Plastered outside of room 103 hangs two white sheets of paper adorned with the names of 51 students—each one of them fervently waiting for a single day: The Wizard of Oz auditions.

Junior Gia Monterusso, by virtue of her passion for all things theatrical, has been particularly anticipating the chance to perform for months.

“I feel really good about this audition cycle,” Gia said. “I’m going to hopefully do well. I’m really excited to get back on stage after a couple of months of break. I’m very excited.”

Before anyone is able to star in the musical, they have to go through auditions. Auditions are broken into three parts over the span of two days: the singing portion, the dancing portion, and the reading of a scene. On the first day, the auditionee sings about 30 seconds of a song and performs 32 counts of a dance. Then on the second day, if they were one of the many selected for call-backs, they would perform a scene from the musical in front of the judges. Once that is all over, it is simply a matter of waiting until the cast list is released.

Having done 10 prior musicals—with the upcoming show, The Wizard of Oz, soon becoming her 11th—Gia has learned to find enjoyment throughout auditioning.

“Auditioning is really fun. Once you push all the nerves away, you make friends and interact with those friends at auditions,” Gia said. “Auditions are more like an after-school extracurricular and less like a terrifying experience that might drive you crazy for the rest of your life.”

Similar to the experiences of Gia, auditions have given those who try out more than just a fun experience to look back upon. Auditioning has given those trying out a chance to meet new people, such as to sophomore Autumn Vansolkema.

Autumn has done a multitude of musical performances—last year’s Cinderella being her first one at FHC. They have allowed her to meet a vast array of new people, and they have allowed her to make new friends.

“I’ve made some new friends that I still talk to,” Autumn said. “Since you’re spending a lot of time with people, you get to know them. It’s going to show their talents. You get to know what they’re like when you’re on a break or in between scenes [and] you can talk with them.”

Musicals are something that both Gia and Autumn have come to love doing in their spare time.

However, auditioning for the musical isn’t exclusively for those who have always immersed themselves in the musical world. At times, simply trying out just for the experience can lead to unforgettable memories, and, especially for musical director Kyle Black, finding hidden talents.

“I can’t count the number of times that I have heard seniors or juniors, that audition for shows and get into it, say, ‘I cannot believe that I have not done this sooner.’” Black said. “I encourage everybody who has not done this [to try out for the musical] because hidden talents are found. Don’t let opportunities [like this] pass you by.”

Whether it is your first time or your one hundredth, auditioning for something new can be a nerve-wracking experience; however, that does not mean that it is an impossible task. 

At times, all it takes is a little bit of confidence to turn everything around for the better.

“[Auditioning is] definitely a confidence thing,” Autumn said. “You’ve got to use your confidence or stage presence up there. If you’re not confident in yourself up there, then they won’t think that you’re confident or have a good stage presence. You’ve got to have confidence and believe in yourself when you go up there.”

Auditions are more than a way to get a role in the musical. It is a chance to meet new, enchanting people; it is a chance to learn about yourself.

“If you haven’t done anything like this before, I encourage you to [try out for it],” Black said. “The reason is you’re going to meet new people, and you’re going to have a wonderful time. You might learn something new about yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone. You don’t ever want to pass an opportunity of whether or not it works in your favor. It’s something to try; it’s something to experience. Who knows, you just might have the time of your life.”