Looking to get cast in a NYC showcase to attract agents/casting directors? Here are a few pointers to book the showcase and to be sure you’re working with the right people:

• Do your homework. Be sure the theatre company, acting group, etc., you’re auditioning for is reputable. Look them up online and be sure they’re reviewed by some the better-known showbiz outlets (Backstage.com, etc.).  Talk to your friends and colleagues about the company, and find out the general opinion of their work before signing on. If you know a casting director, ask them if they’ve attended or would attend a showcase put on by this company.  As a professional actor whose worked extensively in NYC, my job as an actor showcase coach is to guide you in deciding if a company is reputable and worth your time and energy.

• Know the brand you’re connecting with from the beginning.  Does the company or group you’re auditioning for do the kind of work you’re interested in? Is there likely to be a role or roles that align with your type? If you have an awesome monologue that does a great job of selling your assets, but those assets aren’t likely to be valuable to the folks you’re auditioning for, then Houston, we have a problem. As part of your showcase audition preparation, I’ll go over what audition material will best align you with a company’s brand and is also right for who you are and what you bring to the table.

• Choose challenging material that you love working on. Besides demonstrating that you know your type and how it fits into the showcase you’re auditioning for, part of the showcase audition preparation is finding audition material that is challenging and enjoyable. As your actor showcase coach I’ll discuss with you the skills you want to further develop and how specific material will push you to grow in those areas. 
• Have fun. Auditors, whether they’re agents, casting directors, someone from a theatre company or an acting group, all want to see you having fun, relishing the moment of bringing the material you’ve chosen to life. The same goes for the showcase itself. As your acting coach, I’ll discuss with you if a particular showcase is the kind of work you’ll really enjoy working on were you to be cast. Fortunately, having fun is one of the most important things to shining as an actor! Until next time…

"The confidence, poise, and polish of outstanding auditions are the result of dedicated, concentrated rehearsal and astute coaching."

The above quote is from the Irene Ryan Scholarship Competition handbook. The Irene Ryan is an acting competition for college students offering two scholarships of $3500 each at the National American College Theater Festival each year in Washington, D.C., in addition to other awards. (You can find more information on the Irene Ryan Competition at the festival's website, www.kcactf3.org/ryan.htm).

In the meantime, I want to "unpack" the above quote about the Irene Ryans a little bit to get you started on understanding what it means to really prepare yourself to have an outstanding Irene Ryan audition:

• First and foremost, know your type. As an Irene Ryan acting coach, it's my job to help you select material that is within your age range, your vocal range (especially if you're going to be singing), your emotional range, and within the scope of your movement skills. The Irene Ryan competition is about showing clear command of interesting and appropriate material, not reaching for something you can't quite grasp or that isn't really right for you in terms of your type.
• You also want to choose audition materials for the Irene Ryan that have a clear beginning and that move toward a conclusion. Part of the Irene Ryan preparation process if to make sure you, along with the help of your Irene Ryan acting coach (me :) ) have chosen a monologue that makes sense as a self-contained piece. That said, you still may be able to connect separate lines of dialogue taken from a conversation between your character and others as long as it's edited or staged in a way that it's unnecessary to know what the other characters have said.
• You want the kind of Irene Ryan help that increases your ability to make varied, specific, and bold acting choices. Another way to put it? Your acting coach should be capable of guiding you to use different tactics in pursuit of the overall task or objective of your character. A good Irene Ryan acting coach will help you avoid the traps of generalizing, emoting, or playing a single character "quality" throughout the piece.

In future blog posts from me, be sure to watch for more details on preparing an outstanding Irene Ryan audition. Please let me know your thoughts about what I've said here concerning how to successfully prepare for the Irene Ryan Acting Competition.

“Inappropriate selection of material and poor presentation techniques are the two most common faults in general auditions. Both areas demand objectivity, which is why an audition coach is essential.”

The above quote was taken from URTA’s Handbook for Actors and Coaches (bold letters included), a guide provided by URTA to help you and your coach prepare for your URTA audition. (Go to http://www.urta.com/ for more info on URTA auditions and how to download the Handbook for Actors and Coaches.)

In the meantime, as someone who is very much qualified to be your URTA audition coach, I want to “unpack” the above quote a little bit to get you started on what it means to get the URTA audition help you need to prepare yourself to have an outstanding URTA audition:  

• First and foremost, know your type. As an URTA acting coach, it’s my job to help you select material that is within your age range, your emotional range, and within the scope of your voice and movement skills. This is about showing clear command of interesting and appropriate material, not reaching for something that you can’t quite grasp or that isn’t really right for you in terms of your type. Simply put, do what you do best!

• The URTA audition time limit is three minutes, and that includes the time it takes for an introduction and transition between monologues. Your URTA audition coach should work with you to comfortably do everything you need to do within the allotted three minutes, and to make your introduction an interesting and likable part of your audition. Your audition really begins from the moment you walk into the room.

• If possible, practice your audition in front of a few trusted friends so that you know what it feels like to do them before an audience, and can work with your coach to overcome whatever challenges come up when you’re being observed. Don’t wait until the actual audition to discover what doing them before an audience feels like.

• You want the kind of URTA audition help that increases your ability to make varied, specific and bold acting choices. Another way to put this is that your URTA acting coach should guide you to use different tactics in pursuit of the overall task or objective of your character, and have those tactics be clear, interesting and specific. These tactics manifest in your physical behavior, your voice, and the energy you direct toward the other person(s) you’re imagining in the moment (more to be said later about making the other character(s) real and specific to you and the audience). A good acting coach will also help you to avoid the traps of generalizing, emoting, or playing a single character "quality" throughout the piece.

I’ll continue in greater detail with the elements of a well-prepared URTA audition in future blog posts. Please let me know your thoughts about what I’ve said here concerning how to successfully prepare for the URTA auditions.