Audition Tips
Time is flying and our first set of auditions are right around the corner! 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 various locations in the communities we’re holding shows, so make sure to arrive early to park and time to walk around inside to calm your nerves. Do yourself a favor and plan on getting to your audition at least fifteen 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, terrifying 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. Remember that the emphasis of your piece should be on the recovery and the hope for the future. We’d like to keep the overall feeling of the show as hopeful and inspiring as possible.
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 visit our Auditions page ASAP and sign up for a slot before they’re all gone!
