![Auditioning for a Musical Theatre Drama School [i_639] Auditioning for a Musical Theatre Drama School](http://www.actorhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/musical-theatre-school-auditiion.jpg)
Photo Credit: Bath Academy of Musical Theatre via cc
If you want a career in musical theatre you will be trained in acting, movement, dance and singing skills. Contemporary musical theatre demands versatile performers of a high musical and vocal standard, with strong dramatic and verbal ability, together with dance and movement skills. Musical performers will need to excel in all these areas and it’s a good idea to develop these skills before your musical theatre drama school audition.
A typical Musical Theatre course
As well as group classes in all forms of acting, dance and movement, students may also benefit from individual singing classes. The courses may also cover vocal techniques, the history of musical theatre and useful insights on how to prepare and perform in musical auditions.
Students may also take part in masterclasses and workshops from visiting professionals who are in the business. More than likely you will also take part in numerous musical productions while being at the school, the final one being your examinational piece or ‘showcase’. Here you will be able to invite agents, casting directors and other theatre professionals to see your work.
All musical theatre schools and courses do differ and may ask you for certain requirements before you audition. Musical Theatre courses can also last between one, two or three years. There are also shorter courses that are held during the summer months. Here are a list of useful tips for preparing and performing for your musical theatre school audition.
The Musical Theatre School Audition
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Read the requirementsFirst of all you need to read the drama school audition requirements carefully. Follow it to the letter. If they ask you to keep your songs to two minutes then do so. If they ask you to bring ballet or tap shoes then do so. Don’t just take trainers. They are asking you to follow these requirements for a reason, don’t cut corners.
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Applicant and place ratioGetting a place in any good drama school is going to be tough. For any the top drama schools thousands will apply for just one course that has just 30 places. They may see approximately 300 to 500 auditionees for that one course. At Central 4,500 people applied for just one course. So you can see that competition is high. You have got to be prepared for your audition as much as you can in addition to being talented.
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H20It’s a simple thing to take but water is so important for an audition. It’s good to clear the throat and it keeps you hydrated., especially if you have just done an intense movement workshop before performing your all important audition songs.
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NervesYou will naturally feel nervous and so is everyone else. Don’t let the nerves get the better of you. Use them to your advantage. If you are feeling nervous then you are emotionally prepared for giving them all that you have got. Sock it to them! And try not to feel out of your depth. Being auditioned is a tough task but you don’t know what they are looking for. Be yourself and let your personality shine through. And if you do happen to make a mistake then laugh it off and carry on. Be professional.
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SmileSmile and enjoy what you are doing, even though you have a stomach of knots. I know everyone seems to say smile and enjoy it, but it is half the battle. The panel see so many faces in one day, most of them looking nervous. But they want to see a cheerful friendly face who looks happy to be there. looking nervous and stony faced will only give off negative messages. Try and have fun at your audition.
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Song and monologue lengthsIf you are lucky to get an audition for a musical theatre school you will most probably be asked to prepare between two to three musical songs all demonstrating different voice qualities. They may also ask for two contrasting monologue speeches which need to be no more that 2 1/2 minutes long each. Keep within the time limit.
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EnsembleYou may also be expected to participate in a short improvised scenes and a movement workshop. These are to see how you work as a team and if you can perform on the spot. Don’t be tempted to ‘lead’ or ‘direct’ the piece yourself. Be a team player and listen to others. Aural and rhythm tests may also be carried out at the audition.
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Warm UpsMake sure you are fully warmed up, both physically and vocally before the audition. They will most probably give you the opportunity to warm up as a group beforehand. The eagle eyed panel will be seeing how you do this, so do the warm up as thorough as you can.
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Audition clothingIt may seem obvious, but make sure you wear the right clothing for a musical theatre school audition. Keep to sensible plain clothes that you can move in and you don’t mind getting dusty and dirty in. Never wear jeans, skirts, hipsters, revealing tops and ‘stand out’ clothes that look brightly coloured or flamboyant. You may want to stand out and look memorable at an audition, but it will only distract the panel if you are flinging about in fluorescent pink! There will be a lot of singing and moving around and your clothing should not impede your movement or be distracting. Also avoid wearing lots of make up and remove all your jewellery including rings and loose chains and earrings. Look natural, clean and fresh.
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Sheet musicTake along the appropriate sheet music or backing tracks. Make sure that they are in the correct key for your voice. If using song sheet music make sure it is attached together for the pianist and not handed to them in ‘book form’. Sellotape the sheet edges together so they can flip the pages easily. And only take music that you have actually heard being played and sung before. The pianist will play what is written and it may sound different to what you have heard. You may be asked to demonstrate the tempo or point out any quirks in the music. The song should be played and sung as smoothly as possible.
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Talk about your choicesYou may also be asked to talk about the song, why you chose it and what the emotional attachments are for you or the character. So make sure you have some explanation planned. Rehearse your song introductions before the audition, in case you are asked.
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Original songsTry and be original with your songs. An auditioning panel will be entertained if they hear songs that they have hardly heard of before and not so if they hear a song that has been done to death. Some schools may ask you to choose from a list of songs, to hear ‘your take on it’. But the majority are keen to see what you come up with on your own.
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Audition interviewMost auditions end with you discussing your application with a panel of tutors who will want to see your passion and motivation for their course. They will not only want to hear what you want from the course but what you aim to do with your training once you have graduated. It’s not all about the performing, they will want to see that you have a good imagination and that you can communicate your ideas clearly and efficiently.
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DelaysMost musical theatre drama school auditions last around 3 to 4 hours and if you are interrupted during a speech or a song, don’t be put off. It may be that you have over run your time limit or they have seen all they need to see, whether it be good or bad. Be prepared for any delays or over-running. Don’t book expensive return train journeys until a couple of hours after your audition. Don’t expect that it will all run on time. You may also be asked to come back later in the day if they want to see you again.
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DVD auditionsSome schools even accept DVD audition applications. For example, the Royal College of Music will accept a DVD recording if you live outside Europe and are unable to attend anytime during the audition period. It’s worth contacting the individual school to see if they do this, though it does only apply to overseas students.
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Audition RoundsSome musical theatre school auditions will allow all the auditionees to stay for the whole audition process, but some auditions may have a first and second round set up. This is where the weaker students may be asked to leave during the process, if they have not been successful. The focus will then be on the remaining students and even some of them may not make the final session, if there is one. It does seem a bit brutal and a bit ‘X Factor’ but the panel don’t have the time and they need to choose the successful applicants carefully. Remember, in their eyes you have to be right for their course.
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Thank you and next!If you have been asked to leave during the process, you will be totally aware that your application ends there. But if you are lucky enough to complete the whole audition process, you may then have a long wait until you hear back. Processing applications, auditioning students and putting together the final list of lucky students may take a few months. So be prepared to wait for the good or bad news.
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Audition FeesSome musical drama schools will ask for some sort of an administration fee when applying for a place. This is now common practice as the schools spend a lot of manpower and hours auditioning hundreds and hundreds of students annually. The prices range from around £50 to £100. Some may also ask you how you are to finance your studies and living expenses on the application form. They will want to know how dedicated you are going to be. Unfortunately, it’s no good applying if you can’t afford it.