Lexie Shadix, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

When many patrons visit the theater, the thing at the forefront of their mind is the production they will be seeing. 

Visitors are not often pondering about how long the actors have spent perfecting their roles or the notes the director has made throughout dress rehearsals, and they are certainly not thinking about the fact that before there was opening night, there were auditions. What happens at auditions anyway? Do the actors just come in and say a few lines? Do they have to sing, dance or perform improv? Many people may be in the dark about this process, and for some who are interested in getting involved in the theater, the lack of information about the audition process may be hindering them. However, once the curtain is pulled back, the reality of audition night may not be as daunting as it seems. 

Ella Hazel Rambin is a sophomore at Berry with a major in public relations and a minor in musical theatre. Rambin is working in tech for “The 39 Steps” this semester. However, she earned a theatre scholarship and, as a result, went through the audition process. 

“We pretty much have to audition for every show no matter what on scholarship,” Rambin said. “And even if we’re not cast, we’re involved in some way.” 

For her, the audition process for “The 39 Steps” began Aug. 9, roughly two weeks before audition night, which was Aug. 26. She received an email with all the information and a form to inform the producers she was going to be auditioning. She also received a document containing all the monologues and accents that would be used in the play, alongside character descriptions. 

Since this production contains many different dialects and accents, auditionees were sent the link to a YouTube creator who makes videos that teach the basics of several types of accents and videos of people who have the accents used in the play for reference. 

Auditioning for a Berry College Theatre Company production is a creative and collaborative process. Auditionees were told to come prepared for any of the characters and for physical improvisation.

“We were asked to be here at 6pm, and they told us that it was going to run from six to eight,” Rambin said. “We were not really sure what to expect and Professor Friedrich [who is directing the play] said that he was going to put us in groups and we weren’t sure how that was going to work. So we were all very interested and on our toes for sure.”

 When all the auditionees arrived at the Sisters Theatre, they were divided into groups and taken back to audition one at a time. 

“The first time he called us in he just played this music, a minute and a half of music and he’s like, ‘I just want you to like feel the music with your body and portray that emotion with your body’,” Rambin said. “And I feel like that was a cool way for us to kind of like warm up and it was almost like he was kind of building us a little bit through the process.”

Then, Friedrich brought each group in and gave them a situation to act out. For example, he told them to pretend they were supervillains who just caught the bad guy, or pretend their celebratory champagne was poisoned and they died. He provided them with the direction to “slow down [so] we were doing it like [we were] moving through molasses.” 

“It was very funny but a good way for us to kind of build connections as actors for sure,” Rambin said. 

Then, they were called in one by one to present their monologue of choice. For this production, auditionees did not have to have their monologue memorized, but that is not always the case. After her audition was over, Rambin waited for a call back.

Milo Antunes, a sophomore pursuing a double major in communications with a concentration in public relations and a minor in musical theatre, is the stage manager for “The 39 Steps.” He was able to share a different perspective on the audition process and callbacks, specifically. According to Antunes, it took two days to get through auditions and callbacks for “The 39 Steps.” 

“Auditions is when we have the first contact with those actors,” said Antunes. “After they filled out the form, they came in and they did some code readings, which means they read from a piece of paper. We do some dance and body movement work so we can kind of have an idea of how those people would act in the future.”

After the initial auditions, they call back the people that they want to see again. This entails having an auditionee diving more into a certain character to showcase more of their talent. This provides the director with a chance to try something new and experiment with potential cast members. 

“So, during callbacks, the director asks you to go into more depth; you’re going to be required to do something more specific to the show instead of just showcasing who you are,” Antunes said. 

However, while the actors will be the ones to appear onstage, they are not the only ones going through an audition process. There are many people working behind the scenes who are also going through the audition process. One of the things that is highlighted by “The 39 Steps” in particular is the craftsmanship behind it. Associate Professor of Theatre, Peter Friedrich provided his thoughts on how this play emphasizes the work happening backstage. 

“This show champions the technicians, the people behind the scenes,” Friedrich said. 

For the craftsman on the other side of the curtain, the audition process looks slightly different. Sophomore theatre tech and production major Wren Gerac is working on “The 39 Steps” as a prop designer. Additionally, they are stage managing “Dancing at Lughnasa” this semester.

 “[I was] taking notes and making sure that we were keeping communication with the lobby about who to send in and when,” Gerac said. Before auditions, Gerac oversaw scheduling and handled logistics. 

For Friedrich, the audition process began months ago when he was discussing with his colleagues what play they should put on.

“Before we can audition the actors, we really have to audition the play,” Friedrich said.

The theatre company must also find a play that will help not only the theatre majors and minors, but also the community. Once a play is settled upon, the word must be spread. 

“Then with the auditions we try to spread the word as far and wide as we possibly can,” Friedrich said. “And it doesn’t matter what you major in. If you’re a Berry student, we’d love to see you.”

 Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Jennifer Bradford is directing “Dancing at Lughnasa,” and she described a similar timeline of events. According to Bradford, the first step was to get the word out, then she and her team handle logistics and prepare to watch auditionees.

Bradford also shared what audition night looks like from her point of view. 

“I tend to want to greet people as they’re coming in,” Bradford said. “Let them pause so they have a moment to introduce themselves or kind of get that first shake out of nerves done.

“A lot of people don’t know this, but your audition starts from the moment I see you. Not the moment you start your monologue.”

 Auditionees were asked to perform two contrasting pieces and, if there is additional time, she tries to work with them on something to see if they can take a director’s note. Generally one audition only lasts five minutes. Therefore, it is essential to put your best foot forward from the time you enter the audition room.

  When it comes to what directors ultimately look for in people they are casting, Bradford and Friedrich shared some insight. 

“A willingness to play, putting your voice in the space, awareness of the space and a connection to the character,” Bradford said. “You really just got to come and bring a little bit of yourself to every character so that I can get to know you in the room.” 

“A generosity about them, a willingness to share, not just with the audience but just with the other performers,” Friedrich said. “I think you can really see that exuding from people like generous performers, you know, or people that aren’t going to get too caught up in themselves and be ready to share and collaborate.”

The audition process should not serve as a barrier for people looking to get involved in theatre. It is a welcoming space where you can dive into characters, gain helpful feedback and show producers your talent. It is also completely normal to be nervous. 

Rambin said she stays “in-tune” with her nervousness and knows that everyone else is probably nervous too, but you just have to go in, have fun, do your best, and know that you’ve prepared. 

All of these conversations were ended with the same question: What advice would you give to people thinking about auditioning for a production here at Berry? Everyone’s answer can be summarized in a sentence consisting of only two words: Do it.