Hey Everyone,
PIT auditions are coming up, and after that Magnet, and after that UCB. And we're all chomping at the bit and wondering how to be funny.
I'm no genius at auditioning, I've only done it a handful of times. I'm also no genius at getting on teams, I've only gotten through a handful of times.
Here's the one advice I have for everyone:
TAKE IT EASY!
There are five theatre that have house teams. We're talking FIVE. One of which, doesn't even require graduation from a school! When you filter in musical improv, add in 2 extra programs.
1) Putting your eggs in one basket, if you have a house team as a goal, is probably a bad idea. Get into those other schools. Have FUN! I love classes.
2) Don't worry about the outcome. If you get in, great. If you don't, just wait all of six months. Seriously, it's less than a hockey season. You could do that in jail time.
3) Allow yourself 24 hours of grieving. If this is your first audition and you've been going to all the shows and jams, chatting up AD's and getting all networked up, then you've probably built it up a lot and if you don't get it, it's gonna hurt. That's NOT a bad thing, it just means you really care about it. If you need a month or two to get over it, take that time. Get out of the scene. Some people don't get in and you NEVER see them again. It's the people that come back who succeed eventually.
4) Don't think about it. Don't come in ready to be funny. Come in with simplicity. If this happens, so what, I'll deal with it. If we're dinosaurs and we get put in a church, make it happen. HAVE FUN!!
5) HAVE FUN, HAVE FUN, HAVE FUN!!!! Literally think in your mind, I love you to every person on that stage. Be the ballsy guy to come up to each person give them a hug. Say, "I'm gonna hug you, is that okay?". If they're like NO, then try someone of the same sex. Come to think of it, do it with the same sex first, so they feel obligated to hug.
6) Let go of perfection. This is serious. If you could redo and audition, how many times would it take to make you feel it was perfect by your standards. Chances are, lots. So, percentage wise, you're setting yourself up for failure every time. You're mantra should be this. "I'll do my best and my best is good enough"
Get out there auditioners. Once you get on a team, that's when the shit starts flying. SCHEDULES, MONEY, DRAMA, BAD SHOWS, PRESSURE, I've got a whole new set of advice that you need to know about after. The audition is the easy part.
