Your Musical Theatre Audition Experience

Hi Everyone,

I am a 16 year old student studying Year 12 Dance for my South Australian Certificate of Education. Part of the course requires me to submit and "Out and About Project" on any related dance topic. This is worth a majority of my mark together with a couple of practical dance moderations

The topic I have chosen is "The Musical Theatre Auditioning Process" together with analysing a couple of Musical Theatre Course. This will also assist me in my future prospects in Musical Theatre as well as gaining a tertiary score for university.

I would be most greatful if you could tell me about your audition experience.

What course you auditioned for, how long was the audition, what were the requirements, what songs/monologues you did. If you got in or not, were you too young or too old.

Anything at all will help me, it can be funny or maybe you had a sad experience, or you have tried out many times with no success.

Thank you
Emma

I auditioned for WAAPA in 2004 in Adelaide. I drove 5 hours from a country town and booked accommodation Friday and Saturday night in Adelaide.

My audition was 11am on Saturday morning and if I got in 'callbacks' were held on Sunday which involved the dance audition.

I was told that the auditions were being held until 5pm on the Saturday then we would be notified about who got the callbacks.

I did a shakespearian piece for my monologue and the panel of 2 got me to do that first then I sang both my songs Cabaret and Some where over the Rainbow. I was very happy with my audition.

My background - I have studied singing, dancing and acting since I was 4 years old and I was then 18 years old at the time of audition. I have entered many competitions, eisteddfods and arias in all genres. I have won at most of the events I have entered including aggregates, championships at Royal South Street Ballarat which is a national dance competition.

Its awful to assume that it would be a nature progression to get into WAAPA and I was very confident by the panels comments and attitude but when my family and I went back at 5pm we found that the WAAPA people were already on a plane back to WA. I was told there were no callbacks at all, whether this was correct or not I dont know. I had been told after that yes a couple of SA people got in but funny there were no SA ppl in last years intake of 1st years. Who knows.

However, I ventured to Ballarat and auditioned for BAPA (Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts) did the same monologue and songs plus danced in my audition and got in!!! Its a fantastic course and totally recommend it.

i have done a few auditions, for many things, my most dissappointing one was for WAAPA. i turned up for my audition, and my friend who was then a 3rd year who was helping with the process assured me that i had no problems, and that i would get in. ( we studied for a few years together) anyhoo, i went in and sang my heart out, and did my monologue as best as i possibly could. The panel of 2 then sat me down, and asked mea few questions, about dance and acting etc...i replied to them in a very positive manner, and that was it. i was never told by the panel when the call backs would be, or anything really for that matter. i had to ask them "is that all", so that i could leave. my friend asked me how everything went, and i said i was great, but the panel what crap. i am actually glad that i wasnt accepted, because i dont think i could handle working with such boring people. the panel of staff couldnt even hold a normal conversation! It was such a dissappointment. this was an audition that i had worked so hard for. i had been training with top teachers from the con and prestigeous dance schools...all for a lousy 8 minute audition. after my dissappointing morning, i moved on and up...literally, thanks to waapa, i have gained a reputation as being a well- renowned make-up artist in theatre, and am always called back for musical auditions as a singer... thanks waapa...you really helped me.... no seriously!

I as many, have auditioned for WAAPA. My Audition was terrible. I couldn't sleep all the night before and had only just finished my high school exams so I was nackered. When I got to the mighty good talent school in Adelaide all I could think was; I hope I remember the changes and cuts I've made to my songs. I worried and worried. By the time I was called to go in for my audition I was shaking, my friend who had come down with me for moral support was amazed, she'd never seen me so scared. I went in with my accompanist, (who had already faced David and Chrispin twice that morning when accompanying his son and his son's girlfriend) and we began. I sang "Unusual Way" from Nine and "Poor Wandring One" from The Pirates of Penzance, and as predicted I stuffed up the cuts and changes. I made a complete fool of myself and still came out laughing, somehow. When it come to my monolouge I was so shaken after fudging my songs I simply rattled it off hoping to get out of there as fast as possible. Suprisingly Chrispin and David simply smiled and laughed with me throughout the whole ordeal. After the monolouge, we had the routine interview. I was so embaressed that I couldn't even look up, I was as meek as a mouse. When the interview came to a close and I could feel the conversation whinding up I looked up and David looked at me and said "You have a beautiful voice, please don't stop singing or performing because you got a little nervous here." Well as you may have gathered I didn't get a call back and wasn't accepted into the course. However I will be auditioning again this year. The only advise I can give is don't make the panel the enemy, they are there to encourage you and no matter how badly you f#*! it up they aren't going to take to you with an axe. They're only people not gods. I hope my psychobabble is of some assistance. Sera Davey xox