How to Prep For Your Audition

Missed our auditions workshop? Never fear, this guide will get you ready for auditions this weekend!

Auditions can be scary, especially if it’s your first time. You may feel intimidated, but remember that we at HOOLIGAN Theatre Company all want you to succeed. We want you to feel comfortable during your audition so that you can perform at your very best. It can be hard, but once you adopt the mindset we are rooting for you, you’ve already won half the battle!
We are all college students just like you, so don’t be intimidated. Once you’ve relaxed your nerves, we can work on other preparatory steps that will set you up for success. Below are some amazing tips from our wonderful Education department.

1. Picking Audition Material

Did you know? HOOLIGAN has a whole library of audition resources, including both songs and monologues. But if you can’t find something that you like, a quick google search never hurt anybody. Read or sing the material out loud and make sure to choose material that is appropriate for your age, style, and true to your character. Try to avoid well known songs and monologues. We always prefer a piece that you are most familiar with and will play to your strengths.

2. Practice Makes Perfect

Don’t just go through the words without truly internalizing their meanings. For songs, be cautious of your vowel placement and the positioning of your tongue, larynx, and soft palate. Make sure it feels right to you and watch how your body responds. For monologues, annotate the piece of creative writing for its emotional context and depth, and consider researching the show to understand how the piece fits into the larger creative context. Knowing the context of a song can be very helpful in correctly portraying the character’s emotions, too. Most importantly, in both cases, deliver the piece with passion and let the emotions do the talking. Don’t rely solely on the words.


3. Recording Your Audition

Shoot horizontally from the waist up. Have a place to focus your eyes, whether it be the camera, or a spot on the wall. Don’t be afraid to use props or dress up to feel good. Stand firm and don’t sway back and forth. Have good natural lighting and take advantage of multiple takes. Leave silence before and after the performance for editing. Finally, you can upload your masterpiece to Google Drive!

4. Live Zoom Auditions
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Doing an audition over Zoom can feel strange. Maggie, our head of casting, has some tips for you:
“My advice for zoom auditions would be to try and test out the audio beforehand to make sure we can hear you, as well as making sure not to rush through the monologue since audio can sometimes get delayed. Overall though just have fun and try to show your personality as best as possible, and don’t stress too much!”
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Your audition starts the moment you walk into the room or the video starts, so make sure to smile, be cheerful, and show us your personality.  Don’t talk poorly of yourself, and try to stay positive. Testing out your equipment beforehand can save you a lot of stress, but if something does go wrong during your audition, just try and work through it as best as possible. Oftentimes one’s demeanor and attitude can make all the difference.


​Remember, just keep breathing. This is your time to shine, and we are all rooting for you!