When planning your auditions for either a play or a musical, one of the first things to work on is your audition form. Obviously you will need the auditioner’s name, address, phone number, and email address, but you may also want to ask for the parent’s phone number and email address in case you need to contact the parents in your cast. It might be useful also to have them list their height and approximate size (adult small, medium, large, child small, medium, etc.) for the costumer’s use. If you have a mixed age cast, you might also request their age or grade level.
Unless you know all your auditioners, you will need to ask them to list their acting and/or singing experience. If it’s a musical, you will probably need a separate choreography audition for those interested in that. However, the most important part of the audition form is their availability. You will need to list the performance and dress rehearsal dates and state that all actors must be available for those dates and for all rehearsals. If they know of any specific rehearsal they would have to miss, they should list that date.
Before the audition begins, you need to speak with the auditioners as a group. They will need to be put at ease and to feel that the audition is going to be fun. It’s good if you can tell them they shouldn’t audition for a specific role because the director might need them in a different role that they think would be perfect for them. For instance, three girls might be equally good at playing the role of Cinderella, but one of them has special comedic skills that would make her perfect for playing the evil step sister. The importance of your role is not how many lines you have or scenes you are in. Actors are remembered for how well they play their character.
It’s best to audition the kids in small groups. You can use a scene from the show itself, or you can use special audition scripts that have nothing to do with the show but will help the director determine things like their ability to project, to play a specific type of character, or to connect with an audience. Since some students may have difficulties with reading, it’s best to let them have a copy of the script beforehand so that they are not reading a script on stage for the first time.
For a musical, it’s good to have everyone sing the same song, or maybe the girls sing one and the boys sing a different one. That way you can make a direct comparison of their singing abilities. It’s important to teach everyone the song before beginning the audition. After each person or group auditions, be sure to tell them they did a good job. Be sure to smile and look enthusiastic. No one should leave thinking they blew the audition. And remind them that even if there wasn’t a good role for them in the current production, there very well might be something perfect for them in the next production. And kids do get better as they mature. Sometimes an actor who doesn’t get a part one year, is the lead the next year. It happens.
If possible, have someone take a photo of each group of auditioners, or you can videotape the auditions. This can be critical if the director is undecided about which of two actors to put in a specific role. The director of course, makes the final decision, but comments from other people – the music director, the assistant director, or a friend of the director whose opinion he or she values can be very useful for pointing out pros or cons for choosing a certain actor.
Knowing the actor who is auditioning should count for something. Even if a new actor does an exceptional audition, you still won’t know what the potential problems might be if you place them in an important role. Is this person reliable? Do they get along well with the other actors? Do they follow directions? Are they good at learning lines? If there is no other actor who would be good at the role, it’s worth it to take a chance on a new actor, but if it’s a close call, knowing the actor definitely counts in their favor.
Finally, it is important that you make it clear to the auditioners when the casting list will be sent out or posted. Don’t torture them by being vague about when the list may come out. One good way to notify the cast is by sending a text saying they have been cast in the show and for details, they should check their email. They will be happy to get a short text, and you can then include all the details about their role, rehearsal times, etc. in the email. Make each role seem important (which it is!) and give a brief and fun description of what their character is like. You don’t have to give everyone a complete casting list. They will find that out quickly by word of mouth (or text) who else was cast.
Casting is one of the most difficult tasks of a director. Just make sure the auditions are fun and rewarding for your actors so that they will be eager to be there for the next audition.