Chance = Change

One of the things I have trouble conveying to the young actors I teach is this: the people you are auditioning for need you, want you, are hoping you are as good as good can be because they need to cast the role! Often, actors think in an imbalanced way. They want the job, so they are the ones in a postion of need and therefore their fate depends on how the director sees them or approves of them...we foget that we are the ones in the power position because we are the ones with the talent. This is sometimes difficult to remember because people being people after all, those who run auditions may feel the need to own the power and they do that by making actors feel small, insignificant, running bad auditions,etc. But we must remember: the actor is the important person in an audition. YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE ROOM! This is truth. Remember that truth.

Every so often, an actor will meet a colleague in the profession who remembers that truth too and treats actors with respect, gentleness and professionalism. The first time I met John Caird for LES MIS auditions, I was immediately struck by what a courteous, kind man he was, as he met me at the door of the audition space, escorted me across the stage and introduced me to Cameron McIntosh and Richard J. Alexander,etc. He took care with me, as he did with each and every actor who crossed that threshold. And he was unfailingly kind and nice each and every time I went in to see them again and again. Never harsh or hurried, demeaning or inappropriate.
The entire process felt colleaguial....(I think I made that word up...I mean like colleagues together)...Chuck Abbott is that way when he auditions actors, at least he is with me...and of course Rick Rose is wonderfully collaborative in an audition room.

But we have all been in too many auditions where that is not the case. Each actor I know has got their own little "list"...the imaginary Tony acceptance speech list of who they will stick their tongues out at when they get up there to accept the award. Actors have to put up with a lot of disrespectful louts who have far less talent than the actor himself. And for this, the actor must have a strong stomach and a hearty, healthy ego. It also helps to know the work of the director you are going in to audition for, because then you know whether you like them or not!

It's a well-used axiom among actors with a track record: you are auditioning them for the job as much as they are auditioning you!!!