Scouting talent: holding auditions

Throughout the school year we put on two shows, one being performed in November and the other in June. For both productions I firmly believe that there needs to be an audition process. Before holding these, I like to do a big announcement of the show we have chosen – It is quite fun to keep it a secret and build a buzz! We then hold our auditions 2-3 weeks after this announcement, which gives students a chance to prepare. When it comes to running a fair and smooth audition process, here are a few of my tricks and tips.

Auditions top ten

• Tell students exactly what to prepare for the audition – this is likely to be a section of a song and some dialogue.
• Point your performers towards a suitable recording that they should listen to. This will help them to prepare their character and song.
• If possible, give them sheet music and a section of the script so that they know what to expect.
• Ask students to fill in an online form stating what role they are planning to audition for. Not only does this make it easier to plan, but it makes the whole process feel a little more professional.
• Restrict students to auditioning for one role. We recently held auditions for Les Misérables, and we had a huge turnout for auditions. For purely practical reasons it is much easier if students pick a role and just go for it. If you feel they would be better suited to something else, then you can always move them around.
• When we hold auditions, we make them as friendly and open as possible. When auditioning for a character, everyone going for that part will sing through the song once or twice as a whole group. We then go along the line and get each person to step forward and sing. In the early stages this means that everyone gets to see each other's audition. When the time comes for casting, it hopefully means all students will understand why said student got that part.
• Schedule more time than you need for your auditions as they will always take longer than you think. We hold our main auditions one day and then call-backs the next day. Call-backs are a great way of whittling down the numbers and focussing on the individual performances.
• Make sure to have a backing track or pianist at hand.
• Write down lots of notes – you can refer back to these later when you are deliberating over casting choices. Don't ever make decisions on your own! Always ensure you have other drama and performing arts staff to help with the process.
• Make sure the process is fair and transparent. Build the students up and keep them feeling positive. Prepare them for both success and failure along the way and keep giving encouraging feedback. Auditions are tough for students and aren't easy on staff either! Your pupils need to be aware that not everyone can get a part, and that disappointment is a necessary part of show business.

Rehearsal schedules

I wanted to touch briefly on rehearsals, as it is important to have a clear schedule mapped out from the start. Before auditions take place and parts are given, students need to know what they are signing up for. Here are five things to think about when it comes to rehearsals:

• Make sure that all your dates are clearly organised so that students and parents know the plan.
• Once you have held auditions and cast your show, it is important to run rehearsals straight away.
• Make sure you only call the cast you need to a rehearsal – you don't want to waste anyone's time.
• Always put extra rehearsals on a schedule just in case. You can always cancel if necessary.
• Make sure rehearsals are regular, the same length and the same format – this helps with consistency.

If you have any questions relating to school musicals, don't hesitate to contact James via his website: manwaringmusic.blog