auditions are easier than ever to find thanks to online tools.

Many community theatre auditions are posted on social media, so consider checking Facebook for Events happening near you, or look for a Facebook group for local performing arts events and auditions (many areas have one of these).

You can also search for theaters near you via Google and browse their website for audition information.

Ideally, your first audition shouldn’t be one that’s a day or two away. Try to find one that’s not too soon, so you have time to prepare!

Planning Your First Audition

Once you’ve found an audition opportunity near you, you should closely analyze the audition notice, that is, all the information the company provides about where you need to be, what you need to do, and how you need to do it.

Here’s an edited audition notice I found on Facebook, as an example.

☎️AUDITIONS: 
Dial M for Murder
By Frederick Knott, Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed by [DIRECTOR NAME]

[THEATRE NAME] is holding auditions for Dial M for Murder, the suspenseful thriller made famous by Hitchcock. If you love twists, psychological tension, and smart storytelling, this one’s for you!

🗓 AUDITION DATES:
Tuesday, January 13
6:30–10:00 PM
Sunday, January 18
11:00 AM–7:00 PM

CALLBACKS:
Saturday, January 24
11:00 AM–2:00 PM

CAST BREAKDOWN:
• Tony Wendice (he/him): 30s–40s, British. Charming, calculating, and dangerous.
• Margot Wendice (she/her): 30s–40s, British. Intelligent, kind, and trapped in a loveless marriage.
• Maxine (she/her): American. A bold, rising crime novelist with a sharp mind and a protective heart.
• Lesgate (he/him): 30s–40s, British. A desperate con with a criminal past.
• Inspector Hubbard (he/him): 40s–50s. A methodical detective determined to uncover the truth.

WHAT TO PREPARE:
Actors may prepare one monologue from the play or a monologue of their choosing.
You may also be asked to read from sides.
📲: SIGN UP HERE: [insert link]
📂 AUDITION MATERIALS (schedule, sides, monologues): [insert link]

This audition notice provides a lot of information, and that information is valuable for preparing your audition.

Perhaps first to note is the cast breakdown. Are you potentially appropriate for any of the parts? This play seems to have roles primary for actors in their 30s to 50s, so if that’s not you, you’ll probably want to audition for something else. (Note that an actor’s playing age may not be their real age– if you can pass for the age of the character, that’s good enough.)

Then, double check the essentials like time and place. Can you make it to auditions, or do you have other plans that evening? Where is this theatre, is it close enough for you to consider driving there multiple nights a week for rehearsal? This particular notice also provides a rehearsal schedule, listed in the link at the bottom. This won’t always be provided, but since it is this time, you should review that and make sure you can be at the majority of rehearsals.

With all of the essentials clear, you can look at the real meat of the audition notice: what you need to prepare.

This notice says you need to prepare a monologue, and provides a link for you to access monologues from the play. (It says you can provide your own monologue if you’d like, but for your first audition, picking one of theirs would likely be easier.) The notice also says you may read from “sides,” which are brief, selected scenes from the play that you’ll read with others.

Note that this audition notice is just a sample. Audition notices can vary in plenty of ways. Here are some other things you may see or want to take note of:

Notice that this audition listing advertises a day for callbacks. These are a round of invite-only secondary auditions, used to narrow down actors for specific parts. You can get a part without being called back, but it’s still good to note when callbacks are and whether or not you’d be able to attend, just in case you are offered one.
If you’re auditioning for a musical, the notice will also include directions for your vocal audition. Usually they will ask for a 32- or 16-bar cut (that is, for 32 or 16 measures of music– 32 bars is often approximately 1 minute of music). They will also usually request a certain style of song, eg, “Please prepare 32 bars of a contemporary musical theatre selection.” If you’re not sure what this means, you can always Google it and find examples!
Musical auditions will also frequently (but not always) include dance portions. Make sure to read carefully: if you need to dance at an audition, you’ll want to plan your wardrobe accordingly. At a dance audition, you’ll follow the choreographer through a brief combination.
This audition notice asks you to sign up for a time slot. Not all will– sometimes you’re welcome to show up at any time. If there is a sign-up, though, you should definitely fill out the provided form.
Some audition notices may request “two contrasting pieces.” This is maybe most common with musical theatre auditions asking for two song cuts, usually one upbeat and one slower song to give a fuller idea of your vocal ability, but you’ll sometimes be asked for contrasting monologues, too. Make sure you read carefully so you don’t miss important info like this.
Some notices may mention headshots and resumes. If you don’t have an acting resume or a headshot– which you almost certainly won’t as a beginner– just don’t worry about these. You can get them later.

Reviewing all of this information makes your next steps clear. Let’s talk about these now.

Preparing Your First Audition

Now that you know what you need to prepare, we can talk about how to prepare it. This section is divided into subsections for common audition components.

Preparing a Monologue

Step one is selecting a monologue. For the sample audition notice I provided, all you need to select is a monologue, and they make it easy by providing some to choose from. For others, you may need to find your own. I have an in-depth guide on finding monologues for auditions, but here are the basic principles:

You can find monologues on monologue websites (find them easily by Googling “audition monologues [for men/women/all ages/child actors, etc]”). You can “make your own” monologues by lightly adapting scenes from plays, but this probably isn’t the best option for beginners. Start by preparing a tried and true monologue!
Pick a monologue that is of an appropriate length (generally around a minute, and definitely under 2, but pay attention to if the audition notice requests a specific length)
Pick a monologue that fits with the style of the play (ie, don’t audition for a contemporary comedy with monologue from a Shakespearean tragedy. You want to pick something from a similar time period, and in a similar genre: comedy for comedy, drama for drama, etc)
Pick something you LIKE! You’ll have to spend a lot of time preparing and memorizing the monologue, so make sure you can stand to do so!

Once you’ve made your selection, you can begin working on and learning the material.

There are a million ways to do this. An easy start for beginners is to print out the monologue. Read through and with a pencil mark anything you want to emphasize: key words, moments of emotional intensity, places where you want to speak quickly or slowly. You could mark moods, like “say this angrily,” but a more actorly way to approach it is to mark intentions, like “I want to make the listener feel stupid for saying whatever he just said to me,” or “I want to let everyone know what a jerk my character’s son is for what he did.” It doesn’t have to be perfect– feel free to play with different intentions until you find ones that feel good.

There’s a whole wild world of acting technique out there that will help you refine your approach to monologues, but this is a good standard baseline to begin with.

Practice performing the monologue frequently, on different days, at different times, and maybe even in front of some friends and family. Make sure you practice reading it aloud, not just in your head! The more you practice it, the more it will stick in your memory. Audition monologues should be memorized, so repetition is key! I have a separate in-depth guide to help you memorize your monologue, but there really is no cheat code for skipping many, many repetitions.

There’s no need to bring a physical copy of your monologue to the audition, but you may want to, just in case you want to review in the lobby before the audition.

Preparing for Cold Reads

Cold reads are a common element of auditions– that is, picking up a scene you most likely haven’t seen before and performing it cold (with no preparation). Sometimes you’ll read the scene with other auditioning actors, and sometimes you’ll read with a member of the production staff. Cold read auditions are somewhat more common than monologue auditions these days, especially for community theatre.

The point of cold reads, generally, is that they require no prep: the idea is to see how the actor works and adapts on the fly. Still, some audition notices (like the one I provided above) will supply you with the scenes that will be used for cold reads. If it’s possible to view the sides ahead, it’s generally highly encouraged to do so. You don’t have to explicitly prepare them or memorize them (unless otherwise suggested in the audition notice), but building a passing familiarity with each is beneficial. Try reading them all aloud, to reduce the risk of tripping over your tongue in the audition room.

If sides aren’t provided in advance (and even if they are), consider finding the full script of the show you’re auditioning for and reading it ahead of time, if at all possible. Familiarity with the plot and characters will help you make better acting decisions in the audition.

Preparing a Vocal Audition

Much like with a monologue, step one is selecting your song(s). I have a more in-depth guide for this on my site, but here’s the quick and dirty:

When picking a song, pay close attention to what the audition notice is asking for. Do you need to prepare a specific style of song? Of what length? Do you need one cut or two? Especially note whether there will be an accompanist in the room, or if you’ll need to find a backing track to sing with.
An easy way to start finding audition songs is to simply Google “audition songs for tenors/men/mezzo sopranos/children/etc.” You can also try Googling “audition songs for [show name]” or “audition songs for [character name].” Almost any song can work as an audition song, but finding really good ones requires some more audition know-how, so sticking with suggestions from others is a good starting point.
Make sure whatever you pick is right for your voice part and not too hard to sing. If you have trouble singing it while relaxed at home, you’ll definitely struggle to sing it in the higher-stress environment of the audition room.
Occasionally you may go to an audition where you’re allowed and even encouraged to sing a song from the show: this can make finding songs and materials much easier, but it’s rather uncommon.

Once you’ve chosen your song, you’ll need to prepare your materials:

If the audition notice asks for a backing track, you’ll have to track one down, and your song options may be slightly limited by what you can find. Search on YouTube and maybe Google for karaoke tracks for your song. Appcompanist is a fantastic app that I highly recommend for auditions, as you can tweak the key and tempo and many other settings as you like, though there is a paid subscription.
Note, too, that if you need a backing track, you need a way to play that backing track. Auditions that ask for backing tracks will generally provide a Bluetooth speaker, so ensure you have a device capable of connecting via Bluetooth. This also means keeping your device charged and potentially downloading your materials to your device so you don’t have to worry about spotty internet or cell service.
Sheet music will be required if your audition will have a piano accompanist, and it’s useful to have even if the audition won’t have one. The easiest way to ensure your music is in the right key and written legibly for a pianist is to buy sheet music from a site like MusicNotes, though you can have luck tracking down sheet music PDFs for free. For a beginner, I’d recommend buying from a reputable site to be safe.
Preparing your sheet music for the accompanist is key. It helps them play their best for you without worrying about page turns, and it also looks more professional. You should:
- Print out your sheet music, preferably double-sided. If you can’t print double-sided, tape pages together back-to-front, to effectively create double-sided pages.
- 3-hole punch your sheet music.
- Put your sheet music in a 3-ring binder, so the accompanist can easily turn the pages. Don’t bother with lamination or page protectors, these often have a shiny glare that can get in the accompanist’s way while playing.
- Mark where in the music your cut will start and end. Here’s an example of how that might look:

Finally, you can begin the work of practicing your song!

Like preparing a monologue, practice the song in many different ways, places, and times of day. Your song will need to be memorized. Repetition is key. It’s useful to print out a second “scratch” copy of your music and use this to take notes on, similar to what I suggested in the monologue section.

One of the most beneficial things a beginner can do ahead of a musical theatre audition is to find a voice teacher you can take a few lessons with to work on your song. This way, you can practice singing it with an accompanist, and they can give you plenty of tips on preparation and auditioning. This is maybe the best thing you can do to prepare, so I HIGHLY recommend it if you can swing it.

Preparing for Dance Calls

There’s not much to do to prepare for a dance audition, short of selecting appropriate clothing. You may want to stretch before the audition. Overall, remember that a big part of this portion of the audition is seeing actors’ personalities and attitudes, so just be prepared to bring your best self.

Performing Your First Audition

You may find my article What to Expect in Your First Audition handy.

On the day of the audition, you’ll want to arrive 10-15 minutes early to the theatre. Generally, there will be someone at a desk checking people in and handing out audition forms. These are brief applications that provide the team with more information about you. Fill this out, have a seat, and wait for your turn.

Remember that you’re always auditioning. Once you get on the premises, remember to be polite and respectful at all times. Making a bad impression never bodes well for casting.

You will eventually be called into the audition room to perform your selections. You may be in the room alone with the show staff, or there may be other actors in a group with you.

When it’s your turn, you can hand off your music binder to the accompanist, or hook up your device to the speaker to play your backing track, or simply take the stage for your monologue/cold read. Before you sing or read a monologue, you should slate, that is, state your name and what you’re performing: “Hi, my name is Bobby Smith, I am singing “Chip on Your Shoulder” from Legally Blonde,” or “Hi, my name is Susie Gonzalez, I will be reading a monologue from John Cariani’s Almost, Maine.” (Make sure you know the name and author/source of your piece to be able to slate!)

Auditioning for the first time can be scary, but remember that the production team just wants to see you do your best. No sweat. Auditions can be a lot of fun, too! If you relax and appreciate the short opportunity to perform, you may find that you enjoyed yourself more than you expected.

After your audition, it’s best to put the whole thing out of your mind: you’ll probably have to wait a while to hear about the cast list. Planning some activities with friends immediately following the audition can help take your mind off it, but really, the waiting is always the hardest part.

Remember, even if you aren’t cast, putting yourself out there is always worthwhile! Sometimes a director needs to see your face and your talents more than once before you start booking roles. The more auditions you go to, the better your chances of being cast.

Final Audition Tips

Auditioning doesn’t have to be complicated to start with. It’s one of those things that can be simple to start, but can take a lifetime to master. The more auditions you do, the more you’ll learn!
Always remember to stay cool and calm. Even if things go wrong, try to keep your emotions in check. People will want to cast folks who seem pleasant and friendly over people who are extremely talented but seem like nightmares to work with.
There are a lot of very good books out there about auditioning, such as Michael Shurtleff’s Audition and Michael Kostroff’s Audition Psych 101. Consider picking one of these up if you want to learn more, or browse further resources on this blog.

Guides and Tips

How to Find Auditions for Theatre and Film in 2026

Posted on January 3, 2026December 17, 2025 by Thtrthts

Whether you are a professional actor with years of experience or a hobbyist who’s just getting started, figuring out where to find auditions can be a big stumbling block. Consider this article your ultimate guide: we’ll examine a number of painless ways to find theatre and film audition opportunities quickly and successfully.

How to Find Local Auditions for Theatre and Film

Here’s an easy way to get started: take stock of the companies who are putting on local and regional productions you’re already seeing. They must be having auditions for those productions– visit their websites to find how you can audition for them.

Your friends are also an invaluable resource here. Ask around: Where are you auditioning this week? Where did you hear about that audition? What’s the next opportunity you’re auditioning for? You can hear about a ton of opportunities just by keeping your ear to the ground.

How to Find Auditions on Social Media

Since you’re likely already on it, why not try using it to get some parts? One of the more useful applications of social media for actors is to use it to search for opportunities. Maybe think twice before ditching your Meta accounts just yet…

A simple start is to follow as many local companies and artists as you can. Audition notices are often posted on social media pages, and following ensures they’re likely to cross your feed. Actors you befriend on Facebook or Instagram are also likely to put other audition opportunities on your radar– on Facebook, for instance, a friend marking themselves “interested” or “going” to an audition event will often show up on your feed, showing an opportunity you may not have realized you had. Local casting agents, if you know any, are great to follow as well.

Another helpful option is to look for a local or regional audition group or page where many companies share notices. This way, even companies that you or your friends don’t follow– maybe even brand-new companies!– can make their way to your feed. For me, locally, this is the Pittsburgh-area Auditions An’at group on Facebook. A cursory search on that site also brought up groups for many major metropolitan areas, so check to see what’s available in your region. There are also groups that share casting calls or open audition notices for national tours, or big film opportunities. Join whatever is useful for you, and if you find the group unhelpful, you can always remove yourself from it later.

Note that groups and pages of this sort will often be unique to a particular medium. If you’re looking for theatre auditions, join groups that cater to that. If you’re looking for film auditions, join those groups. You may also find groups for companies hiring dancers, musicians, or party actors (think Princess Parties, etc), and groups specifically for extras for film. Be sure you’re exploring all your options!

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to periodically search for keywords like auditions or casting call in the search bar on Facebook or Instagram, and use search tools to tailor the query to your local area. You may find some surprises!

How to Find Auditions on the Web

For professional theatre and film auditions especially, you’ll want to check out casting sites like Backstage, Playbill, and more. Not all of these sites are created equal, so make sure you’re using the ones that are most relevant and effective for you.

Playbill‘s job search is completely free, which makes it a valuable starter option. Their search is also robust, allowing you to filter through lots of options easily.

Backstage is a paid option, but it’s a gold standard for a reason. If you can swing the funds, it’s a great resource– it may just not be the most beginner-friendly. The yearly subscription is about $120.

Actor’s Access is free to join, but you have to pay for a subscription in order to submit to any listings. This can still be a useful tool to see what’s out there, even if you’re not willing to pay yet. The yearly free is about $68.

Casting Networks is another free-to-join, pay-to-use option that offers a 14-day-free trial. There are a lot of opportunities on this site, but it is one of the more expensive ones at $30/month.

Members of the actor’s union can also use the search via Actor’s Equity member portal. It’s free for union members.

Non-union members may find the Non-Equity Theatre List useful: it’s a free resource that catalogues 300+ non-equity theaters you can search for opportunities. Purchase with a one-time $25 payment, and pay $5 to access future upgrades to the list as desired.

This video is a good resource that compares some of the above options and also explores some new ones. If you’re interested in more info about each, give it a watch:

As I said above, too, you may find good results just by looking at the websites of theatre companies who are producing shows you’re already going to see. Keep an eye out, too, for companies doing local improv-heavy pop-ups (think themed bar events) or Princess Parties and jot down their names so you can look for their Hiring or Audition pages later. Search around, pay attention, and see what you can find!

An Agent will help you Look, too

If you are at the appropriate stage in your career, consider searching for an agent. One of the benefits of an agent is that they are searching for you— so you don’t have to waste your own time combing through pages and pages of options, and they’ll send you opportunities you’re a good fit for. A good agent can save you a lot of time and help you get booked faster, but of course, not everyone is ready to make this move. This article can help you examine if it’s the right move for you.

Closing Thoughts

How do I find auditions? is one of the first questions every actor must ask. Finding audition opportunities for theatre and film is half the battle of landing roles and jobs.

Attending more auditions, broadly speaking, tends to boost your chances of being cast, so having as many opportunities as possible on your radar is beneficial. It’s also important to do your best work in the audition, though. If this article helped you find some auditions, consider checking out my Ultimate Audition Guide next, to help you nail it and get booked!

If you have any tried-and-true methods for finding auditions to share, please drop them in the comments below.

Guides and Tips, Theatre

How to Make Your Own Hands-Free Practice Tracks from your Musical Rehearsals

Posted on November 7, 2024November 7, 2024 by Thtrthts

Practicing outside of rehearsal is necessary in order to do your best work in a musical. Many actors take recordings during music rehearsals so that they can practice on their own later. This is great, but as a busy person, and I often find that I don’t have time to review those recordings I made with such conscientious aims. Those recordings end up going un-reviewed, and so they mostly just clog up space on my phone.

What I have discovered as a busy person who is often on-the-go is that my commute is a great time to review. To use this time, however, I need a rehearsal track that I can use hands-free while driving. If I were to sit at home and practice, I could just search through the recording manually to find the parts I need– but I obviously can’t do that and drive at the same time.

Enter my preferred new method! It takes some time, but it’s worth it, and I learn my parts well. I also end up with a resource that is easy to share with my whole cast!

Here is how I make my own practice tracks in Audacity:

Step 1: Record your music rehearsal
Step 2: Import the recording to Audacity
Step 3: Cut out everything but the voice parts
Step 4: Export to your phone
Step 5: And practice

Step 1: Record your music rehearsal

You can either use a built-in audio recording function on your phone (iOS comes with the “Voice Memos” app), or download something special. I use the app “Voice Record Pro.”

Be sure to place your phone somewhere neutral, where it won’t pick up a lot of background noise– for instance, you don’t want it in your lap if it’s going to catch a lot of sound from you picking up and putting down your music or turning pages. I usually just put it on the floor under my chair, away from my feet so I won’t step on it.

Record the entire rehearsal. Feel free to pause the recording during any breaks, but just don’t forget to restart it when you start singing again!

Step 2: Import the recording to Audacity

You can use a different program if you’d like, but Audacity is my preferred. It’s free and quite easy to use. For this step, I send the recording from my phone to my laptop (usually I AirDrop it, but you could also use any number of cloud or messaging routes), but you could also edit the audio right on your phone if you wanted. Voice Record Pro has the ability to do this, I just find it easiest to do the editing on a computer where I have finer control.

Step 3: Cut out everything but the voice parts

Comb through your recording in your audio editor. You want to delete any idle chatter and silent “dead space” to create a recording that is concise and straight to the point. Think of it like making a “highlight reel” of the rehearsal, keeping only the important parts. I like to keep some of the music director’s instructions so that the audio makes sense in context: Ie, I’ll keep things like “Look at page 53… at measure 37, altos sing…”

You can also edit out repetitions. If the music director plays the alto part 3 times to teach it, maybe only keep one. You can always simply replay that section of the audio if you need to review. I even cut out extraneous words for brevity. If the director says “Okay, um, next the altos come in here, uh, and they sing…”, I will cut it down to “Next the altos come in, they sing…”

You can be as granular or basic about this as you want. The point is to take the long rehearsal and cut it down so that it is short and easy to review and understand. I have edited 3-hour rehearsals down to only 15 minutes before.

Audacity makes this very easy to do. After importing your audio, you’ll see something like this:

Be sure to “zoom in” so that you’re able to review the audio quite closely: the numbers across the top of the working area are seconds. I am sometimes trimming out individual seconds of audio (or less) while working on these recordings.

The areas where people are singing is usually easy to spot, as those are the places where you see the tall “spikes.” Areas of relative silence are also easy to see, as they’ll look like flat lines. Regular speech will fall somewhere in between these.

Listen to the recording and pause occasionally to cut out unnecessary parts. If you zoom in and watch closely, you’ll be able to “see” the words being said in Audacity. You can select where a word starts and ends by simply clicking and dragging, and delete that section by pressing the “delete” key.

In this picture, I’ve selected the music director saying “um” followed by a second of silence to cut it out of the recording. I played the recording and was able to easily “see” the um in the track, as well as the silence that followed– trimming it makes the recording just a little cleaner and more concise.

It’s not all that granular, though– here’s almost a minute and a half that I’m cutting. You can see there’s a bit of us singing at the beginning (just a repetition of something we’d done before) followed by a lot of talking. No need to keep that! Select it all and delete.

The downside here is that you pretty much have to listen to the whole recording while you’re editing it. It’s time consuming. The upside of that is that it helps you learn, though!

Ultimately, this is your recording to do with as you see fit. You can choose whether you want to keep all the voice parts, or only your own. You can decide how much chatter you want or how much repetition you want. I like to trim my recordings to be as neat as possible while keeping all the voice parts, so I can share the recording with the whole cast– I started doing this as a stage manager making rehearsal resources for my actors! I also like to keep at least one run of the entire song in the file.

I like doing this because you can hear how things sound with your cast. Unlike with canned practice tracks, you don’t have to worry about the recording not making sense to you based on what you experienced in rehearsal– it’s literally your rehearsal! You can also hear how your music director wants things done, and can get an ear for how your own soloists are choosing to time their choices.

There are certainly easier ways to record a music rehearsal, but I think my way has a lot of benefits!

Step 4: Export to your phone

Once your recording is freshly trimmed, give it a final “proof listen” and then export the file. You can save this as an .mp4 file for audio listening, or turn it into a .mov file so it can be uploaded to a cast page, such as a Facebook group. The idea, anyway, is to have the file somewhere you can use it easily.

Step 5: And practice

Your practice track is done! You should now have a track with which you can simply press play and review your music completely hands-free. This is perfect for reviewing in the car on the way to rehearsal– or work, school, or anywhere else you have to go. You can also, of course, sit down with your music and play this track while you practice at home.

Here’s an example of a practice track I made for our cast during a production of Legally Blonde.(Featuring a meme I made from a rehearsal pic… lol.)

I hope this is useful for other performers!

Guides and Tips, Theatre

5 Strategies for Practicing Lines with a Partner

Posted on October 22, 2024October 13, 2024 by Thtrthts

Learning lines is one of the least fun parts of a rehearsal process. Nonetheless, it is necessary, and it is therefore necessary for actors to figure out ways to improve at it.

Working on lines with a partner can make the memorization process much more entertaining. Though we sometimes must inevitably practice alone, there are a variety of ways that we can work on lines with a partner… and a variety of ways that are much more beneficial than merely reading the scene back and forth a number of times.

Continue reading →

Guides and Tips, Theatre

5 Strategies for Practicing Lines Alone

Posted on October 17, 2024October 13, 2024 by Thtrthts

Have you ever heard a director say that “rehearsal isn’t for learning your lines, it’s for learning everybody else’s?” The adage is one of many actors’ least favorites, as it is often spoken by directors in the act of chastising actors for not knowing their part.

Acting requires a hefty amount of memorization. This is an intimidating element of the art for many. Thankfully, though, memorization is a skill, and all the average actor needs to get their memorization up to snuff for a show are a few memorization techniques that work for them.

You might not always have a partner around to practice lines with. Luckily, there are plenty of strategies for memorizing lines that one can work on privately.

Continue reading →

Guides and Tips

20 Life Hacks for an Easier Tech Week

Posted on September 24, 2024August 24, 2024 by Thtrthts

I’ll admit it: I enjoy tech week. I find the adrenaline rush of such a busy week absolutely thrilling.

One of the reasons I enjoy it so much is because I have learned a lot of tips and tricks over the years for making it the best experience it can be! Instead of spending the week bogged down in stress, try out these hacks:

1. Make sure you know your material before tech week starts

Tech week is not the time to be learning lines or blocking! Do all your cramming before tech week– tech week will be stressful enough without the added worry of feeling like you forgot to study for an important test.

2. Plan ahead with meal prepping

It’s a huge relief to know what you’re going to eat when you get home from the theater. This is doubly true if you’re juggling a hectic work-rehearsal balance. Make some food ahead and separate it into perfectly-sized, re-heatable portions. Depending on how busy the week is, you might need to plan both lunch and dinner. Pre-packaged frozen options that you can simply pop in the microwave are also a lifesaver.

If you don’t plan ahead, you’re more likely to wind up paying a lot of money for overpriced gas station or convenience store fare. Plan out your meals, and plan out your snacks, too!

3. Put together a “tech bag”

I like to keep a tote or duffle bag stocked with everything I need to make it through tech week. This will include any necessary items for the show, as well as anything I personally need to be healthy and prepared. I put this together before tech week begins, so I don’t have to worry about it later. Some suggestions:

My script/libretto
Necessary costume pieces
Bobby pins, hair ties
Makeup bag
Deodorant, hand sanitizer, wipes
Mouthwash and floss
Bandaids
Reusable water bottle

Depending on the needs of your production, your list will probably look quite different, but this is a good starting point.

4. Finish any important projects in advance

I’ve been the person who says “I can just finish this homework assignment during tech week.” Subsequently, I’ve also been the person who fails a class because they didn’t turn in a homework assignment that was due during tech week. (That’s a long story…)

If you have any big work or school projects coming up during tech, get them out of the way before tech week begins, or else get them as completed as possible. You really want to be able to dedicate as much time and energy as you can to tech week– I often find that tech week just demands so much of me, that trying to make time for much else rarely goes well. You never know what might come up.

5. Work on your sleep hygiene

It’s really hard to get proper sleep during tech week, I know. Try your best to get it anyway!

Sleep is very important for physical health, mental acuity, and emotional wellbeing. All of these will be taxed by the demands of tech week. Do the best you can to get enough sleep for your personal needs.

One thing I have found very helpful is to set aside a few minutes before bed to decompress. Lower the lights and read, journal, or meditate. Tech week stress can easily translate to a night of tossing and turning, so do whatever you need to sleep through the night.

6. Take care of your immune system

Getting sick during tech week sucks. ‘Nuff said.

Tech week is a great time to overcompensate for your immune system. Take your vitamins. Wear a mask when you’re around lots of people. Wash your hands regularly, and use hand sanitizer after interacting with high-touch surfaces.

Getting enough sleep and paying attention to your nutrition and hydration are also important facets of maintaining your health. These can all be challenging pursuits during tech week, but it’s for the best! Make every effort to keep up with these health needs.

7. Set aside some funds

Between gas money, snack money, and unexpected purchases of props or costuming needs, I always find tech week to be an expensive time. While planning can help mitigate this (see no. 2 on this list), it’s also helpful to plan for the worst and save some extra cash.

You never know what might arise during tech week. Spend mindfully, and prepare some emergency funds just in case.

8. Make personal hygiene as easy as possible

Obviously, maintaining your hygiene is important at baseline. The hack I offer you in this pursuit is to make taking care of hygiene needs as simple as you possibly can, so that you never find yourself “too tired” to shower or brush your teeth at the end of the day.

There are a lot of tiny barriers that can make following through on an important task just annoying enough that we lose our motivation. Your goal is to remove as many of these barriers as possible. Set out your face wash and skincare products for the morning/evening instead of putting them away in a closet or cabinet that you’ll have to dig them out of later. Make it a rule that you’ll shower before eating or getting into bed. If you find you’re wanting to spend too much time in bed in the morning to get up and wash your face or brush your teeth, take these hygiene products with you to work so you can do them a little later. Keep deodorant in your purse or in your desk at work so you can apply on the go.

And remember, a little is still better than nothing. It’s better to take quick shower and skip washing your hair than to skip showering altogether because you feel rushed. Do what you can!

9. Have a plan B for child or pet care

Having contingency plans is always helpful. If you have pets or children who need looked after while you’ll be away from the house, it’s not a bad idea to line up alternate babysitters in case of emergency. Finding emergency childcare can but a big source of stress and panic, so having some plans in place ahead of time can be a relief.

10. Consider renting a room

This one is a little niche. If you’re working at a venue that is far away from your home, booking an Airbnb or reserving a room in a hotel can save you a ton of hassle during tech week. This obviously costs a good chunk of money. If the venue is far enough away from your home or job, you may actually save by doing this instead of spending money on gas!

If it makes sense for your finances and personal sense of peace, give this a try. I’ve never done it myself, but I have friends who swear by it!

11. Time your caffeine well

I’m just going to assume that you’re going to end up drinking caffeine during this week. You’ll most likely need it.

Planning a good time to drink this caffeine can be beneficial, especially if you get acid reflux like me and have to limit your caffeine consumption as a result. If you drink your caffeine too early in the day, you might find your energy flagging by rehearsal time. If you drink it too late, it might negatively impact your sleep. If you drink it too close to show time, or too long after a meal, you might find yourself feeling jittery and anxious.

Plan your day accordingly. Caffeine consumption can absolutely make you feel a lot worse if you do it in an unwise manner. I’ve talked about my personal caffeine habits on this blog before.

12. Mind your nutrition

It’s hard to eat well when you’re in the middle of a busy tech week. Like I said before, pre-planning meals is really helpful for a variety of reasons, but it’s also helpful to think about what you’re eating and when.

I’m not going to guilt trip you about poor eating habits during an extremely chaotic time– that would be counterproductive. What I will remind you is that variety is really valuable in your diet. You don’t have to eat a salad every day, but finding time to fit in some different foods can do wonders for both your physical health and general mood. Eating the same stuff all the time gets boring! Mixing it up a little can help you eat just that much healthier.

Eat long enough before rehearsal that you won’t have issues with indigestion, but soon enough before that you won’t be hungry.

13. Keep some quality-of-life necessities at the theater

When you’re carting everything back and forth from the theatre to your home every night, it’s easy to forget something important, ESPECIALLY when you’re under the stress of tech week. For this reason, having some necessary tools and supplies that stay at the theater can help alleviate a lot of worries.

My top recommendation in this regard is to acquire a secondary phone/device charger and leave it in your dressing room. I’ve taken my bedside phone charger to the theater and forgotten it TOO many times. There are a number of other useful things to keep at the theater though, too, including show makeup and skincare products (if you can spare it/aren’t using your everyday supply), deodorant and mouthwash, and some securely wrapped snacks. If it’s an item that forgetting would prove catastrophic, keeping it (or a copy of it) at the theater saves a lot of heartache.

As long as you’ve got the space and resources (and permission, if necessary) for it, no “necessity” is too weird. I have a friend who brings a personal cooler full of Redbull to keep at the theater during tech week. Every time she brings it out, I’m always a little jealous.

14. Have some emergency-quick-fix materials on hand

Just in case of emergency, I like to bring a number of supplies that could be used to fix a costume or prop in a pinch. Generally, these include a sharpie, scissors, safety pins, body/garment tape, a mini sewing kit, a backup roll of mic tape, and a mini glue gun. These aren’t perfect solutions, but they aren’t meant to be– the idea is just to have something on hand in case, say, the zipper on your dress breaks 2 minutes before you’re supposed to enter.

Realistically, chances are, someone else at the theater will have this stuff. But why leave it up to chance? If you bring them, you’ll know exactly where they are so they can be available at a moment’s notice. Nothing’s worse than knowing someone backstage has a roll of mic tape but being completely unable to find it.

15. A tech week massage is a game-changer

A few years back, I cleaned out my wallet during tech week and found a gift card for a salon that did massage therapy. I was able to book an appointment before a dress rehearsal, and I have been dreaming about tech week massages ever since.

This is obviously an investment and wouldn’t be attainable for everyone. I haven’t had the disposable income to make it happen again ever since that first time. But if you can swing it… wow does this make you feel like a brand-new human.

16. Comfort is king

Staying as comfortable as you possibly can really helps make the long hours of tech week a lot more bearable.

I’ve taken a lot of tech-week comfort tips from actors I’ve known over the years. I know actors who bring comfy slippers and fluffy robes to wear backstage before they’ve put their costumes on. I personally like to bring a portable humidifier with me to any spaces that tend to be dry, and I’ve been known to haul my air purifier into particularly musty, dusty dressing rooms. If the space is usually too warm for you, bring in a fan!

Comfort in costume is also important. Insoles or heel liners can be a lifesaver when dealing with uncomfortable shoes.

17. Don’t be afraid to skip the cast parties

Going out after a performance is a traditional part of tech week for many. It’s been a long week, and a cast party helps blow off some steam.

But then again… it’s been a long week. Don’t let FOMO make you feel like you have to attend a post-performance outing! I’ve found saying goodbye to everyone and coming home for a relaxing, solitary bubble bath to be incredibly freeing.

If you want to party, absolutely go party! Just don’t feel pressured.

18. Candy makes everyone feel better

Something I’ve learned over the years is that tensions tend to run high during tech week. One thing that makes tensions run higher is hunger.

Picking up a variety bag of candy or chocolate bars at the dollar store and leaving it out for everyone to share boosts morale like you wouldn’t believe. It also makes you popular! Just don’t eat in costume.

19. Tidy as you go

Keeping your dressing room neat can be a challenge, but it’s absolutely worth it. If you notice that the situation is getting a little out of control in your corner of the dressing room, it pays off to do some intermittent cleaning when you have a chance. Otherwise, you’ll have to do all the cleaning at the very end of the process when you’re most exhausted. Maintain a level of organization so your future self, and your fellow dressing room partners, will thank you.

20. Don’t forget to breathe

I’ve said it several times in this article, but let me say it again: tech week is stressful! Taking time to unwind and be in the moment is important. Find space for a few calming deep breaths, even if only for a few seconds. Staying calm helps prevent issues born from panic, rushing, and lack of attention. If you feel yourself getting worked up or feeling out-of-control, you owe it to yourself and everyone around you to go take a breather.

Final Thoughts

Tech week can be whatever we make it. Don’t forget the importance of mindset, and definitely don’t forget to take care of yourself! If you play your cards right, you might find you even enjoy your next tech week.

If you’re looking for more tech week survival tips, check out my Ultimate Guide to Surviving Tech Week, or Do This, Not That: Tech Week Edition.

Guides and Tips, Theatre

20 Audition Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on September 10, 2024August 18, 2024 by Thtrthts

Ask an actor what their least favorite part of performing is, and many of them will probably say “auditions.”

While auditions can be frightening and challenging, they don’t necessarily have to be! Approaching with the correct mindset and materials is key for a less harrowing experience.

Here are 20 miscellaneous tips to help make the process a little less rough!

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Guides and Tips, Uncategorized

Feeling Sick During Tech Week? How to Deal

Posted on August 1, 2024July 23, 2024 by Thtrthts

Let’s begin with a throwback.

My senior year of high school, I was cast as the Witch in Into the Woods. School theatre was my entire life, so I was stoked all through the rehearsal process. Inevitably, though, as we got closer and closer to tech week, I found my boundless, passionate energy beginning to flag. I felt run-down, fatigued, and eventually sick. My voice started to get scratchy, and then started failing altogether. After wrapping the show one night, I found I could barely speak.

This situation is obviously not ideal, and for a number of reasons– I was at risk of serious vocal injury and definitely in need of a good rest. Unfortunately, the nature of performing school or community theatre is that you sometimes don’t have that option.

Vocal strain and fatigue should be taken seriously, as should illness. Your vocal folds are delicate muscles, and pushing through injury and sickness can cause more serious and lasting problems. That said, if you don’t have the option of taking a break just yet, there are things you can do to keep yourself in as healthy shape as possible.

I ended up performing all four of my shows as the Witch without any significant issues. Here are some tips.

Please note that I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I am not a voice expert. I am merely a performer speaking from my own experiences. The following are my own opinions.

1. Seriously, take a break if you can

Before you read on, I’m going to double down on the riskiness of “just pushing through.” Hear me out: your voice is a part of you, and injury can potentially cause lifelong vocal problems. Unfortunately, a stressful tech week can be the “perfect storm” of conditions that make injury likely. Plain overuse over a single week isn’t necessarily that likely to lead to a lasting vocal disorder, but overuse isn’t the only factor contributing to vocal strain issues. Tech week likely involves long hours of using the voice, possibly coupled with illness or allergies, or poor air quality inside old, dusty theaters; it probably includes eating less-than-healthy meals and drinking caffeinated beverages that might cause acid reflux; it almost certainly presents a number of miscellaneous stressors that can lead to excessive muscular tension and all the associated complications. These many factors combine and create a situation where serious medical issues associated with the voice may develop.

It’s really worth assessing the options you have. Does your production have an understudy you can rely on– even if only for a single show to allow you some time to recover?

If there isn’t an understudy available to cover for you, I would recommend searching for a certified laryngologist in your area and getting your situation assessed. It may be worth specifically searching for one with experience working with singers and performers.

2. Consider seeing a doctor

A specialized throat doctor called a Laryngologist will be able to tell you how serious any vocal problems you may be experiencing actually are, and can provide suggestions for how to best move forward. If you are genuinely concerned about your voice, this is the best way to know your concerns will be adequately addressed.

If the doctor assesses your situation and finds that it’s not safe to continue performing at this time, they will be able to write a note to any teachers/professors/show staff who may want written record of your condition.

If you are feeling sick (don’t we all inevitably get that terrifying cold halfway through tech week?), you may want to see a doctor to treat that sickness, or take OTC medications as directed. Keeping your immune system in good shape is important, as sickness can make any inflammation, pain, or fatigue you’re experiencing feel worse.

3. Use vocal rest periods to reduce fatigue

Think of your vocal capabilities over the course of the day like a glass of water. There is only so much water in the glass: you’ll want to save some for when you really need it.

When your voice is strained, even speaking can be additional stress for overworked muscles. Periods of vocal rest, where you don’t speak at all, can be very helpful for allowing the voice time to recover. Obviously, this can be hard to achieve, especially if you have a job that requires speaking or are a student who has to attend school during the day, but even staying silent for an hour or two at a time is better than nothing. When you’re not vocal resting, be sure to use your voice mindfully and carefully.

I’ve written another article about vocal rest that goes into further detail. You can read it here.

And if you find the idea of being quiet for hours at a time daunting, I have an article with tips for getting through it here!

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

You should be drinking plenty of water throughout the day already as a singer, but this is doubly important when you are dealing with vocal issues. Plain water is king when it comes to hydration– avoid sugary sports drinks, as the sugar can possibly cause further irritation.

Vocal phonation occurs when the vocal folds vibrate together, and those vocal folds are covered in mucosal membranes. Keeping those mucous membranes hydrated is key for easy production of sound.

5. Get plenty of rest

Sleep is a critical bodily function! Sleep is especially important for maintaining and recovering good health. If you’re not feeling your best, rest is absolutely crucial.

Sleep can be hard to get during tech week. If you’re feeling sick, don’t feel guilty about calling out of work or school to get some much-needed extra sleep. If your cast usually goes out after shows, consider skipping this and putting yourself right to bed instead.

6. Use pain relievers mindfully

Remember that treating the pain of a sore throat is not the same as curing it. Taking pain medication (or using a more natural method of pain relief, such as hot tea) will temporarily lessen the pain, but it won’t resolve the underlying issue itself… and resolving that underlying issue is key!

At worst, taking pain relievers can be counterproductive for healing. They can make you think you’re feeling better, so you go on stage and belt your face off, only to feel much worse later that night. Absolutely take medications or your preferred natural remedies as needed– but don’t let the temporary relief lull you into a false sense of security!

7. Communicate with show staff

This one is last because it is MOST IMPORTANT!

Communication is always key in an art form as collaborative as theatre. If you are feeling sick or strained, you must mention this to your stage manager and/or director, music director, voice coaches, or any other relevant staff. This is important for multiple reasons.

First, if you’re feeling sick in rehearsal, it’s a good idea to take it easy so you don’t hurt or exhaust yourself. If you do this, you must communicate with staff. Staff will always understand if you say, “hey, I need to dial it back tonight, my throat is killing me.” If you don’t say anything, they might mistake your gentle choices for lack of effort or care.

Second, it’s just never good to surprise your staff. People both on and offstage depend on audible cue lines. Sound balancing will be shaped around your work in rehearsals. Failing to communicate can lead to unnecessary confusion and frustration.

It also lets your staff know how you’re doing. If you’re feeling so sick that you’re worried you might not make it to the end of the weekend’s performances, your staff needs to know that. They may be able to make plans to help support you, or may even have to make plans to replace you in case of emergency.

The bottom line is that communication is a MUST– even when everyone is feeling healthy!

Final Thoughts

There’s no shame in getting sick or feeling strained during a busy production process, but taking care of yourself to prevent further problems is absolutely necessary. You, and your entire production, will be in much worse shape if your situation goes from bad (a sore, fatigued throat) to really bad (being unable to speak or sing at all) to catastrophe (medical emergency or persistent issues stemming from misuse).

If you don’t do anything else on this list, the most important thing is that you communicate. Always keep your production staff un the loop. You’ll feel better if you make feeling better a priority!

Looking for more tech week tips? Read my ULTIMATE tech week guide here.

Actor Life, Guides and Tips, Theatre

The Secret to Success in Performing Arts: Mastering 3 Vital Traits

Posted on July 25, 2024June 29, 2024 by Thtrthts

I’ve been around a lot of performers in a lot of different settings. I’ve directed, I’ve taught, I’ve acted, I’ve watched from both the audience and the stage manager’s booth. Every performer is unique, and everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Yet, in all of the actors, dancers, and musicians I’ve worked with, I have found that there are exactly three traits every truly excellent performer has in common.

These traits are instrumental to success in the performing arts. You won’t get very far without them, and having them can put you on top in close auditions.

If you can honestly say you have these three traits, then pat yourself on the back! If you’re not so sure, read over this article closely and do what you can to pick them up immediately.

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Guides and Tips

How to be Useful at your Required Set Strike when you have no Technical Abilities

Posted on July 18, 2024June 28, 2024 by Thtrthts

Post-production set strikes are easiest when many people lend their hands to the cause. Unfortunately, many actors dread strike. The reality is that many actors simply don’t know how to help. While technical skills are of benefit to every performer, and I heartily recommend every actor get the gist of as many backstage skills as possible, many times the root of the anxiety is simply “what can I even do besides stand around the whole time?”

Here is a set of suggestions for everyone, no matter their strength or skills, regarding making themselves useful at strike. The list starts with the least technically-inclined options, with the “hardest” options at the end.

Don’t be afraid to ask where you can help. The director, stage manager, and technical director should all be able to help you find something to do, and many of your cast and crew will also happily accept help if you offer it. Of course, use your best judgement—asking for direction repeatedly while others are busy with their own work gets annoying and makes it seem like you lack initiative.
See if any painting needs done. Some pieces may need primed and repainted if such is practice in the theater. This is almost always one of the last steps of strike, but it’s one anyone can do!
Get on cleaning duty. Strike requires much more than tearing down sets and lights. The lobby, house, bathrooms, greenroom, and dressing rooms may all be part of strike. Find out what needs cleaned— anyone can take care of organizing, vacuuming, or wiping down surfaces. However, remember that strike is messy business! Don’t bother cleaning anything that is likely to be trashed again by the end of the process until all of the work is done.
Take out the trash. As the set gets ripped apart, a surplus trash will quickly accumulate. Gathering this and throwing it away keeps the space clear for other, more important work. Remember, though, that because something has been used doesn’t necessary mean it is garbage. Again, use your best judgement— Large sheets of plywood or bits of lumber at a reasonable length can be reused, as can most hardware like screws, casters, or handles. Anything broken, badly damaged, or under a reasonably useful size should be trashed, while re-usable materials can be cleared away and re-organized. If you’re unclear on what is trash and what is useful, check in with someone first.
Assist with costumes, props, or furniture. Returning these pieces to their homes in theater storage is often relatively light work. On the other hand, if you have the muscle, lifting furniture into trucks or up and down stairs can be very helpful at this step— the “heavy” muscle is often assisting with the technical work at this time.
Remove hardware from set pieces and lumber. Before any lumber or stock structures get taken to storage, any extruding nails or staples should be removed. If they can’t be removed, you can sometimes use a hammer to pound them flat. The goal is to be certain that no one will be impaled the next time they lift that object. Using pliers or a hammer to remove these pointy bits of hardware is a very helpful activity that can be quite time consuming (in other words, if you have no idea what to do all day, this is a GREAT job to sign yourself up for).
Return reusable lumber and hardware to storage. Make sure you are clear on what should be trashed and what should be kept. If there are no organizational rules about where these things should go, strike may be a good time to do some organizing! Sorting like objects into their own bins or shelves is incredibly useful for future productions.
Be ready to help lift, lower, and store structures. There’s generally a wealth of group lifting to be done. “Stock” structures like legs and flats can be taken to storage. Often, large structures like platforms need to be lowered onto one side or moved in order to be taken apart. Even if you lack muscle, lifting as a group effort is easiest, and more hands are always beneficial. If you see people struggling to lift something, don’t take the time to worry about if you’re strong enough to help— just jump in!
Don’t be afraid of the power tools. Even if you’ve never used certain tools before, there will likely be someone willing to show you what to do with them.

Now that you have some suggestions for how to make yourself useful, here are some friendly reminders of what isn’t useful:

Don’t get in harm’s way. If you feel unsafe with something, leave it to those better equipped to handle it. Everyone would rather you pass off the job to someone else than be injured. Further, if you’re waiting for a job or for instruction, make sure you’re not, say, in the path of a light rail coming in, or underfoot when people are lifting heavy objects. Stay aware of your surroundings.
Don’t play supervisor. Regardless of how poorly you feel others may be doing their jobs, nothing is worse than watching someone simply stand back and tell others what to do. If you feel you must give direction to someone, do it, and then return to your own work. However, make sure you ask yourself, Am I a reliable authority on this issue? If the answer is no, keep your advice to yourself.
Don’t hide. This is a popular pastime for those who don’t know what to do with themselves at strike. Yes, we have noticed you’ve been mysteriously missing for the last three hours. No, it’s not a good look.
Don’t leave. Even if you have to leave early for any reason, try to be helpful in some way before you go. It’s better for everyone (yourself included) if you do a little rather than nothing.

Ultimately, what is important is that you find something to do. Almost anything you can find to do is helpful, so pitch in wherever you can. If you really can’t find some way to help, just ask!

Directors, if you’re looking for tips to make your set strikes more organized, check out my post here!