The Play Script

The first audition tip I’d like to give is this: read the play you’re auditioning for before you audition. While this tip does not apply specifically to college performances, but to all auditions, college is a good time to start. Most if not all auditions require the actor to do a cold reading, which involves performing a small excerpt from the relevant play. The reading is considered “cold” because the readers have never performed it before. Despite this, it is expected that the actors auditioning will know about the play’s content and characters. Many of your fellow actors will have read the play and understood its subject matter, so without this information you are left in a weaker position.

While you’re reading the play for the first time, it is useful to examine the show’s characters. This examination gives you a better understanding of the play’s dialogue, but it also helps in determining which character you’ll want to portray. Knowing which character you’re auditioning for in turn helps narrow down your monologue options. You should keep in mind, however, that while deciding which character you most enjoy is important, you won’t always get the part you want. Before auditions, have a second and third option available, in case you aren't cast in your preferred role.

Plays often have deeper implications than an excerpt alone can convey. Your read-through of the story should give you an idea of the playwright’s intended message. Cold readings rely on you to provide the meanings behind the character’s words, so knowing the play’s story, as well as its moral intention, gives you a much easier job of performing the reading effectively. If you need help understanding the play’s connotations, the internet can be an invaluable tool, as long as the sources you use are knowledgeable on such matters.