Long before my theater veteran days, when preparing for my first fall play in high school, I was, to put it simply, a fanatic. I opened an entirely new notebook dedicated to the show, The Curious Savage. I watched a high school production on YouTube, twice, and filled the pages of my fresh journal with an analysis of every single character—even the male ones. I was determined to make it, and thought that this preparation might supplement my lack of previous theater experience. 

While I do believe this practice was helpful, it was admittedly obsessive. If I hadn’t made the cut, I would have been extremely agitated, especially having lost what I had been working on for nearly a month.

Instead of my obsessive character deep-dive, I would recommend a baseline familiarity with the show and the characters. Have an idea of the setting and time period. This will affect how your character speaks, what gestures they make, and how they interact with other characters. You should also know which character(s) you are auditioning for. By concentrating your audition prep energy on just a few characters, it will make it easier for you to come fully prepared. 

It’s also important to play to your strengths. If you have impeccable comedic timing, try out for the comedic relief character. If you’re a particularly meek person, consider going for a meek role. All of this information can be found with a quick Google search or even by asking your director. You can always watch the show on YouTube and do a character investigation, but it will likely not affect the casting decision heavily.

I am keen to repeat the common saying: “Every day is an audition.” Not only is your director seeing you at rehearsals, but they are also seeing you in school—and they are always, always paying attention to how you treat other people and their time. If you are constantly late to class, disrespectful to others, or just plain irresponsible, directors will see that, and it will impact their casting decision.

This also applies to shows in which you may not be the main role. FHC’s musical director, Jessi Dykstra, after going to see last year’s fall play, told me she was always looking at the ensemble to see what acting choices they made, no matter how minuscule. This, she told me, would be a casting factor for the spring musical.

This aligns with having a good attitude about your role, even if it isn’t the character you wanted. Despite any disappointment associated with your role, coming to rehearsal with a positive, teachable, and respectful mind can make you stand out as a dependable actor. Which leads me to another theater proverb: “There are no small parts—only small actors.”

The first necessary acting skill, which, for me, came with time, is projection. Essentially, this means volume—when you’re in the auditorium, or even if the audition is in a classroom, you should be loud. It will feel awkward, but this is a make-or-break skill that is essential to stage acting. Something that goes along with this is enunciation. To enunciate your words well, you essentially pronounce them in an over-exaggerated, theatrical way. Both projection and enunciation help everyone in the audience to understand you.

Another useful skill is cheating out, which is also used to help the audience better understand you. You achieve this by standing with one foot “cheating out” to the audience, so, though your gaze is on your scene partner, your body and face are open and visible to the audience. 

Probably the most important acting skill to have in your toolbelt is line diversity. This means saying your lines in a natural, human way, rather than a monotonous ramble. Line diversity can be created with changes in volume or pitch (though never too quiet, always projected), changes in emphasis, and changes in pace and rhythm. Sometimes I like to run through a period or comma without pausing—don’t feel completely confined to when the script tells you to pause! People speak in run-ons and incomplete sentences all the time.

One final acting skill for auditions is your chemistry. When reading an audition side with a scene partner, it is imperative that you show you know how to interact with them. Think: what does my character think of their character? How would this affect my body language, tone, and how I treat them? Don’t just read your lines—react to what the other characters are saying.

My last adage is cliché, but I will say it all the same: “Break a leg.” You’ve got this.