How to Get a Part in a School Play

Selecting Your Material

Choose a role that you’re comfortable with. Read through the script thoroughly to decide which part would be the most fun and rewarding for you. Directors always like to see someone who is passionate about the part they are auditioning for. Think about what role falls within your ability; if you want the lead role, but that part has a large number of lines and you don’t have the time to rehearse or have difficulty memorizing, then that part may not be right for you. Consider what role will have the most competition from other students auditioning for the play. Try for the lead role(s) if you want to be up against many others, or try a smaller part that not as many people audition for a greater chance at getting it. Also be prepared for the chance that you won’t have the ability to pick a particular role, and will simply audition first before you are assigned to a part.

Memorize your material. Pick your scene, monologue, or song and memorize it thoroughly so that you can perform it easily without reading off of a page. Sometimes it’s perfectly acceptable to have the script with you at your audition to consult, but it always helps to memorize to the best of your ability so you don't sound like you're reading from it. It is always better to have to read a couple lines from the script than to look like you made no effort to memorize your part. Give yourself plenty of time to commit the material to memory. Practice for an hour or two at a time, then leave it and go do something else or get a good night’s sleep before you return to it. To memorize lines better, it helps to visualize what's happening when you're speaking. Don't just remember the words. Think about what is going on visually when you would be speaking in the play.

Pick the right monologue or song. If you’re asked to choose a monologue or song that’s not from the play itself, choose something that’s comfortable, age-appropriate, and within the given time limit (usually two to three minutes). Prepare two different monologues or songs if you can. Memorize a serious speaking part as well as a comedic one, and choose a ballad to sing as well as a lighter up-tempo song. Choose a monologue that’s about one minute long, and/or a section of a song that is 16 or 32 bars long.

Choose someone to perform with. Find a friend or another student interested in auditioning for the play to help you rehearse a scene if you plan to audition with material that involves more than one character or vocalist. It may help to choose someone who is confident and a good actor, as he or she will help influence your own confidence and ability, both in rehearsals and during the audition if you can or want to audition with them too. Make sure the same person is available to rehearse when and as much as you need to, or that you have several people or backups to help you out when one person can’t.

Preparing for the Audition

Read and re-read the script. Get very familiar with the script for the entire play, not just the lines for your role or the individual scene you use to audition. Read the whole script more than once if you can. Research elements of the character, setting, or themes that you don’t understand or you’d like to know better. Getting immersed in the world of the play can make all the difference in auditioning well. Focus on learning the pronunciation and meaning of any words you don’t know in the script, especially in a scene you plan to audition with, or another monologue not from the play.

Chat with the director. Introduce yourself to the director of the play before you even rehearse; it may help you be more memorable when he or she sees you again at the audition and makes a decision on who to cast. Be friendly and keep your conversation quick and casual. Ask questions about the play in order to show your interest and possibly get more information about the script and setting than you would just from reading it.

Rehearse your material. Perform your scene, monologue, or song as you will during the audition and would during the play itself when you’re in front of many people. Rehearse as many times leading up to the audition as you need to feel comfortable performing it. Try getting different types of audiences to watch your performance, not just your family and close friends. Ask audiences to give you constructive feedback if they can. Make sure you replicate the conditions of your audition as best as possible while you rehearse. For instance, if you will have a piano player or other accompanist playing during your audition song, make sure you rehearse with someone who can play the piece to accompany you. You might even rehearse in the auditorium or room you’ll actually audition in.

Warm up your voice. Get your vocal muscles warm and flexible right before your speak or sing in your addition to avoid a cracking, wavering, or croaking voice. Slide through a musical scale if you’re preparing to audition with a song, or try a basic vocal warm-up, like trilling your tongue, buzzing your lips, or repeating different consonant or vowel sounds as you hum different notes. Try drinking some warm water with honey or lemon, but in general avoid eating or drinking anything but water right before your audition.

Auditioning for a Role

Shake off your nerves. Distract yourself from your nervous energy before and during an audition by breathing deeply or any other method you use to deal with nerves or anxiety. Many people find that their nerves are worse leading up to the audition, but dissipate when they actually get on stage and start. Try having a small snack, chatting with others quietly backstage, and thinking about other things besides the audition while you’re waiting to go on. Remember that it’s okay to get nervous! Almost everyone gets some level of stage fright, and it’s helpful to remember that the people judging your audition are on your side and want to see you succeed.

Don't read your script right before you audition. This can be distracting and sometimes disorienting. Just run through your part in your head, that will be much more beneficial.

Introduce your material. Explain what you’ll be reading or singing from for your audition, as well as your name and any other information the director would like to hear from your before you begin. This is called your 'slate'. Avoid launching straight into your performance as soon as you get onstage. It benefits you to have a few moments to collect yourself first, and it benefits the director to see a little bit of your personality before you get into acting the part. Remember to give your sheet music to the accompanist if applicable for performing a song. Tell him or her what tempo you’d like the music to be played at, and give them a distinct nod when you’re ready to begin.

Enunciate and project. Speak your words clearly, slowly, and loudly to command the attention of the director and audition panel, and show them that you could be heard by a large audience during a live show. Avoid rushing through the material at all costs. It’s tempting to try to get through your lines quickly if you’re nervous, but showing patience and giving yourself time to immerse into your character displays maturity and a better grasp of the material. Try to create as much change or variation in your short performance as possible, varying the mood, speed, and tone of your words when appropriate to help tell a story in a small amount of time. Focus on projection in particular when auditioning for a musical role. It’s important to show that your singing voice is powerful and can be heard throughout an auditorium.

Speak in context of the play. Remember that while you are focusing on your own lines, you need to interact and respond to other characters or surroundings that will be present in the real performance. Even if you’re performing a monologue, imagine the lines that come before it, or the circumstances that brought your character to this moment, before you begin performing it. If you’re performing a song, you can still tell a story with the lyrics and mood. Think about what the significance of this song is for the character singing it or for the storyline as a whole. Remember to react to the environment of the setting as well. While delivering your lines, would your character be hot, cold, uncomfortable, at ease? If you can’t get clues about what the environment would be like from the script, simply make sure to move around the stage.

Be flexible. Respond with a second monologue, song, or other material you have prepared or can quickly reference in the script if the director asks you to perform something else. Listen carefully to what the director wants you to do. Following directions and being prepared to perform different types of material will display a good attitude and ethic for rehearsals if you get selected for a role. Be prepared to read for several parts, not just the one you want most. The director may have a different idea in mind for a role you’d do well in.

Don’t be afraid to give it your all. Give the audition all of your energy and enthusiasm. Don’t hesitate to get fully into the part. Being a character different from yourself is fun! It’s always easier for a director to help an actor tone down over-acting than to coax out more expression, so don’t be afraid to be a little extra dramatic and expressive. Remember to smile and have fun! Show that you love to perform and are enthusiastic about getting a part in the production. If the material you perform is meant to be serious, still make sure to smile and be expressive before and after the performance.