Successful Acting Auditions Each and Every Time

You’ve successfully completed your acting classes, and now you are looking for appropriate acting jobs to fully utilise your new found skills. The drama industry is incredibly competitive though, and heading to your auditions could be a tense and nerve-racking experience. If you take the time to prepare and to understand how your audition will run though, you will be well placed to see an increase in success with each and every audition.

The preparation

Perhaps the most important aspect of acting auditions is the preparation. Would you walk into a job interview without researching the company to which you have applied for a position? Not to mention the actual role, and ideally the person who will be doing the interviewing.

Research is essential in getting any job, and an acting role is no different.

Before heading to your audition, take time to fully understand the character that you are auditioning for. What is their history? Their life story? Where are they coming from? What is their part within the story as a whole? Read all of the script that the company have sent to you and not just your own lines to help you gain a better understanding of your particular role.

However, it doesn’t stop with character research. You should also spend some time looking into the company itself, the director and even the writer. Understanding the requirements of the piece will help you to give a dramatic and memorable performance, and answering questions informatively will certainly increase your estimation in the eyes of those involved.

The outfit

Although what to wear for your acting auditions does fall within the category of preparation, it deserves its own section. First impressions are all important, and your attire could form a positive or negative image within the director’s mind. Stick to the following all important outfit tips and your appearance will help with your acting success:

• Black tops, be they shirts, jackets, jumpers or anything else will make you look washed out under bright lights, so avoid them unless asked to wear black.


• Excessive amounts of jewellery might look good, and could even be appropriate to the role, but it will detract from your performance.


• Likewise, outfits with bright and detailed designs could focus the director’s attention more on what you are wearing than on the excellent delivery of your lines.


• Avoid any logos or branding on your outfits if at all possible. You never know what companies could be paying for advertising within the play or television show to which you are auditioning.


• Don’t dress up as your character unless asked, but do feel free to incorporate a couple of subtle elements, such as the right type of shoes. Showing that you understand your character in this understated way could set you apart from the competition.

The waiting

Although you will certainly be asked to arrive at a certain time for any acting auditions, don’t expect to be asked to deliver your lines immediately. There will usually be some waiting around as others audition for their parts. The waiting can be the make or break moment in your acting audition, so remember the following pointers:

• Remember tips from your acting lessons, and practice any breathing techniques that you were taught within those courses that could help to keep you calm.


• Try to avoid talking to other actors as it will just make you more nervous and distract you.


• Focus on the character that you are about to play. Imagine yourself stepping into their shoes, and prepare yourself to act your role.

The performance

Finally the waiting will draw to a close and your performance will commence. Enter the room confidently and with a smile. As we have already said, first impressions really do make a difference, so be sure to give off a friendly vibe. If picked, the director will be working closely with you, so don’t put them off with a scowl, or even with the appearance of nerves.

Listen carefully to instructions from the director, and perform your monologue or script excerpt as requested. You may be asked to repeat the whole thing, or a certain section, so be ready for anything.

The result

Finally, it is important to keep in mind how competitive the field of acting is. Every actor has suffered rejection, and you will certainly be no different. Don’t be discouraged, keep at it and eventually, using the tips that we have discussed, you will be successful.

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Rebecca L. Smith is a full time freelance writer based in the UK. She specialises in creating an assortment of articles on a range of different topics of interest.