Santiago Theatre
Advanced Theatre Auditions 2020-2021
Welcome!
Auditions are due by May 25th.
Those who make the class will be notified via your student email by May 29th and will be placed in 1st period Advanced Theatre. Be sure to check your email!
What is Advanced Theatre?
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR AUDITIONS:
Fill out the Advanced Audition Form by May 25th
*In order to fill out the form, you will need to be signed into your CNUSD student account on Google*
As a part of the form, you will need to upload a one-page personal statement. Your personal statement should indicate your interest in theatre, your reasons for wanting to enroll in the class, future aspirations and goals (related to theatre and not related to theatre) and any other personal information which you feel qualifies you for the class. I want to get to know you better!
Upload your Audition Video by May 25th
1. You need to slate: Tell me your name, your grade (next year), and what two pieces you'll be performing from (title and role only). Example: Hi, my name is Jenny Fail and I'll be a Senior next year. I'll be performing Helena from A Midsummer Night's Dream followed by Catherine in Suddenly Last Summer.
2. You will then perform two one-minute contrasting monologues from published plays (not musicals!). One must be comedic and one must be dramatic, and one must be classical (before 1930) and one must be contemporary (after 1930). Example: A classical comedic followed by a contemporary dramatic OR A classical dramatic followed by a contemporary comedic. These must be memorized.
Your video should be continuous, there shouldn't be any edits. Scroll down for helpful hints and videos!
THE PASSWORD FOR ACCESS TO FLIPGRID IS: Sharktheatre
Helpful hints for self-taping auditions:
What is a self-tape?
A self-tape is an audition the actor films on their own and then sends in remotely.
For self-tapes for theater auditions specifically, the casting director might be paying a bit more attention to your physicality and vocal quality to see if what you present can reach the back of the house. However, when self-taping, be aware of being too loud, gesticulating wildly, or going in and out of frame by moving too much. Find the truthfulness of the piece and reign it in to fit on film.
What camera should I use for a self-tape?
You can self-tape with the camera on your cell phone or computer.
What about sound in a self-tape?
The sound of your self-tape must be clean. You want to make sure there aren’t any distracting ambient noises and listen after to make sure all words and phrases can be heard clearly. You also do not want to choose an echo-ridden space to film in. If you have one, you may want to use an external microphone to pick up your vocals and filter out background noises. Even air conditioning sounds can drown out an actor!
What lighting should I have for a self-tape?
Lighting for a self-tape should not be dim, however, it shouldn’t be so bright that it overpowers or washes you out. Aim to shoot during a time of natural lighting, but that alone won’t be enough. We need to be able to clearly see your face in the shot. It’s always best to use two light sources: a key light (from the front) and a fill light (from the side). Avoid using the flashlight function on your phone as a lighting source.
What is the best self-tape background?
Your filming background should be neutral in color, even throughout, and look good when well-lit. You can go one of two routes: Use a blank wall in your home, or put up a sheet to make a background. Be sure to avoid anything with patterns, bright colors, or objects behind you, all of which could distract the casting director from what they should be focusing on—you.
What should the framing of a self-tape look like?
For this audition, waist up. It’s also best to not move around a lot while acting, especially taking care not to walk in and out of the frame. Give yourself a mark on the floor to ensure that you’re centered for all of your takes.
Here are some helpful videos:
- John C. Reilly talks about he benefits of self-taping: https://youtu.be/17LnBvFOl-w
- Katherine Steele and Backstage.com's advice on how to self-tape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd-cmGc9EaM
Helpful hints for finding a monologue:
What is a monologue?
It is one character speaking for a continuous amount of time. They may be speaking to themselves, another character, an object, God, whomever, but no one is verbally responding. It is not a scene, but may be part of one.
In choosing a monologue, you should:
- Choose one with high stakes for the character- active monologue
- Choose one with a climax or arc (there should be beat changes, it should be non-linear)
- It helps if you know the entire play (a must before you perform it!)
- Be able to break it down. Have some concept of who the character is talking to and why.
- Be excited about the monologue.
- Choose a monologue that fits you as you are, now.
- For auditions, choose monologues that will help you stand out in some way.
- Know about the character, the play, and the context surrounding the monologue.
- Know where to begin and end the monologue for maximum understanding and to best showcase your skills and abilities (since you only have one minute, it may only be a part of a larger monologue!).
Stay away from:
- Characters you can’t relate to
-
Monologues where you can’t find the rest of the play
Monologues EVERYONE does -unless, you have a unique understanding or spin on the circumstances or character.
Here are some places to start while looking for monologues:
- Monologue books (check to be sure that they are from full-length plays!)
- Go back through plays you've read or seen (especially for Play of the Month- if you were in Advanced or Theatre 2 previously).
- Look up playwrights you know and like and try to find monologues in their plays.
- Online resources:
o Backstage.com/monologues (careful, some of these are movie monologues)
o www.notmyshoes.net – for classical monologues only