Audition tips
Time is flying and auditions begin in Ashburn this weekend for our DC show, and later this month for our Boston and Iowa City productions! We’re so excited to hear the stories, songs and poetry of our This Is My Brave hopefuls. Here are a few suggestions to make your audition go as smoothly as possible.
1. Practice, Practice, Practice!
This goes without saying, but the more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel. You don’t have to have your piece memorized (unless of course it’s a song), but we do want to see eye contact. Read your piece in front of a full-length mirror and watch your body language. Take your time with your words and don’t be afraid of a pause for emphasis. Ask a few friends to be your audience and ask them for suggestions on what you might want to work on. And remember to smile! You’re sharing your story to help others and you should be proud of yourself.
2. Time your piece
As we mentioned via our Auditions page, your piece cannot go over 5 minutes. We’re going to need to open the show, introduce each performer, and close the show, and This Is My Brave is a 90-minute production. We need your contribution to fit within our time considerations, or we probably won’t be able to cast you. Remember, as with memoir, this is your opportunity to tell us a “slice” of your story, not the entire pie. Keep it short and sweet.
3. Arrive early
Our auditions are being held at our local library, so there’s plenty of free parking and room to walk around inside to calm your nerves. Do yourself a favor and plan on getting to your audition at least twenty minutes ahead of time so that you can have time to relax before it’s your turn to wow the Producers. Remember to bring 3 copies of your audition piece – one for each of the Producers and one for you.
4. Be vulnerable
This Is My Brave is a show about what it’s like to live through mental illness and come out on the other side. The emotions from having experienced mental illness first-hand are raw, excruciating, thrilling, inspiring and so much more. We want those feelings to come through in your piece. We want to feel as though we’re holding your heart in our hands for those five minutes when you’re standing at the podium. We promise to be gentle and give it back at the end, as long as you’re able to trust us while you’re in the spotlight.
5. Relax and have fun
We are so thrilled to meet all of our hopefuls and it’s our honor to hear your stories. Remember, we’ve been touched by mental illness, too. We have a sense of what you’ve been through, and continue to go through, and we admire you for wanting to speak out in an effort to help others.
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We have a limited number of audition spots still available. If you are interested, please go to our Washington, DC-area Auditions page to sign up before they’re all full.
