Handling Nerves at Auditions

Hi all... I'm wondering if anyone can give me some options for handling nerves at auditions. I'm affected by them quite severely and I truly believe they let me down immensely during auditions. I've heard many theories including: - Knowing your material well, being well rehearsed - Breathing/meditation/imagining you're on a tropical island sort of thing - Seeing your audition as a performance and knowing the panel want you to do well So, with all these checked, and short of taking some mind-altering drugs, what else can I do?! Does anyone have any food remedies? It really is a sad thing because as soon as I walk into an audition room, my voice falters, my heart beats a thousand beats per second and my hands get all clammy. Also if there are any current WAAPA/NIDA people out there, could you please let me know how you think you fared in your audition that got you into drama school. Did you feel extremely confident after your final audition? What did they panel say to you? I will be auditioning next month.

Now, I'm no expert on auditioning, but knowing your audition material well definitely helps. If the audition is for a play (as opposed to getting into a course or film, both of which I have no experience with whatsoever), going to the reading (if there is one) really helps not only to familiarise yourself with the play you're auditioning for and the material you'll be using, but can also help you to convince the director you're good for the part (the only catch being this actually has to be true). This can be especially helpful if you tend to get more nervous in audition situations rather than simple readings. Making sure you're calm before the audition is also pretty much a given, but depending upon the type of person you are, may not necessary. The way you might want to do it is just to get to know the other people auditioning, making friends with them so that you know that there are people rooting for you, even if the people running the auditions aren't. Just try to steer away from talking about experience (unless you've got an impressive resume yourself) so that you don't get intimidated by the other auditionees, and you should be fine. But, then again, you might just wanna sit in a corner with your eyes closed and put yourself on a desert island. It's up to you. Anyway, I know I've only stated the obvious, but I hope it helps regardless.

This may not be of much help - but it gets better. I have found the best way to cure nerves at auditions is to be experienced at auditioning. The more auditions you go to, the better it gets, and the more calm you will become - trust me! Go to as many auditions as you can. And yes, knowing the material inside out is very important. I have also found doing a bit of research about the company/director helps - have some questions for them to take the heat off you. Ask why they chose to direct this production and if they have a history about it. Some friendly chit chat(if there is time, of course) related to the show projects your interest and helps them remember you as someone good to work with. Hope this helps! Rae Johnston Actress/Voice Artist www.raejohnston.com

The same techniques you should be using for relaxing and channelling your energies in performance are of enormous use at auditions. Find a quiet place and go through the process to focus your energy bhefore entering the room. I don't necesarily agree with being friendly, don't be unpleasant but stay in your own space and keep hold of that focus. There are some good Zen excercises that you can do to help. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

Have to say I agree with Rae. I have been acting for 15 years and I also believe the best way to work through audition nerves is to do auditions. Lots of them, often, for roles you do want and roles that you may not. The real underlying cause of audition nerves is fear of failure. We all want to present our best work in public and the desire to impress a director and secure a part adds to the pressure. If you wish to devote your life to acting, then there are several realities that you need to embrace. 1 - auditions are going to be a fact of life. 2 - You will receive more knockbacks than casting offers. An audition that does not lead to a casting (or drama school entry) is never the end of the world. I have personally shone at some auditions and totally crashed at others. It's just the way it goes. You may find that doing some improvisation classes will help. Learning impro gives you the confidence and tools to fly without fear in a performance situation. I have found impro to be incrediably beneficial to me as a performer in many aspects of my work. Impro Melbourne and Impro Sydney offer beginners and entry level classes if you are from either of those cities. And finally. As you are auditioning for drama school, I will assume that you are young. Acting, performing etc. is a skill which you are constantly working on throughout your life and the older you get, the more experience you have. The difficulties that you may be experiencing with your work right now are unlikely to continue troubling you forever. Hope this has been helpful and all the best with your journey through life and the arts. - Tulipa.

Everyone is different and you need to find out what works for you. Unfortunately this will be trial and error. Theres the obvious - such as knowing the show inside out and the characters - But with handling nerves I agree with Logos simply because it works for me. I had my prac exam last week and handling nerves was hell! 40mins of waiting can drice you mental. My mocks I waited 3hrs in a room with the rest of the girls. I found just settling in to the situation easier by talking to other people. And it's good to get to know other people in the room it does help your confidence. But there is a point when you need to sit by yourself and focus your energy and then hold onto that energy. Have confidence that you know what you are doing. You know the character and the play. With this confidence your nerves should become easier to handle. I haven't been auditioning for long but I've noticed that the more I experience the easier my nerves are to handle. ~ Tari The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

Why my uni music course included a large amount of mock auditions. I don't think it was as common in other instruments, but us percussionists did a mock orchestral audition as part of every semester exam, and did many more mock auditions. This was on top of annual auditions for the Australian and WA Youth orchestras, and anything else. by the time I'd left uni i had more than 25 'auditions' under my belt. This makes auditioning a much simpler affair now on the rare occassions that I do it. I now mostly audition for theatre/opera if at all, and even the percussion audition experience helps... so it's prob the obvious things- know the material- really well know the show/production you're auditioning for understand the audition process (location, no. on the panel etc.) and be prepared mentally for it. keep auditioning. Most importantly, remember that getting the job or not is not a reflection on who you are, rather that you weren't what they were looking for THIS TIME. Get detached from the result and it will become easier to relax. remember, if you're auditioning, theoretically you are looking to get onto a stage and perform for an audience. you need to deal with nerves! nev It's the simple things stupid...

I just had my last comment be dumped by my PC, so here goes again... Food- everyone has foods that work or not with their body. Get to know yours away from audition times (make notes). for the voice- bring along a thermos of warm to hot herbal tea (peppermint or ginger works great for me) this will keep the voice warm and lubricated- both important. don't use coffee (caffeine will not help!) and don't make it too hot. you want to drink, not sip tentatively avoid dairy or chocolate (unless it passes the above test for you!) avoid any lollies or sugary foods in the few hours before. On top of sugar highs and lows, I think it can help cause thightness and flem in the throat. eat banana or apple or nuts or similar. i hear also that bananas apparently can calm nerves. Most important thing with food is- DO EAT. Have a good breakfast, and maintain good eating throughout the day. Having good even energy stores without the use of stimulants will go a long way to helping your audition. I personally recommend only wholegrains (i.e. not white bread or pastry). This includes white rice. Being either hungry or over-stuffed will wreck your audition, so get to know your body ASAP. (best of all, this will all help when you get the part and have to actually do the performances!) Try to avoid 'normal' talking throughout the day as much as possible. talking without proper breath support can root your vocal folds for the day. and do some kind of workout on audition day- a walk, swim or the gym- whatever lights your dial. and I'll reiterate the most important point from my previous entry- get detached from the result. Being significant about anything, especially auditions, won't help you chill or perform to the max. Use that energy instead to drive your performance. Finally- a question for you (and everyone) Sare- Do you have fun or 'get present' to how much you enjoy doing what you're doing during an audition? enough! Nev It's the simple things stupid...

"Keep auditioning" is spot on. I'm not an actor, but a number of times actors have told me that auditioning itself is as important as getting the role itself. Each audition will teach you more about how to audition, and many actors approach it as a chance to workshop or rehearse their skills in front of an audience. It's a chance to try to push yourself - but it's also an opportunity to have fun doing it. You'll get better dealing with auditions as time goes on; but I doubt the butterflies will ever leave completely. The Prompt Copy Networking emerging theatre professionals www.thepromptcopy.com Sticky Apple Legs http://stickyapplelegs.artsblogs.com Puppets in Melbourne www.freewebs.com/puppetsinmelbourne

When I started public speaking when I was 13 years old an accomplished Rostrum member told me that "If you dont have nerves, you're dead!!!!" And its so true :) Even the experienced get nerves but the difference is they use them. Secondly the way I do an audition is to be the biggest, most confident and most arrogant person in the room. Now when I say arrogant I dont mean to other people but to the actual place your at. You need to say to yourself that "I am so above nerves that it is an insult to even suggest I have them and that feeling you have in your stomach is something you ate." When you say that to yourself you can start believing it and its all about mind set ;) Thirdly, I usually read a script once/twice when I get it and then read it again before the actually audition (and I mean an hour before I go on). This again goes with the arrogence that helps so much. And if you stuff up (and believe me it will happen many times even when you do it billions of times before hand) You laugh it off and poke fun at yourself. When those who are auditioning you see you laughing they want to laugh and the who audition just becomes a few mates seeing how you reading something sounds. Believe me it works!!!!! Fourthly, you are not going to be cast in everything you go for no matter how good you are. I was rejected 10 times in a row before I got my break. Learn from these, understand that you may not have fitted the directors vision and move on to the next. (Arrogence and stubborness was mainly the reason that kept me going :) ) And finaly I was reading all these comments and only one of them mentioned having fun!!!! If you dont have fun its work, and everyone hates work and dreads it. Thats whats always worked for me and I hope this helps Dont forget to smile :) David Green DRAGON FILMS

Thank you for everyone's suggestions!

Hi there Try not to focus on the end result (getting the part or accepted in to the place) - but on the PROCESS you are going through during your audition - which is acting out a role. Enjoy the role. Reming yourself it is what you LOVE to do. Stop thinking about whether you will pass or fail the audition. This worked for me. I used to feel physically sick before going onstage. After much anxiety ridden experiences I decided to try this advice and have a good time. I can honestly say I have enjoyed acting more since. I can now enjoy the process and "smell the roses" (in this case the stage floor boards) - Good luck! Don't forget to prime your voice beforehand (vocal exercises). And by the way - if the panel are off putting for you, then imagine them undressed - always cracks a smile.