Dear Tombudsman:
My daughter auditioned for the part of Sara Crew in "The Little Princess" to be done on Broadway in spring 2004. The breakdown said come prepared to sing one song of your choice and one song from the show, demonstrate the ability to speak or the capability to learn to speak French, demonstrate an English accent, and read selected sides from the play. The English accent is easy, as she is currently performing one in another Broadway show.
She came to the audition prepared to sing both songs, speak French, and read the sides with an English accent. When it came time for her to audition, they had her sing only one song of choice and read one page of dialogue. As other girls auditioning ahead of her were leaving, I overheard them telling their parents that they didn't give them a chance to sing the song from the show and that they got to read only one page of dialogue, as well. The song from the show was very difficult. We had her voice teacher work with her.
My daughter left feeling frustrated by this audition. It seems unfair that so many girls prepared for all the items requested on the breakdown without the chance to demonstrate their abilities. By the way, some other girls were allowed to sing both songs and do all of the dialogue. I know this because one of her friends went in before her, and we talked after the audition.
Do you have advice for future auditions as to what to prepare or how to find out what they are really looking for, or any thoughts about this situation? We have run into this before, where her agent will give us incorrect advice and she comes dressed wrong or not prepared based on what the casting director is looking for. Finally, what would you suggest for audition preparation?
P.P.S.
via the Internet
Dear P.P.S.:
All I can suggest is that you, and more specifically your daughter, not get too frustrated with the process. Things change, and it's as simple as that. Maybe the director or producer rethought things and told the casters they didn't need to see songs from the show at a first audition. Maybe yesterday it seemed imperative to hear three pages of dialogue but now a single page was enough to determine the first round of cuts. Maybe 10 times as many actors showed up for the auditions that day, and they just didn't have time for all the things listed in the casting breakdown. It could be a million things. That's showbiz, and no law says they can't make changes on the fly for whatever reason when they're seeing actors. It happens all the time. Also perhaps they were "typing" and didn't want to hear the full repertoire from actors they felt weren't physically right for the part.
If it was a "things change" scenario, I agree it can be very frustrating when specific preparation is required beforehand, then isn't even discussed at the audition. An actor might spend a lot of hours and money getting ready with a second or third song, voice lessons, a monologue, or dance steps that they'll never be asked to do. It's not right, but it's the real world. Two songs, French language skills, and a perfect English dialect might have been the producer's requirements when the notice was written, and your daughter dutifully prepared for all of that, as is the job of a professional actor. That she didn't get to show all of it is unfortunate, but it'll probably happen again. That's just the nature of casting. On the positive side, it made her a better performer overall, even if she didn't get to show all of it in that particular audition.
If typing was involved, and it sounds very possible, as some actors apparently did get to do more stuff, at least she got to do one song and some dialogue. In some typing situations, they'll send people home before they've done a thing. Let's face it, typing is done most of the time in one way or another, and as long as people in an audience will be looking at actors onstage those actors will be typed many times over before they're given a contract. Be thankful for the shows that state in their casting notices, "Typing will be done at call," but it still won't make actors feel any better if it happens to them.
So let it go, and chalk it up to being in a unique profession, or, in your case, being the father of a girl in a very unique profession. Your kid should move on to the next audition and, every time she gets to do all she's prepared or even more at an audition, consider that payback time. Sooner or later every good singer is asked to forget the 16 bars and do a full number, and every impressive actor will eventually hear the magic words, "Would you mind reading another scene for us?"
By the way, for the thousands of professional auditions that happen per year around the country, a remarkable number adhere to the original casting notice. Appreciate it but don't expect it. I spoke to an Equity representative who confirmed that, in auditions, producers are indeed not required to let performers present all the elements they've been asked to prepare.
Now about the agent thing: The best agent in the world will get incorrect information from time to time. That's another reality of show business, too. That incorrect info will be passed to the actor, who might dress inappropriately, come in with the wrong material, or even be sent to the wrong address. If it happens once in a blue moon, that's OK. If it's happening every second or third audition, you must talk to the agent and tell him or her to be more diligent in obtaining audition information. It could be because of a series of last-minute changes, or it could be because information isn't changing hands effectively. You have to get to the answer to respect your daughter's time and make sure her agency is doing its job.
Finally you asked what I would suggest as preparation for an audition. That's not too big a question. Pull up a chair. But the short answer is: Work up everything requested in the casting notice or as told to you by your talent representative. Work on it some more, then a bit more--and if it's Broadway even more--and then go in there and let it fly. If they cut your flight short, so be it. You've done your work. If they let you play on, then do so wholeheartedly and chalk it up as one of the good ones.