Any tips? Any random things that you learned to bring through trail and error? Any thing that seems obvious, and everybody brings-but never gets used? Any thing that I’m going to be hunting for in a strange town at 7:30am? First audition trip in one week-and I drive a Fiat, lol!!!
Lint roller, map of campus with audition location highlighted ( actually I make a folder before we go with hotel and map etc in it and just grab and go), plenty of meds for various ailments that may arise, , dress coverup / sweater or whatever if it’s chilly where you’re going, obviously headshot/resume if they don’t have it already, extra dance stuff , tights etc, extra dress shoes as actually my D broke a heel once and we needed shoes! And this is weird but we bring a sound machine because the one hotel we stayed at was so noisy that my D couldn’t sleep!
Personal steam inhalers are good at hotels that may have dry air, especially as the weather gets colder. Keep that throat moist! And drink water, water, water. So don’t forget your water bottle. It always good to have some snacks and water on hand. Sometimes there isn’t a food option you like close by. Or auditions last longer than anticipated and you just need a little something to get you through. Protein bars, whole fruits, nuts, etc… whatever you like that will help sustain you during long days. and that you can just toss in your bag. For the parent, good reading material (although the people watching at auditions can be fascinating!).
Steamer, extras of HS/R, water bottle, extra copies of music because binders do occasionally get misplaced and unfortunately sometimes taken, doubles (minimum) of everything for clothing and dance wear. We brought info about each school on a sheet so D could go over the particulars of whichever school/schools she was auditioning for that day as a reminder.
I second the water bottle! Even though my water bottle is my lifeline, I often leave it in the car instead of bringing it in with me! And copies of sheet music and monologues (great for those last minute panics when you suddenly think you’ve forgotten your monologue, just read the first line and all worries are gone!)
My daughter who is not yet auditioning for college, auditioned for the local Lyric Opera this weekend.
Total panic set in as we realized she didn’t have copies of her resume printed and our printer was out of ink. 15 minutes before we needed to leave. I ran to a neighbor to print and could not get her printer to work.
We went without resumes, but as it turned out because she had sent it in with her pre-screen they had copied it for the panel.
Whew! It was a lesson in not waiting until the last minute
Ear muffs and scarf, if you go anywhere where it’s cold. You don’t want to wear a hat (your hair gets messed, guys and girls), but it’s pretty miserable to walk around in the cold with exposed ears. Also of course boots, rainboots, umbrella.
Yes, sound machine or whatever works for you for noise - we used ear plugs - in case the hotel is noisy.
Something that keeps you occupied when you have to wait. Parents: a good book is great. Otherwise you end up either just nervously staring at all the competition and wondering how on earth this will ever work, or you scroll mindlessly and endlessly through social media. (Some parents experience obnoxious baggy parents, but this never happened to me. I actually met several really nice people.)
Students: You will probably wait too. You will sometimes be able to practice, but other times you will be in a large area with other students, just waiting. So if there’s anything you want to pass the time/calm yourself, besides your phone, have it handy.
A good luck charm is nice–stuffed animal, whatever.
All students should remember that the interview is just as important sometimes as the audition. Know each school and know what your goals are. I suggest practicing the interview in advance just as you’d practice anything else. My own D got very tongue-tied at her top choice school and I’ve sometimes wondered if that cost her admission. You can’t know, but being unable to articulate why you want the school, what your goals are, etc., does not help you.
Emergen-C
Hand Sanitizer
Throat-coat Tea & Honey
Large humidifier from Walgreens. It had its own duffel bag. Hotel rooms are notoriously dry. We bought after our first audition.
Umbrellas in case it’s calling for rain!
@connections thanks! Would have never known to buy ear muffs since we are not from an area I never would have guessed my D would need those. Just got back from Chicago and the most used items, scarf and ear muffs and ear plugs! Excellent suggestions, I bought them online right after you posted! So thank you!
If you are playing an instrument, make sure you have extra strings, resin or whatever else you might need to make a quick repair.
I don’t use umbrellas, ever, because I am short, so I recommend plastic rain ponchos with hoods that can go over your coat. I bought one for $6 at K-mart. It has a carrying case with a little hook that can hang from a key chain or a book bag. If it’s raining, you can cover your entire outfit. I wear a backpack to carry my laptop for work and my poncho completely covers it. If you do bring an umbrella, carry some plastic bags like the kind newspapers come in that you can place it in when it’s closed. That way, you can put it back in your bag without worrying about it wetting everything.
@followurheart, aw, that makes me so happy! Break a leg to your D!
This is packing-related advice rather than a packing list, but if you’re flying to an audition, make sure you put everything you absolutely need (music, audition outfit, dance shoes, etc.) in your carry-on bag. That way, if something happens to your checked bag, you still have your essentials with you.