So you’re thinking about auditioning for theatre for the first time ever.

I won’t sugarcoat it for you. Auditions are scary.

I am a seasoned performer. I have a lot of shows under my belt. Despite participating in theater for over 15 years now, I am still nervous about auditions. The process is still a great source of stress and fear for me.

So, bad news: Maybe that doesn’t completely go away. There’s a silver lining here, though, too: You don’t have to worry too much about it being scary. The good news is that we’re all scared.

It’s the truth! It’s everyone in the room. Even the people who look super confident. Especially the people who look super confident. I’ve heard it myself: I’ll be at an audition mentally ripping my hair out, and someone will walk up to tell me that I look so calm and collected… I am not!

When I say everyone, I mean everyone. Truth be told, even the show staff are nervous. They want to cast their show well. They have a lot of people to see and a lot of decisions to make. It’s scary for them, and in very similar ways that it’s scary for you. They’re also worried about embarrassing themselves or saying something stupid. They want to make a good impression just as much as you do!

So if we’re all scared, then why are we there?

It’s important to remember that question. Why are you auditioning? Really think about it.

At the end of the day, you don’t have to audition. You have free will! You’re welcome to skip the whole process. And when you’re waiting before your audition, sitting in the lobby and sweating it out, it might reassure you a little to remind yourself that you could get right up and walk out that door, if you wanted to.

But you don’t want to. You want to audition, because… you want to try something new. You want to have fun with your friends. You want to make new friends. You love the show and want to be a part of it. You want to sing or dance or act. Whatever your reason is, remember it– it’s important!

When you find that reason, auditions can even be fun.

Yes, it’ll still be nerve-wracking– but it can be fun, too! It’s just another chance to sing or dance or act. It’s another chance to hang out with your friends, or make new ones. And you might just get to be in this show and enjoy this new experience, too!

And if nothing else, remember, once you get this audition out of the way… it’ll never be your first audition again. They’re all a little less scary after that. They’re still scary… but less.

So don’t stress too much. You’re allowed to be nervous. Everyone else is, too. You’re also allowed to have fun.

And no matter what the outcome, it will be worth it.