7 tips for Drama school audition's Repost

Hi everyone
Sorry once again for not writing in a while,  since starting my Christmas job, I've not had a great deal of time to do much else.
But since I've got my first audition in 3 weeks... IM SOOOOO EXCITED! I have been reading some blogs to help me out, and I loved this one and wanted to share it so enjoy!

7 tips for drama auditions

ANDY JOHNSON  3 FEBRUARY 2014
Auditioning for drama school can be a nerve-wracking experience. Andy Johnson is an actor, a director, and the author of 'The Excellent Audition Guide'. He shared 7 tips for engaging an audition panel, and keeping yourself engaged too.'The Excellent Audition Guide' is available from Nick Hern Books.

1. Don’t ‘just start’

Over eighty per cent of the people I see doing an audition just launch in.They simply ‘do’ their monologue, without giving much thought to the world they’re creating, or the audience they’re playing to.Some are not that bad – even quite good. But because of the way they ‘just start’, it is plain that they’re only going through the motions. Your job in any performance is to invite the audience into the world of your character. This has the effect of creating a distance between them and their audience – and you don’t want that.Your job in any performance, and especially in an audition, is to invite the audience into the world of your character. The members of the audition panel need to enter that world with you.They have to become engrossed and absorbed. If you ‘just start’, it is harder for them to do this. You must give them a chance to come with you.

2. Think of it as a two-minute play

To really maximize your chances of succeeding in your audition, you need to think of it as a two-minute show.More than that, think of it as a show the panel will watch with all the focus and attention with which they would watch a two-hour show, only condensed down into an intense two minutes between you and them.Therefore, as with any play, your show has to have changes of mood, tone, pace and atmosphere. Change is crucial, even in a two-minute show.Think about it. Nobody would sit through a play that stays in the same gear the whole time.Any text or production that flatlines into one mood will prove boring and colourless. This applies whether the mood is sadness, anger, grief, or anything else.A good show needs to be a journey. It should employ movement and surprise in the telling of the story. Change is good.

3. Evoke the world of the play

Bring the whole of the world of the play onto the stage with you. It’s not just about the bit you’re doing for your audition, in isolation.An entire universe of events, ideas and moments must take shape in those two minutes. Everything needs to be distilled into an intense, rich experience.To bring the world of the play onto the stage with your character, ask yourself these questions:Who are you?Where have you just come from or been?What happened to bring you here?Why are you here now?What do you want? And how badly do you want it?Who are you talking to?Why are you talking to them? And what makes you start talking?What are you afraid of? What would be the worst outcome for you?How are all these things affecting your behaviour?Work with these questions often. They will be of use continuously.

4. Fix your focus before you begin

For your sake and that of the panel, take time to connect with what you want to achieve, or even avoid, in your performance.Remind yourself not to wonder if the panel likes you or what you are doing.Resolve not to judge them, or your work. Time and effort spent on wondering, judging and conjecture is wasted focus and energy.Tell yourself that you are not here to get into drama school – you are just here to do your best, most focused and connected work.Assure yourself that nerves are good, because you can use those nerves as a positive force, instead of allowing them to work against you.When you’ve done this, create the physical world and surroundings of the character. Where are you? What time is it? Are you hot or cold? Is it winter or summer? Get into detail.If you spend time on this in your rehearsal work, you can ‘pop’ all of this into place in seconds. You will then be in your world and that of the character, not in the dreaded audition room – bonus!

5. Give your character a reason to start speaking

Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. This may well be what is prompting your character to react, to decide to speak. Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. Alternatively, run through what has just happened to you and why it happened. This will propel you into why you are speaking and what you, as the character, want.Remember: we speak because we have to. Just before we utter words, there is a compelling urge, a tingle, to vocalise our thoughts.We may be reacting to what’s just been said. We may have to seek justice, put facts straight, change someone’s mind or actions, get somebody to do something.There are many reasons to pipe up. But they are all driven by a thought.We speak until that thought has been given expression, and then, unless there’s another thought, we stop.

6. See your monologue as a duologue waiting to happen

Quite often, auditionees make their own character the only focus of the monologue.Get used to including the other person in your thinking and ideas, from early work right up to and including the execution of your audition.They, the other person, should be constantly involved.What do they look like, sound like, smell like? Do you want them to speak or react?

7. End the monologue well

A lot of performers end really badly, without style or conviction. Stay with the end moment. Let the glow settle. They disengage from the world of the character way too soon after the last line. This gives the impression that they have not engaged at all.Stay with the end moment, and let the glow of what you have been doing settle. Stay in it and be proud.Don’t step away with any kind of sheepish, self-destructive look.Don’t apologise verbally, or with a self-effacing countenance.Even if you think you were rubbish, the panel may well have seen something that interested them. In all probability, you will be your worst critic.Let them be the judge of all that. Free yourself from that burden.End with a bang, not with a whimper. You owe it to yourself.7 tips for drama auditions

ANDY JOHNSON  3 FEBRUARY 2014Auditioning for drama school can be a nerve-wracking experience. Andy Johnson is an actor, a director, and the author of 'The Excellent Audition Guide'. He shared 7 tips for engaging an audition panel, and keeping yourself engaged too.'The Excellent Audition Guide' is available from Nick Hern Books.

1. Don’t ‘just start’

Over eighty per cent of the people I see doing an audition just launch in.They simply ‘do’ their monologue, without giving much thought to the world they’re creating, or the audience they’re playing to.Some are not that bad – even quite good. But because of the way they ‘just start’, it is plain that they’re only going through the motions. Your job in any performance is to invite the audience into the world of your character. This has the effect of creating a distance between them and their audience – and you don’t want that.Your job in any performance, and especially in an audition, is to invite the audience into the world of your character. The members of the audition panel need to enter that world with you.They have to become engrossed and absorbed. If you ‘just start’, it is harder for them to do this. You must give them a chance to come with you.

2. Think of it as a two-minute play

To really maximize your chances of succeeding in your audition, you need to think of it as a two-minute show.More than that, think of it as a show the panel will watch with all the focus and attention with which they would watch a two-hour show, only condensed down into an intense two minutes between you and them.Therefore, as with any play, your show has to have changes of mood, tone, pace and atmosphere. Change is crucial, even in a two-minute show.Think about it. Nobody would sit through a play that stays in the same gear the whole time.Any text or production that flatlines into one mood will prove boring and colourless. This applies whether the mood is sadness, anger, grief, or anything else.A good show needs to be a journey. It should employ movement and surprise in the telling of the story. Change is good.

3. Evoke the world of the play

Bring the whole of the world of the play onto the stage with you. It’s not just about the bit you’re doing for your audition, in isolation.An entire universe of events, ideas and moments must take shape in those two minutes. Everything needs to be distilled into an intense, rich experience.To bring the world of the play onto the stage with your character, ask yourself these questions:Who are you?Where have you just come from or been?What happened to bring you here?Why are you here now?What do you want? And how badly do you want it?Who are you talking to?Why are you talking to them? And what makes you start talking?What are you afraid of? What would be the worst outcome for you?How are all these things affecting your behaviour?Work with these questions often. They will be of use continuously.

4. Fix your focus before you begin

For your sake and that of the panel, take time to connect with what you want to achieve, or even avoid, in your performance.Remind yourself not to wonder if the panel likes you or what you are doing.Resolve not to judge them, or your work. Time and effort spent on wondering, judging and conjecture is wasted focus and energy.Tell yourself that you are not here to get into drama school – you are just here to do your best, most focused and connected work.Assure yourself that nerves are good, because you can use those nerves as a positive force, instead of allowing them to work against you.When you’ve done this, create the physical world and surroundings of the character. Where are you? What time is it? Are you hot or cold? Is it winter or summer? Get into detail.If you spend time on this in your rehearsal work, you can ‘pop’ all of this into place in seconds. You will then be in your world and that of the character, not in the dreaded audition room – bonus!

5. Give your character a reason to start speaking

Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. This may well be what is prompting your character to react, to decide to speak. Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. Alternatively, run through what has just happened to you and why it happened. This will propel you into why you are speaking and what you, as the character, want.Remember: we speak because we have to. Just before we utter words, there is a compelling urge, a tingle, to vocalise our thoughts.We may be reacting to what’s just been said. We may have to seek justice, put facts straight, change someone’s mind or actions, get somebody to do something.There are many reasons to pipe up. But they are all driven by a thought.We speak until that thought has been given expression, and then, unless there’s another thought, we stop.

6. See your monologue as a duologue waiting to happen

Quite often, auditionees make their own character the only focus of the monologue.Get used to including the other person in your thinking and ideas, from early work right up to and including the execution of your audition.They, the other person, should be constantly involved.What do they look like, sound like, smell like? Do you want them to speak or react?

7. End the monologue well

A lot of performers end really badly, without style or conviction. Stay with the end moment. Let the glow settle. They disengage from the world of the character way too soon after the last line. This gives the impression that they have not engaged at all.Stay with the end moment, and let the glow of what you have been doing settle. Stay in it and be proud.Don’t step away with any kind of sheepish, self-destructive look.Don’t apologise verbally, or with a self-effacing countenance.Even if you think you were rubbish, the panel may well have seen something that interested them. In all probability, you will be your worst critic.Let them be the judge of all that. Free yourself from that burden.End with a bang, not with a whimper. You owe it to yourself.

Out of the Fire and into the frying pan!

Firstly, Hello you lot!
Secondly, bugger roo I haven't written in over 6 weeks!
This post is just to let you guys know that I haven't died and I'm still totally in for the big guns when I get round to applying to Drama School.

I have just been extremly busy.
For example; During the past 6 weeks I have:
-Applied to over 50 jobs (and managed to get 1!)
-Been on several open days to Guildhall, Rose Bruford and RCS
- Seen the most amazing theatre including the RSC's Henry the IV (parts 1 & 2) and Much ado about Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein and Hamlet (again)
-Been to Rome
- Gone on two Acting course's with the RSC and NYT
- Applied to ten Drama School's
-Wrote a 5000 word essay on temptation in literature
- Seen the most incredible musicians like George Ezra live
- Had the best coffee cake ever.Fact.

So you could understand why I haven't had the opportunity to write recently.
Will also inform you that I am going to get even more busy as I will be starting my new job tomorrow so wish me luck!

Will probably write when my first audition comes up (The Lir in Ireland)
But for now,
TALLY HO!

The Old Vic's A Streetcar Named Desire: The Review.

Hi again,

So yesterday I watched the Old Vic's latest production of A streetcar named desire, directed by Benidict Andrews, via the National Theatre Live scheme at my local cinema.

Having not much knowledge about the play before seeing it, I didn't know what to expect. So I let my Dad tag along and watch it with me.  It was quite ranchy, which made the experiance of watching it with my Dad quite arkward...

But it was brilliant all the same. 

To people who haven't heard of the play, it was written by Tennesse Williams and it was the 1952 movie version of this play that help start Marlon Brando's acting legacy. The play is set in southen america and there are three main characters. Estella, her Husband Stanley and her drunkard sister Miss Dubuoise who has come to stay with them in their tiny place while she gets her life back into order, but its already too late for that.

Gillian Anderson, who play the miserble drunk sister, was good. But I felt that it took her a while to  really get into her role and show us her skills. The real attraction of the play was Stanley himself. As while he didnt have that much to say, he was able to create the tension and the unearthing sense that he was going to snap at any second whenever he came onto the stage.

The play itself was set in the round and the set, ie a see through rectangular apartment, revolved so the audience  members each had a different perspective of the play, an idea which I found unique and interesting to watch.

I would compleatley recomend going to see this play as it was gripping, mesmerising and a utter joy to watch.

In terms of what I'm doing next - in terms of drama school applications -  I've applied for a audition at an agency in manchester and I'm going to be seeing a performance of romeo and juliet at the Victoria Baths in Manchester next week, so I will write a review of that when I have time.

For now though,

Cheerio,

Terri ;D.

The Royal Exchange's Hamlet: A review

Hello again,
So many of you will starting to get yourselves ready for all the drama school audition's coming up. I know that with eleven around the corner I just want to get cracking. But first I want to talk about the production of Hamlet which I saw yesterday. Starring Maxine Peakes as a female Hamlet, the first thing that really stood out to me was the gender split of the cast,  which was pratically 50/50, with a large number of male role's being cast as female. I loved that,  mainly because I a great annoyance about the fact that males get a higher proportion of roles in both TV and screen. I Also loved the way the actors used the stage, with it being in the round, it definitely gave the play the edge over other productions of Hamlet,
However, one thing that I wasn't sure of was the young actors used as the players. Now I know that it was to show the link between old members and the new, but for me... it just felt a bit tacky, and took the point away from the meaning of why the actors were being used.

Anyway tonight I'm seeing A streetcar named desire at the Cinema with the NT live scheme.  I've also booked to go to the Rose Bruford open day on thursday and the Guildhall open day next month so things have started to roll now. Cannot wait to start auditioning again.  I'm so excited!
Hope to write some more soon.
Adios,
Terri ;D xxx

Guildford School of Acting: Open Day

Hi there!

So last Saturday I went to the open day/ tour of the GSA (Guildford School of Acting) facilaties, and to be quite frank. I'm not compleatley sure what my feelings are about the place.

So to give you an overview of the place, I will just tell you the main parts of what I learnt about it.

- The GSA is part of the University of Surrey and is set within its campus. Which is massive.

- GSA is still regarded as a conservatoire however - in being part of the University of Surrey - you do need to get top grades to secure a place (ie AAB/ABB Alevel grades). 

^ This is the part that I don't understand, and what tinges my opinion of the school. As no other drama school, weather associated with a University or not, has such abnormally high academic grade expectations.

- They only offer 36 places and around 1,500 people applied last year

- Has a minimum of 30 contact hours each week and, while it has a core staff unit there teaching full time, they regually have directors come in and give lectures.

-The BA acting course is accedited by Drama UK
- The facilities are fabulous, they even have a Starbucks in the GSA building which is very cool.
- With the audition process they do have regional auditions in some major cities across the UK
-Around 30% of applicants are recalled to the second round.

Overall the day was pretty interesting and I learnt a lot from it. Still uncertain weather I will be applying there but I'll let you know asap.
In terms of the other stuff that I'm up to at the moment,  This is the start of my gap year (which is very terrifying to think about) so I'm in the middle of filling out a vast deal of job applications as well as learning monologues and applying to short acting courses to help boost my drama school applications this year.  Including a drama school audition masterclass week with the National Youth Theatre.
I should be going to a Rose Bruford Open day next week so I will write more about that then.
But until then.
Adios,
Terri ; D

Lucy Kerbel on 100 Great Plays for Women by National Theatre - Podcast

Lucy Kerbel on 100 Great Plays for Women by National Theatre



Hi!

So as might be expected I am very busy at the moment learning my monologues for Drama School auditions. But during my research I came across this brilliant podcast by the National Theatre on plays that are female dominated. And I thought that you guys would also benifit from listening to it too!

Anyway enjoy, Im going away to London this weekend and will be watching the musical Matilda! Also 1 year til I go see Hamlet starring Benidict Cumberbatch. I cannot wait!

Bye,

Terri ;D

UCAS and CUKAS drama school applications

Hi beautiful thespians,
So it is coming up to that time of year again when its time to start getting those Drama school applications in! I'm so excited and nervous already about it all. Especially because up until an hour ago I couldn't find a sutible monologue as a contempary. But finally I've got it. Anyway this post is a little database on some of the drama school's available via the UCAS and CUKAS website's with some basic infomation. Now with UCAS and CUKAS there is a £16 fee (CUKAS) and a £23 fee (UCAS). You can only apply to up to five school's on UCAS. This inclueds any other university course's that you might be applying for.

UCAS drama school's:
1. The Royal Central school of speech and drama.
UCAS institution code- C35
Course ( BA Acting) code- W410
Audition fee - £50
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1960's) and 2 shakespeare monologues chosen from a list on their website. Max of 2 minute duration. Also two songs needed,  one from a musical with accompanying piano music and another song unaccompanied. (Although from what I understand the singing part of the audition is for the musical BA.)
Audition is at the school.

2. Drama Center
^Under the name of University of the Arts in UCAS
UCAS institution code- U65
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1830) and 1 shakespeare monologue, both with a maximum of 3 minute duration, dualogues are also accetable (you must have a partner) for both speaches.
Audition is at the school.

3, Guildford school of acting (GSA)
^ Under the name of University of Surrey in UCAS.
UCAS institution code- S85
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £35
Audition process - 1 contempary speech (post 1950) and one classic monologue (pre 1800). Also you must bring a sonnet with you,  you don't have to learn it. They should not exceed a 3 minute duration.
Initial audition's are held in:
·Belfast
·Cardiff
·Dublin
·Exeter
·Edinburgh
·Newcastle
·Manchester
·Guildford (I.e the school) + all recall's.

4. Manchester school of acting
^Under the name of Manchester Metropolitain university in UCAS.
UCAS institution code- M40
Course code- W411
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1950) speech, 1 shakespeare speech and another monologue of your choice. All should not exceed 2 minute duration.
Audition's held at the school.

5. Rose Bruford
UCAS Institution code- R51
Course code- W410
Audition fee-£45
Audition process- Two speaches, one classic monologue and one contempary (I presume as the school's website does not give much infomation.)
Audition is held at the school.

Other UCAS school's include Italia Conti and East 15.

CUKAS school's:

1. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS)
CUKAS institution code- R58
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 Shakespeare speech and one contempary speech. All should not exceed a 3 minute duration.
Audition is held at the school.

2. Royal Welsh school of music and drama college.
CUKAS institution code- R59
Course code- 200F
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 Shakespeare speech and one contempary speech (post 1950). And should not exceed a 2 minute duration.
Audition's held at:
· Cardiff (I.e the school) plus all recall's.
·London
·Edinburgh
·Belfast
·Manchester
Hope this helps people,
Cheerio,
Terri ; D