Music Director Interview Question #3 -

This summer I began an interview process with three lovely Music Directors. All work in different areas of the country so I wondered if their answers would vary widely to the five – very long – questions I asked them about what their preferences are when in an audition situation.

Darcy Danielson is the resident Music Director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Jeff Caldwell works on the east coast in the New York area, on Broadway and Off Broadway.

Kim Dare works in Seattle at various Equity and Non-Equity companies in the Seattle area.

This is Question #3

If you could tell an actor one thing they SHOULD do in an audition
- what would it be?

 

Darcy

 Shine! Bring yourself fully to the room. Share who you truly are. That's who they're looking for. 

 Jeff

Have fun. And, be IN the room. Know who you're going to meet, who's playing, as you walk in assess the room and where your focal points will be. Pay attention to what is going on. If the monitor says your name, and the director says "Hi....(Insert your name here)" and looks at your resume, you don't need to then announce your name and what you're going to sing. Sing things you LOVE to sing. Control the circumstances you can - what you present as representing you and your talent.

Kim

Have fun! I love playing auditions and getting to meet new actors. They should consider an audition an opportunity to gather information about the theater and the production staff that is running the audition as much as the audition is an opportunity for a theater to gather information about them. And then – HAVE FUN (being prepared helps you be free to have that fun)!