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Audition Workshop

Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to audition for professional productions or college departments by participating in a mock audition.
Subject: Auditions - Acting
Class Level: Advanced
Main Concepts: scriptwork, résumé, characterization, interviews
National Standards: -Content Standard: 2: Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions
- Content Standard: 4: Directing by interpreting dramatic texts and organizing and conducting rehearsals for informal or formal productions
- Content Standard: 5: Researching by evaluating and synthesizing cultural and historical information to support artistic choices
Description: Prior Experience: The students should be advanced enough to be interested in professional or regional theater and/or auditioning for college theatrical departments. The students should have a solid foundation in voice and diction, movement, and characterization. They should also be reasonably well acquainted with acting theory, play analysis, and script analysis.

This unit was created for longer 90-minute class periods.
Author: Grace Momberger

Lesson Plans

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Formal Audition Process

Students will gain an understanding of what a formal/professional audition entails by viewing a sample audition and identifying its elements.

Lesson 2: Monologue Selection

Students will begin the process of selecting two contrasting monologues, one classical and one contemporary, by developing criteria in making their selections.

Lesson 3: Introduction to Dramaturgy

Students will gain an understanding of the importance of understand the context of a monologue by filling out a basic dramaturgical worksheet.

Lesson 4: Head Shots/Resumes/Interview Questions

Students will prepare for their audition selection performances by learning to generate a theatrical resume, having their head shots taken, and becoming familiar with what to expect from audition interview questions and how to respond to them.

Lesson 5: Improvisation in Auditions

Students will become comfortable with what audition improvisation will be like through practicing individual improvisation.

Lesson 6: Rough Performances

Students will be able to improve on their performances through feedback through self-evaluation of their video-taped performance, peer evaluation, and teacher grading.

Lesson 7: Preparing for Final Performances

Students will collectively help each other find solutions to whatever problems they are having in their performances of audition selections.

Lesson 8: Final Performances

Students will present a final, polished audition selection performance incorporating everything the unit has taught them about resumes, headshots, appropriate attire, monologue performance, interviewing skills, and improvisational skills.