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Picking material for your audition binder

8/10/2014

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Hey guys. So in honor of our Audition Workshop Summer Camp about to start up tomorrow I thought I would do a quick run down of how to pick Sheet Music or Monologues for your audition binder. We will go over all this more in depth at camp so sign up if you would like to learn more! 


Okay so what does my audition binder need?


Well as long as you feel comfortable performing everything in your audition binder at the drop of a hat I am of the opinion that you can never have too much material. That being said, the absolute minimum your binder should have is:


1. Contemporary Ballad
2. Contemporary Up Tempo 
3. Classic (Think Pre-1970) Ballad
4. Classic Up Tempo
5*. Comedic Novelty Song (If you plan on going out for comedic musical roles)
6. Contemporary Dramatic Monologue
7. Contemporary Comedic Monologue
8. Classic Non-Shakespeare Dramatic Monologue
9. Classic Non-Shakespeare Comedic Monologue
10* and 11*. If you are interested in Shakespeare you should have both a Dramatic and Comedic Monologue from his works.


Wow, that seems like a lot!


It is, and that is just bare bones. Although be aware monologues are starting to be used less and less but it is important that you at least have a couple that at worst you can refresh yourself on quick before the audition.


So how do I pick my material?


Well I pick my songs and monologues based on 5 criteria in no particular order:


1. Do I enjoy performing it? - If you enjoy performing your piece that joy will read across the table and make you seem more fun to work with.


2. Do I sound good performing it? - This one is more for songs than monologues. Whatever you pick you should be able to sing in your sleep, auditions are nerve racking enough, you don't need to add, "Will I hit those high notes?" in there as well.


3. How difficult is it to play? - Again, another one for songs, check with your voice teacher, or friend who plays the piano, or play it yourself if you can, how difficult is it to play. Remember your accompanist is human, if you give him an incredibly difficult piece it is possible he could mess up.


4. Does it cut well? - When you go to an audition usually you do not get to perform the whole song or monologue. Usually you have between 8-32 bars for the song and 30 seconds - 2 minutes for the monologue. Some pieces work fantastically as a whole but simply cannot be effectively cut down to this size.


5. What 2 - 3 things do you specifically want to show about yourself with this piece? - I know I said in no particular order, but I saved this one for last. Every audition piece you do, you should be able to pick specific skills or traits you have as a performer that the piece shows off. Maybe it shows your gorgeous soprano voice, or your ability to effortlessly play tough guy characters, or something as specific as you love the way you deliver that one line, or hit that big note.


So that is just the start of how to pick material for your Audition Binder. If you would like to know more, join us tomorrow, Monday the 11th - Friday the 15th, for our Audition Workshop Summer Camp, more information is included in the summer camp link on the left side of the page.


Thanks! As always please leave comments and let me know what kind of blogs you are most interested in reading. 
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Youtube: an actor's best friend

7/18/2014

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Hey guys! So after a taking a break I am back to provide you with some more awesome acting tips. The format is going to change from here on out, FSTS Weekly Acting Tips is going to be bi-weekly and during the off week I will posting a select acting article from one of the fantastic acting websites out there on the world wide web. Speaking of the internet, there is a fantastic free resource available for all actors that everyone should be using. That resource is Youtube.

"Youtube?" you say, "But Mike, isn't that just for Movie Trailers and Cat Videos?"

Well, yes there are some pretty hysterical cat videos on Youtube, have you seen the one with the two cats dancing to "Turn it Down for What?" But more importantly for us actors, Youtube is a vast video library of all sorts of performances, especially in musical theatre.

One of the most beneficial things you can do as an actor is watch other talented actors. This used to mean shelling out $30-$140 for a ticket, watching a performance once and trying to remember it all so you could analyze it later. Now all you gotta do is open up Youtube and BAM there are hundreds, if not thousands, of amazing performances by talented actors and singers for you to watch and learn from!

"So how do I know what is worth watching and what isn't?"

Well that is a pretty big question actually. Art is subjective so while one person may think someone is amazing, another person may be completely unimpressed. And to make matters even more complicated watching people you aren't as impressed with can be just as useful as watching someone you look up to. Being able to express why you don't like a particular performer is just as helpful as being able to articulate why you like another. **Important point related to this: Theatre is a very small community, there is nothing wrong with discovering what you like or don't like in a performer to inform your process. Feel free to comment on the positives. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT, post your negative thoughts in the Youtube comments, to Facebook, or anywhere on social media where the original performer, or someone they know can read it. First off, it can burn bridges you haven't even made yet, but more importantly, it's just plain rude.**


So here are my three places for a first time Youtube critic to start watching and evaluating.

  1. Start with performers you like. Sure this seems obvious but it really is the best place to start. Just about everyone has a performer or two they have enjoyed. What if you love the Wicked cast album but you don't know the name of the actress with plays G(a)linda? Check out the website ibdb.com. The Internet Broadway Database lists every show ever on Broadway, their original casts and creative team for every revival and even their replacement casts. For Off-Broadway stuff Wikipedia is usually the best place to find the various cast lists. Watch people that inspire you, try to figure out what they are doing that makes them have that effect on you.
  2. Speaking of Wicked, it is actually a great place to start. Wicked has an absolutely HUGE Youtube following and has been running all over the world for years. There are literally hundreds of videos of the various Elphabas and G(a)lindas. One of the best ways to start out watching is to compare multiple performers tackling the same song. What does one person do that separates them from everyone else that performs the song? How do they work vocally to make the song fit their instrument? Is there one take on the song you like better than another? Why?
  3. Just like starting with performers you like, look at shows you enjoy. See what is available on Youtube from your favorite shows. Then use ibdb to find out the name of performers you like and see what else they have done, watch that too, what do they do differently in this new role?
Well, that's it for today guys, that should give you something to keep you busy. In a couple weeks will will get more specific about what to look for, but for now just watching and comparing and contrasting will be enough to get you started.

But seriously, check out that cat video...

I am going to leave you with one of my favorite videos available on YouTube. This is a perfect example of how to do comedic acting right. I specifically chose a Non-Musical video to show that there is great material on YouTube for non-singers as well.

COMMENT REQUEST OF THE WEEK: Either Here or the FSTS Facebook Page, let us know what your favorite Theatrical YouTube video you have found!
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    Mike Kaplan

    Mike is a teacher and director for From Stage to Screen. He is a SAG-AFTRA Union actor with 20 years of experience.

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