Serena Platt, Editor-in-Chief
@splattcourant
Each time a new performance from the Theater Department is underway, the first hoop to jump through is the audition process. From selecting their songs to stretching right before they walk in the auditorium, students work hard to ensure they have their best foot forward for their auditions.
Sophomore performer and member of the All-National Choir Henry Tate has become very comfortable with the audition process. “You want to start with background research on whatever show you’re auditioning for to familiarize yourself with the script, the score, and the time period it takes place in. Generally you’ll be singing something that’s contemporary, or classic musical theater,” Henry said. “It’s also good to see what character you’ll be trying out for so that you can find a song that works well with that character.”
Leading up to an audition, having the right mindset and routine is an essential part of the preparation process. “The night before an audition, I try to get a lot of sleep, and I save my voice for a couple of days beforehand,” he said. “The day of, I grab a practice room and warm up my voice to make sure I’m ready.”
The day of the audition, Henry wants to ensure he is comfortable and not overthinking the performance. “I do believe there’s such a thing as over-preparing, because there’s only so much you can do. I try to relax, not be nervous, and drink a lot of water,” he said. “I don’t socialize a ton, and I get in the zone by thinking about the acting choices I’ll make while I’m singing.”
When walking into the auditorium to begin his audition, Henry appears calm and composed right from the start. “You always want to walk into auditions feeling confident; if you are totally terrified inside, you don’t want to let anyone know that,” he said. “The same thing goes at the end of the audition, whether you think you did well or not.”
Despite his focused and organized approach to audition preparation, Henry enjoys helping other performers along the way. “I love to play other people’s audition songs to help them prepare,” he said. “It’s not for tactical reasons, it’s just a lot of fun to work together, especially the people you’re going to be in the show with. It’s a really tight-knit community, which is why so many people come back year after year.”
As soon as junior Annabelle Murphy hears she has an audition, she begins looking for pieces to sing. “I take a look at the style of the show, then I look at songs in my repertoire that fit that style,” she said. “Before an audition, I sit outside, try not to think about anything, and run through lyrics so I don’t forget.”
The positive environment in the Theater Department helps Annabelle manage stress for auditions. “I do get nervous for auditions, but there’s such a welcoming and supportive community that it’s really not that big of a deal. During the dance auditions, for example, everyone’s cheering each other on, because everyone wants each other to succeed,” she said. “No one’s just in it for themselves, it’s all for the greater good.”
Another seasoned performer is senior Tahela Denu, a member of the All-State Choir, who takes a more relaxed approach to the audition process. “Usually I put audition preparation off for a bit, just because I’m pretty confident in my own abilities. Since all of the shows were announced at the beginning of the school year, I’ve had an idea of what I wanted to sing for each audition for a while,” she said. “I have a repertoire of songs that I already have down pat, so depending on the musical, I can pull music from there.”
Before Tahela walks into an audition, it’s important for her to get her voice warmed up. “A good warmup for singing is blowing into a hot drink with a straw, because it helps to open your voice up,” she said. “I also stretch, whether it’s singing or dancing, because it’s important to loosen your body up.”
As a senior, Tahela is bittersweet about wrapping up her career in theater at the high school. “Even though this is my second to last show, I’m looking forward to making more memories.”
Choral Director and AP Music Theory teacher, Sarah Gleason is a key resource for many students going through the audition process. “I have a closet full of music that students can pick from, and sometimes if I know their voice, they’ll ask me what song might be good for their voice,” she said. “We also have practice rooms, where students can come check out a room before auditions.”
In addition to Ms. Gleason being available for support, other students help each other out as well. “Those who have been in the musical Theater Department before help the newer students out a lot,” Ms. Gleason said. “My goal is that when these students are seniors, they want my support and feedback, but they are really becoming independent musicians.”
Ms. Gleason has many tips for anxious performers that are in the audition process. “Get to know the show you are auditioning for: listen to the music, watch the show, and go see it in person if you can,” she said. “Also, find other students who have been through auditions before, and collaborate instead of viewing it as a competition. One audition does not define you.”
The current musical in progress is Music Man, and director Kate Simone helped to oversee the entire audition process back in early December. “We did one day of singing, where students were asked to prepare a minute-long cut from a song with a similar style as the musical,” Ms. Simone said. “The second day was dancing, where the choreographer came in and taught the students a combination that they performed in small groups after learning it.” After that, callbacks were held, where specific students were asked to return for certain roles.
Although Ms. Simone ran the auditions as the director, she did not interact with the performers much prior to the auditions. “I try to stay out of the students’ preparation so we can see what they bring to the table themselves,” she said. “The kids generally come in very prepared for auditions, which is amazing.”
Ms. Simone encourages students to try their hand at auditions for upcoming theater performances. “If you’re interested in getting involved in the Theater Department, check out the callboard behind the auditorium, which is where all the information is posted,” she said. “Come see a show to find out what we’re all about, and join the crew to get to meet everyone. There’s so many tips and tricks to learn from the current students.”
While the audition process is multifaceted and requires performers to practice varying skill sets, its main purpose is to put together the cast that will best fit the current performance. As Annabelle puts it, “auditions are meant to be fun, ultimately, not stressful.”
