Attending Drama School Auditions

Drama School Auditions All drama schools are different in their  approach to training.  Before deciding  which drama schools you would like to apply to, be sure to read the prospectus  carefully so that you can make an informed decision.  Some drama schools also have open days that  allow future candidates the opportunity to get a feel for the place before  making an application.  Apply to the  schools that give you a “good feeling”, not just because your friend went there  or you’ve heard they have a good reputation.   Every actor works differently and drama training is a very personal  thing – try to choose the schools that excite you as an actor.  For a full list of members of the UK conference of Drama schools click here.

What are Drama Schools looking for?   This is almost impossible to answer.  The criteria vary from school to school, year  to year, and individual to individual.   However, there are certain things you can do to improve your chances. When attending a drama school audition, make  sure you are as prepared as you possibly can be.  Spend time choosing your speeches.  Sometimes it is better to choose characters  that are close to your own age and personal experience – not only can you play  them more convincingly but it also gives the panel a little insight into who  you are.  If you are looking in monologue  or audition speech books for inspiration remember that lots of others will be  doing the same.  If you find a speech you  like from one of these books, sometimes it’s a good idea to read the play and  see if you can find another speech by the same character that might not be so  widely known.  Whatever you decide, don’t  make the mistake of choosing the speech and not bothering to read the  play.  It is very likely the panel will  ask you about your feelings on the character or their journey through the play;  these are difficult questions to answer when you are only familiar with one  speech.   Some drama schools give you a free hand to  choose your own audition material whereas others have a list of pieces (usually  classical) that the panel would like to hear you have a go at.  Either way, make your selections carefully  and once you have decided make sure you spend considerable time preparing them  for your audition.

 On the day of the audition.   As with all auditions, give yourself plenty  of travelling time.  There is nothing  worse than being out of breath from having run all the way from the bus stop  and having to go straight into the audition room and deliver your speech.  Aim to arrive with plenty of time to spare –  if you do this, you might also get the opportunity to have a look around.    Remember this is your audition.  Often there is a lot of talk among  auditionees in the waiting room about where they have applied, and what success  they have or haven’t had.  Be wary of  entering into these conversations as they can prove a distraction; that doesn’t  mean be rude and not talk to anybody, just don’t forget the reason why you are  there.   Just as drama schools have a different  approach to training, each drama school has a different audition process.   At  some schools you will just be expected to stay long enough to deliver your  speeches.  At other schools the audition  process can mean staying for the whole day.   Make sure that you eat and drink enough to keep your energy up for the  duration, and try not to lose your focus as the day wears on.

After your audition.   Once your audition is over it is out of  your hands, there is nothing you can do to affect the outcome.  Forget about it and start to focus on  whatever you have coming up next – whether it is another audition or a part in  a play.  If you focus on this you will  likely forget about the audition, that way if the letter arrives and it is a  no, you are already focused on your next activity.  If, on the other hand it is a yes, it will  come as a pleasant surprise.   Don’t give up.   I know actors who have tried for three  years in a row to get into the drama school of their choice and failed   – only to get in on their fourth attempt.  Be persistent and if members of the panel  give you advice take it and come back next time as a stronger candidate.

CVs

Along with  your photograph your CV is the most important tool in your armoury for getting  work as an actor.

There are  various schools of thought on actor’s CV’s and how they should be  presented.  The following is only an  opinion and not a definitive guide.  It  should be seen as a suggestion on how to construct a professional looking CV  for the acting profession.

Keep your  CV to one side of A4 – This is generally considered to be a MUST within the  industry.  There really is no reason why  a CV should run to three pages long.   Normally everything that needs to be there can fit comfortably onto one  page – if during an interview or audition somebody wants to hear more that’s  great.

I think it  is easier to put together an impressive looking CV if you think of it terms of  various headings.  These might include:

Personal  Information   Important  details like playing age (playing age vs. age), physical attributes (hair  colour, eye colour, physical type etc).   This section might also include your spotlight ID (if you have one).

Credits   This  section should form the bulk of your CV.   It is your opportunity to show the work that you have undertaken as an  actor and the diversity of your performances.   As with any CV it is conventional to list your credits in reverse chronological  order (starting you’re your most recent acting job and working backwards).  However, if you have credits on your CV that  you are particularly proud of and think would make a good talking point in your  audition, there is no harm in placing these further up the list.    Should you list amateur performances, youth theatre roles, etc?  This is a  tricky one.  If your CV looks sparse  without these credits it’s probably best to include one or two you are most  happy talking about.  I would always  include a professional credit over an amateur one.  Even if you played the lead in the local  musical society’s production of Oklahoma  I would still be tempted to leave this out in favour of a smaller professional  role.   Do not be  tempted to lie.  There is nothing wrong  with presenting the facts in the best possible light, but, if you say you have  just completed a BBC drama when in fact you haven’t you will almost certainly  be found out.

Further  information   This is  where you should detail things like singing ability, accents you are capable of  etc. It is also the place to highlight any special skills you might possess  like juggling, acrobatics, horse riding etc.   Once again do not be tempted to be dishonest.  I know an actor who said he had an HGV  licence and was offered a days work on a Scottish Soap Opera.  In the episode he was required to drive a  truck up the road before getting out the cab to perform a scene.  Of course he didn’t have an HGV licence and  didn’t confess this until the day of the shoot.   This cost the BBC a morning’s shoot and probably did considerable harm  to his reputation.

Decoration  and Pictures   This one is  a personal gripe – although I know many directors agree with me here.  Adorning your CV with masks of Comedy and Tragedy, or theatrical curtains etc is (in my humble opinion) tacky! It can only look amateurish.  It is a bit like a  doctor decorating his CV with a stethoscopes and medical crosses.  Keep you CV elegant and professional.  Look at it this way, you more likely to  offend somebody like myself who hates it, than disappoint somebody who likes  this type of thing by its absence.

This site has as been developed as a free learning tool and resource for aspiring actors everywhere.  It will feature articles aimed at students, newcomers to the profession  and seasoned professionals looking for further professional development.

As well as  a range of invaluable articles, the site will also feature a comprehensive collection of monoluges and speeches suitable for castings.  We also hope to feature free to view casting material.

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