<p>I will be fine when preparing for auditions with my voice or acting coaches, but then when I actually get into the room, I get nervous and often forget to breathe, and then I will begin to think i am not being expressive enough or "Oh my god there is a huge note coming up", and I'm losing out on lots of parts, that I know I could be capible of playing. Does anyone have any tips or similar situations that could mabye offer some insight. Help would be much appreciated as college audition season is looming.</p>
<p>Your PM's are full!</p>
<p>I think I can give you a little advise on this matter which I hope may help. </p>
<p>Here is my best advise......Start your audition about half an hour before you go into the room. The audition is a process, not the five minutes you are in the room.</p>
<p>By this, I mean,long before you go in the room, while you are sitting waiting to go into sing....you have to visualize yourself in the space being calm, breathing easily, and being in control of your audition. Picture the way you are confidently going to walk in... what your posture will be.... how you will greet the auditioners, the pianist.... How you will start...the breath you take before you begin to sing.....etc....etc.....</p>
<p>Most auditions go amazingly fast, they fly by.... when they are over, it's easy to have a feeling of regret, or why you did what you did... or you wish you could do it over. Sometimes they even go great, and you feel like you did a good job.</p>
<p>The key is.....You have to take control of you audition, rather than letting it take control of you.</p>
<p>You must be totally prepared with the material you are audtioning with. Don't watch yourself as you are performing. You should not be thinking about hitting the "huge note coming up".... if that's what you are thinking about during your auditions, and you are outside yourself watching yourself......you aren't prepared. </p>
<p>What you should be thinking about is what are you trying to communicate with the song....following your acting objectives and actions. The subtext of the song....how you are commicating these thoughts by music....how the lyrics are joined to the music......By the time you are auditiong.... It's too late to be worried about how you sound... that should have been worked out a long time ago in your voice lessons. It also does you no good whatsoever to be worried about the high note. You will never be able to hide that on your face.</p>
<p>I've gotten into discussions with other coaches on this subject before on this board....and I think it is a good discussion to debate....the question of whether you should make communicating the song, or vocally singing the song the main goal. Of course you must try to sing the song well.... However....</p>
<p>I feel strongly you must be compelling to watch and you must connected emotionally and honestly to the song.... you must be communicating SOMETHING... that is what theatre is about.... that's the first thing they teach you in an acting class......you are not auditioning for a voice degree (in education or performance) where you can stand in the crux of the piano and fold you hands politely in front of you and make lovely sounds. That is not what musical theatre is about. </p>
<p>I firmly believe....The auditioners are not expecting you to be perfect vocally.... you are probably 17 or 18. Thats why you are attending college..to learn to sing better......They are looking for vocal potential and they are evaluating your instrument.....What they do want to see is that unknown factor everyone talks about.... the mysterious "it" favor... as in "she has it" ...... it's not such a mystery to me what the "it" is... the best musical theatre performers are the ones that are able to connect with the audience in a profound way, and are able to really, and honestly...communicate the emotional intention of the lyrics and the story, via the music, to the audience. Harvey Fierstein can't sing a note, yet he is an amazing MUSICAL THEATRE performer because he is making contact with you emotionally. On the other hand.....There are also many performers who have great voices and are really boring to watch.... </p>
<p>I may have gotten off tract a little, I apologize... but the only way you are going to be less nervous is if you are in control. The only way you are going to be in control is if you are REALLY prepared. Not superficially prepared.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>ps. also remember that auditions are not easy for anyone.... not for older actors either. It's a lifelong process for anyone who is going into theatre.... so in that sense you can "join the club"... you and 90 percent of everyone else is nervous at auditions.... cut yourself a little slack...</p>
<p>Hi there Defying - </p>
<p>There is a saying about auditioning: you only get better at it by doing it. Since it's not possible to do a huge number of college auditions like NY performers can do for theatre auditions, I always have my students put their material on its feet, once it's performance-ready, for as many knowledgeable people as possible. The more you do your audition material in "pressurized" setting - in front of people who make you nervous, whose theatrical opinions you value, etc. - the more comfortable you'll get. Is that the same as doing the actual auditions? Not exactly - but it's a darn good substitute! :)</p>
<p>The possible problem presented by this is that you may get many different, conflicting opinions about material, so if you're at all unsure about your choices or think this might shake your confidence, consider that before choosing your "mock auditors." (I'm not saying choose people who will all say the same thing or only tell you positive things - but make sure you trust each person's theatrical opinion innately and are ready to hear variable feedback.)</p>
<p>As far as worrying about the notes - if you are focused on your acting values, you almost ALWAYS sing better, because your well-trained singing muscles will kick in and "know what to do" once you free your brain from anxiety. Anxiety creates vocal tension, and then your money notes will be problematic. And we as audience members forgive more vocal "glitches" if you are truly connected to your material. Another key to helping you is picking songs that totally FIT your current vocal abilities, so you don't have to freak out about notes that may or may not be there. You simply can't think about acting values if you're unsure vocally - your conscious brain can't do both at once, so you have to train the vocal stuff and then focus on the acting. Eventually, you'll get comfortable enough to make "spontaneous" acting choices (within the context of your already-developed objectives) to support your vocal needs if you feel extra-nervous in an audition or are sick and therefore dealing with less breath than you usually have, etc. </p>
<p>Go pick your panel of "mock auditors," and make sure they are people who WILL make you nervous! ;)</p>
<p>Thank you so much TomBFACoach, and Coach C. I will defenitly try to keep that in mind. I think part of the problem is I think im connecting witht he material but I always feel that I am not connecting enough. I feel like , well I need to move my arm here, or make a diffrent facial expression. I feel I have no expression in my face when i act or sing. I was discussing this the other night with someone and was wondering, if something like expressivness can be learned, or if it is one of those things that some people are just born with and some are not. Like you either have it or you don't? I also feel like with directors of shows I have been in, jsut feel that I am not worth it, like they will either ignore me or like when i ask for help, or do something its always like an oh you did ok, go away attitude , like im not good enough to be noticed, but im not terrible enough to be noticed.</p>
<p>I think you need to be very clear about who you are talking or singing to, and what you need from the other person. Put your energy and focus into your imaginary scene partner. You need to find a way to take your focus off of yourself. </p>
<p>For every piece you perform ask yourself the questions... what do I need? from whom am I trying to get it? how am I going about getting it? Craft for yourself the responses from your imaginary scene partner.</p>
<p>I think I remember your saying on a different thread that you are from NY. If this is the case, maybe try working with an audition coach. He or she can help you to craft your audition.</p>
<p>Also... do your audition package often, and for as many people as possible. You don't necessarily want feedback from everyone... that can become confusing... but the more times you perfomr your audition the more self confident you will feel.</p>
<p>I think you have been given some good advice already but I will add a bit. While I am not an acting coach I can relate to this from athletic experiences and having a child who gets very nervous in singing auditions. </p>
<p>Tom said;</p>
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you have to visualize yourself in the space being calm, breathing easily, and being in control of your audition.
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</p>
<p>Thats called pre-playing and is a very powerful tool. Dennis Waitly was the sports psychologist to several of our Olympic teams and many astronauts and he has a series of tapes out called The Psychology of Winning that I would highly recommend to anyone for anything you want to do well/better. Especially you coaches. He spends a good deal of time on the power of pre-playing and post-playing.</p>
<p>He talks about tennis players and concert pianists who practice in the shower, in the car, on an airplane. There are some amazing stories out there of prisoners of war who taught themselves to play the piano well with just a board with some notes painted on them. The mind is a powerful tool.</p>
<p>Its a little more than just seeing yourself in the space. You close your eyes and go through every step, getting on the elevator, walking down the hall, standing in front of the auditors the whole thing and you see yourself doing it well and with confidence. Then when your done you review the whole thing. If you did well you congratulate yourself and say, that was like me, if you do poorly, you say, thats not like me, I am going to do better next time" and you visualize what exactly you are going to do better next time. </p>
<p>The point about this being acting with music, not singing was good also. What our D vocal coach calls putting paint on your singing. It does have to be interesting to watch. Straight actors have to work with this intensely as they dont have singing to entertain the audience. Say you are on stage curling/straightening your hair. If you did it the way its done in real life, people would fall asleep. To act well means you give them something to see (and hear) that is entertaining. </p>
<p>And yes, some people are born with it. I for one am not. However just because you are not born with it does not preclude you from success. It does however mean you have to work harder, probably much harder. We have a saying in our household. I took the time to put in the effort to be the best I could be. Thats a yes or no proposition. Did you or didnt you? I can tell you that every audition our D has blown the answer to that question was no.</p>
<p>To me, your post implies that you have probably not put in enough effort. We have studied highly successful performers and there seems to be a common theme. Intense, maticulious preparation and then auto-pilot. No one would argue about the success of Micheal Jackson as a performer (we will leave his personal psychosis for another discussion). He is a good example as he was well known for the weeks and months of preparation he put into his work. He said, when I am on stage, If I think, Im dead</p>
<p>Schedule your auditions carefully. Start with a school that you do not have your heart set on. It will be good practice and you will learn a lot. You'll begin to get the hang of auditioning and know what to expect. You may even receive some feedback. By the same token, don't leave your dream school for the last audition either. You may be "running on empty" at that point.
Good Luck!</p>
<p>Yes, Wallyworld that is very true, about almost being on auto-pilot. When I was at camp this summer, my director told us that untill we knew the choreo., songs and lines almost automaticlly, we would be bogged down and not be able to perform to the best of our ability. You can't be thinking now I do this dance step, or wait this line is coming up. I think that is something I really have to work on. Also just practicing everyday even if I don't want to. One of the writers I admire said something like " If I wrote whenever I felt like writing, I would never write".</p>
<p>Thats a good one. We could probably come up with many more. If I worked whenever I wanted to..cleaned..studied...exercised. I think we are talking about discipline which this vocation takes a boat load of even for the talented. </p>
<p>You have been very candid about your issues. I think your brave just for trying, I wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>Awww thank you so much</p>