The stage, with its vibrant lights and the promise of captivating stories, class those who dare to dream. If you’ve ever felt the allure of the spotlight or the excitement of bringing characters to life, then auditioning for theatre pieces might be your golden ticket. In this article, we’ll delve into the art of auditioning and explore how it’s not just about securing a role but creating a dialogue with the director.

1. Embrace the Challenge

Auditioning can be nerve-wracking, but it’s also a thrilling opportunity to showcase your talents. Embrace the challenge with a positive mindset. Remember, auditions are not just about getting a role; they’re a chance to learn, grow, and connect with a community that shares your passion for the performing arts. More importantly, auditioning is about creating a dialogue with the director. When auditioning, you are showing your skills as an actor and where you can take a role. It’s about taking risks and showing a wide range of possibilities so that the director can view how you could bring to life a character. Sometimes, the director might have a clearly defined view of how the character needs to be played, but this does not mean that you can’t still surprise them. Additionally, the director might not see you as fitting for a role but keep you in mind for another possibility. So, the important thing is to show up and do your best. The worst that can happen is that you will learn something and meet new people. The more you do it, the better you will get, and the more at ease you will be at navigating auditions.

2. Preparing

Preparation is key. Whether it’s a monologue, a song, or a dance routine, familiarize yourself with the material. Understand the context, the emotions, and the nuances of your piece. The more comfortable you are with the material, the more confidently you can express yourself during the audition.  Additionally, research the director’s style and background. This not only demonstrates your commitment but also opens the door to a meaningful conversation during auditions. Show that you understand the director’s vision and are ready to collaborate as a team. While auditioning, choose pieces that highlight your range as a performer. Sing, dance, and act – directors often seek versatility in casting. Your ability to seamlessly transition between different aspects of performance can make you an asset to the creative team.

4. Dress the Part

First impressions matter. Dress appropriately for the character or role you’re auditioning for. This doesn’t mean wearing a full costume, but rather capturing the essence of the character through your outfit. This can be as simple as tying your hair in a certain way. Show the directors that you’ve put thought into your presentation. Another option is to dress in all black, so that you can showcase your abilities and leave room for the artistic team to see how you could fit aesthetically into the role.

5. Be Open to Direction

View the audition as a collaborative effort. Directors may offer feedback or suggest different approaches – be open and adaptable. Consider the feedback as a part of the collaborative process, a conversation aimed at refining the performance and capturing the essence of the piece.

6. Confidence and Authenticity

Confidence is crucial, but authenticity is equally important. Be yourself, let your personality shine, and don’t shy away from taking creative risks. Directors seek individuals who not only possess skill but also bring a unique energy and passion to their performances.

7. Stay Positive, Regardless of Outcome

Not every audition may lead to a role, and that’s okay. Stay positive and view each experience as an opportunity to learn and improve. Every audition is a stepping stone on your theatrical journey, contributing to your growth as an artist.

Auditioning for theatre pieces is an exhilarating experience that goes beyond individual performance. It’s a collaborative dialogue with the director, an opportunity to express your creativity, and a chance to connect with like-minded individuals. So, step into the spotlight with confidence, embrace the magic of the stage, and let your passion for the performing arts shine!

Break a leg!

The post Unveiling the Art of Auditioning: A Dialogue with the Director first appeared on Simply Theatre.

What classes will you be teaching at Simply Theatre?

We’ll mostly be teaching dance for the Performing Arts courses. We’re really looking forward to this, as we’ve choreographed quite a few musical theatre numbers in the past and that it’s a dance style which we really enjoy teaching.

We’re looking forward to working with a group of youngsters who have the same passion for the performing arts as we do. We love the fact that students in this school often not only dance but also sing and act, and we’d like to try and motivate pupils to really enjoy the dance part of the courses too. 

What would you say to anyone wanting to take up dance who hasn’t quite found the drive to go for it yet?

Give it a go! You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it. It’s not always easy to take up dance, as there are a lot of fundamentals you need to learn in the beginning. It might help to start with a dance style which really motivates you, and maybe from there on you can try and expand to other styles. That’s what happened to us! When we were younger we absolutely loved tap, but we refused to try ballet because we didn’t think of it as being fun. The director at our dance school finally managed to talk us into trying one ballet class, and now we couldn’t imagine our life without ballet! Sometimes you need to give it a try, you never know what might come out of it.

And what would you say to people who are wanting to take their dance to the next level?  What top tips do you have for them?

If you want to be a good dancer, you have to work for it. You have to remember that even though dancing is a lot of fun, it’s also very difficult and physically demanding. You can’t be a good dancer if you don’t practice, and that doesn’t mean only in the studio! We can remember spending hours when we were smaller practicing our steps in front of the mirror, or going over and over a difficult tap sequence which we couldn’t quite get until it was perfect. Sometimes, when people see dancers perform, they only see the finished product, and they don’t realize the hours of rehearsals that go into even a single performance. As a dance student there are always things you can improve on: learning new technique, improving your facial expressions, building your strength and stamina, working on your flexibility, etc. Just remember: ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’!

What would you be doing if you weren’t dancing or teaching dance?

We’re actually both qualified secondary school teachers in the Swiss school system. So if we weren’t doing anything dance-related (which we can’t imagine), we’d both still be teaching!

The post Part 2 of our interview with Swiss and World Tap Dance champions Olivia and Rebecca Grobety, who join the Simply Theatre team in September first appeared on Simply Theatre.

 1. We’re rooted in the same beliefs as Montessori

 Simply Theatre was founded in Geneva in 2005 by Jenna Melling, a qualified AMI Montessori teacher, a passionate performer; and lover of the performing arts.

 The Montessori principles of education for life are at the heart of Simply Theatre’s approach and our values and so, we place great importance on the work we do with even the youngest of our students.

 2. We bring a professional approach to our delivery and we provide unparalleled performance opportunities

 We run our rehearsal room run to professional standards, promoting values of equality, safety, respect, listening and co-operation.

Our students have the opportunity to take part in audition-based plays and musicals. By nature, the auditions are tough but we want the quality of the production to be high and for students to aspire to be in a production – and so we ask them to prepare meticulously, to read emails and blogs about preparing for auditions that will come out around the times of auditions.

We bring in well-known, external directors to direct our academy students (we recently had Chris Wheeler, producer at The Curve On Tour, to direct our students in Shrek The Musical which we put on at The Casino Theatre, Geneva).

3. Our curriculum has been developed to meet the specific needs of our students

We have a specially designed rolling curriculum across all age groups and course types. Each year, our choice of material, genre and focus changes, allowing students to spend three terms exploring and developing a specific set of new skills and experiences, and realise them through performance.

 Because we’re catering to English speaking children in Switzerland, we understand that many of our students may not be with us for years – our objective is to offer just as complete and exciting opportunities for those who may be with us for 1-2 years as well as those who may be with us for 10.

4. We play an important role in the community

One of the things we most frequently hear about from our students is the friendships that are nurtured at Simply Theatre. Our students are split across many schools –but one thing that they all experience is the out-of-school friendships they make. The rehearsal room encourages students to cast their inhibitions aside and so, there’s a sense of camaraderie as students learn to put themselves in someone else’s shoes – whether that be in the rehearsal room or on the stage. 

5. We passionately care about the future of our students

At Simply Theatre we’re actively interested in the future of all our students and we encourage every student to talk to us for careers advice – be that about a career in, or outside of the Performing Arts. We get involved in writing references for universities and giving interview coaching – particularly for Oxbridge candidates or other candidates where an interview is an inherent part of the selection process.

If they’re interested in going to drama school then we’ll help our students with that. (2 of our students have recently got into the Tisch School Of The Arts in New York!) Or, if students are interested in work experience or an internship– whether for a short or for longer time, there is no-one we’d rather have than a Simply Theatre trained member of the team!

6. We bring cultural experiences to Switzerland

To further build the sense of community, to make theatre accessible to English speakers who live in Geneva; and to inspire the young we bring a programme of children’s theatre from professional touring companies to families in Switzerland; and a Cabaret programme for the older members of the family!

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our approach to the Performing Arts. If you’re based in Geneva, Zurich or Zug and know a child who could benefit from one of our courses take a look at what’s on offer at here – or contact us to discuss your requirements.

The post 6 Reasons why Simply Theatre’s approach to the Performing Arts is different first appeared on Simply Theatre.