Auditions, at their best, provide the artistic staff with an accurate
assessment of an actor's talent and current skill set. We want
every actor to do his/her best. Not just because it is more fun
for everybody and makes the actor feel good, but because we are hoping
to see what an actor is truly capable of. Skills can change, which
is why actors audition for each show even if the director ahs worked
with them before.
I’ve never auditioned before, what type of song do I need to sing?
You should find a piece of music from a Musical
Theater show that you will be comfortable singing. Once you’ve
decided which song you’d like to sing, you will need to bring in
sheet music or an accompaniment CD for your audition. When choosing
your song, keep in mind the style and era of music of the show you
are auditioning for in order to help the artistic staff get a sense
of how your voice can best be showcased in the current production.
In short, you don’t want to sing a rock song from Rent to
audition for a classic show like Music Man and vice versa.
Where can I find an appropriate monologue?
PYT has a monologue book at the studios which
you can look at during office hours. If you find something you like,
we can make a photocopy for you so that you can take it home to
memorize.
What do I
need to do for the dance auditions?
When you do the dance portion of the audition,
you will be taught a dance combination by the choreographer and then
asked to perform it in small groups. You will not have to prepare
anything in advance, just make sure you are dressed in movement
clothes and with comfortable shoes you can dance in.
Where
can I find a copy of the rehearsal schedule?
We have posted the “tentative rehearsal
schedule” at the top of the audition page. This is what we use to
determine when our rehearsals will be.
Why is the online schedule
“tentative”?
The tentative schedules for the season are
created almost a year in advance and are a general outline for
parents to plan on what to expect from our production process. We
say it is tentative in case we need to adjust the schedule before we
have auditions. By the time of auditions we will have a “Conflict
Schedule” which has all of the dates and times for rehearsals and
performances. These dates are firm.
Will my child be required to attend
all of the rehearsals on the “tentative rehearsal schedule”?
In most cases your child will not be required
to attend all rehearsals. However, this will depend on the role they
receive. If you know your child has conflicts (such as a class every
other Tuesday or a family vacation) that are set for a specific date
and/or time, then add them to their Conflict Schedule when they
audition. We can honor up to 7 conflicts. Please keep in mind that
the more conflicts you have, the less chance you have for a large
role (if you want a large roll, go to Esther's Bakery).
When do we receive the final
rehearsal schedule with a breakdown of exactly who is called to each
rehearsal?
At the end of the mandatory parent meeting you
will receive a rehearsal schedule which breaks down who is called to
each rehearsal and what part of the show they will be rehearsing.
Sometimes these schedules may be adjusted depending upon the needs
of the show. These changes will be posted in our Newsletters each
week when applicable.
What is the director
looking for?
Certainly directors are looking for talent, but that
is only part of it. They are hoping to get a sense of who the
actor is as a person and as a performer. This is part of the
reason that actors introduce themselves and their audition piece. It
gives the artistic staff a brief moment to see the person before he/she
begins acting as someone else. They are also looking to see how
well prepared the actor is. (Do they truly know their
monologue/song? Do they know what the character wants/needs?)