#i want to keep this relatively fair game for every side of the musical theatre fandom so i tried not to be biased

[noys-boise]

okay so I'm going to do the musical theatre sexy people competition soon any last minute suggestions?

[michael-radi-the-glamorous-life]

God I Hope I Get It

Audition (noun) - A necessary, and often grinding, step to acquiring a theatre performance job, which some actors love, many actors hate, and everyone else is relatively indifferent to

*Warning: This post is geared mainly toward the actor-folk and those interested in the audition process!

Last week I found myself once again in an audition room - this time behind the table, which was a lovely change! Generally speaking, whether or not I am part of the casting team, I’m hearing/viewing auditions on a weird side angle from the piano. So this was a lovely little treat!

Over my years of taking classes and workshops on “THE AUDITION” I have certainly learned many things about the audition process, and particularly about myself as an auditioner. But there is no better way to learn the ins-and-outs, dos-and-don’ts, and [other-cliched-phrases] of auditions than to sit on the other side of the table and observe with non-actor-oriented eyes/ears.

So, here are some of the things I’ve learned about auditioning.

How Many People [Do They] Need?

Auditioning and Performing are completely different skills.

WHAAAAAAAAT???

Yep.

But how can that be? You’re performing something for other people in both cases.

Yes, italics-half-of-this-conversation, but to entirely different ends! And each requires it’s own skill sets.

When you perform in a show, you are part of a living, breathing production. It doesn’t matter how grand or how bare bones that production may be - or how large or small the cast is - a production is a live event in which the artists and technicians have crafted a piece with the purpose of conversing with an audience. And audience who has invested their time and/or money, nonetheless.

Auditions are not a production. The only people helping you out are the monitor and accompanist (if it’s a vocal audition), and they’re really there just to do their jobs and to work with every person auditioning. This time in the room is for you and you alone. And though you are not shutting out the other people in the room, your work is not a rehearsed theatrical piece meant to make them ponder XY or Z about the human condition - that’s not the conversation you are having. This conversation should be “Here I am, this is what I do, and let me know if this fits with what you’re looking for. Thanks!”

So what is step 1 to a great audition? Preparation.

Whether going into a room with an appointment or at an open call, know exactly for what you are walking into the room.

What are the shows? Especially if you’re being seen for a full season.

Who is behind the table and at the piano? Know this please!

What did they ask you to prepare? Do you have that, or are the stretching with your choices?

Did you arrive on time? Did you have time to breathe, fix yourself up, warm up, etc.?

Did you research the theater or production company? Always a good idea to get a sense of who they are and specifically what they might be looking for.

Did you enter the room with excuses ready? The train…I’m sick…Allergies…ehn! Just do what you can today! Excuses are unhelpful.

I am floored by how often it seems as though actors have not prepared before they enter a room. They may make choices that are incorrect for the season at hand, or they make excuses before they begin, or they miss their appointment times, or they treat someone (the monitor, pianist, reader) rudely…all of this is easily avoidable with a little research and time! It’s worth that extra little bit of work - it will make your auditioning life much easier!

*A particular note about accompanists: Please know how to speak to you accompanist about your piece(s) in a way that is professional and efficient. Things to note:

They are not your enemy - in fact, they’re the only help you’ve got!

Treat them kindly - Not only is that good human behavior, they may also very well be the Musical Director. And even if they’re not, they will report rude behavior to the casting team.

Succinctly tell them: 1) What the song is, 2) Where you are starting and ending, 3) Whether you’d like an introduction or a bell tone, and 4) Your tempo.

Speaking of Your Tempo - Clapping, stomping, tapping, and snapping your tempo is highly discouraged. It’s loud and comes off as rude. Simply sing a few bars of the song to them at the tempo you would like.

Thank them…twice. Once as you leave the piano to audition and once on your way out of the room as you grab your book. Kindness is memorable!

I Can’t Imagine What [They Want}

One of the weirdest things about auditioning is that everyone involved wants you to be the answer, to be exactly what they want/are looking for. You’d like that, the auditioners would like that, the artistic team would like that, etc. Everyone would be happy.

BUT…that cannot be on your mind as you audition. Oof. That makes things more complicated.

But why not? What if thinking about what they wants wills it into existence and I suddenly shine with the perfection of the role they’re casting?!

Uh, yeah. Cool. Though, I’m fairly certain it doesn’t work that way.

It should be an incredible comfort to the auditioning actor to know that you have zero control over whether or not you are the right fit. None. Whatsoever. Not a jot.

Then what’s the point of even preparing and trying???

Well, you always want to be prepared to showcase your best self. And if you want to work in theatre, then you have to keep trying (or else you won’t get jobs…). But this idea should be freeing to you!

It’s not about how well you feel you sang your cut that day, or how you didn’t like the way the pianist played your music, or that you had some flyaway hair you didn’t notice, or that the casting personnel barely looked up…these are all things that happen all the time and have no bearing on the outcome of an audition.

So what to do?

What Should I Try To Be?

Yourself.

That’s it. Just be you. Show us what you do best and what you enjoy doing.

If you’re possibly what we’re looking for, awesome! We’ll give you a callback and explore who you are a little further. And if you’re not what we’re looking for then there are several possible outcomes:

We enjoyed you and you made the day of auditions a little less terrible. (For let’s remember, sitting through auditions is rarely an energizing and lovely experience!)

We put you on file because you were great even though you’re not right today.

You’re right for another project someone in the room is working on and you will be kept in mind.

You actually were potentially right for the role, but we had to be stingy about callback time and made some cuts.

And you may never learn any of this, but it happens all the time. There is a gigantic machine of thought and consideration that auditioning performers never get the opportunity to experience. You just have to trust that your work - if it was genuine and good - got you noticed and considered in ways you may not hear about for weeks, months, or even years.

So how to be yourself?

Make sure your pieces are things you enjoy performing. Auditioning with your own, chosen material should be fun for you. It should not stress you out. Don’t choose something where you’re unsure that you’ll hit the high note on a given day, or where you haven’t gone through the acting moments yet, or just because it’s been in your book for a while, or because it booked you that one gig five years ago. What do you enjoy doing now?

What shows you off the best? Know the styles of material that work best for you, your voice, your acting ability, your style, your type, etc. Don’t try to be something you’re not. Play you your strengths.

Keep your audition book thin. Relieve yourself of the burden of songs you don’t perform any more or any other excess. Accompanists will absolutely look through your book, which means that anything in there is fair game to be asked of you to sing. So only keep the 10-12 song cuts that you can whip out at any time with confidence!

Be a human. This one may seem obvious, but people get weird when walking into audition rooms. Read them room on when to say hello. Try not to interrupt if they’re talking behind the table when you enter, but definitely say hello before slating your pieces. All of the rules that apply to general polite conversation apply to the audition room as well!

Treat the casting team as fellow humans before you perform, then ignore them. Look people in the eye and be yourself as you say hello and tell them what you’re going to do, then perform to a point that is not their eyes. It’s rarely a good thing to make people feel uncomfortable.

Hold the last moment of your piece! Don’t break the moment too soon, for this can ruin the effect of your audition piece - especially if you created a captivating moment.

Say thank you to the room, and then to the accompanist. It shows that you’re done with your audition, you appreciate their time, and it’s also just polite.

Walk out of the room. Sounds silly, but sometimes people run out, which can feel abrupt. Also, if you run it doesn’t give them time to potentially share glances and ask you for something else! One the flip side, don’t saunter expectantly out of the room either. That’s uncomfortable for everyone involved, and if they want to see more from you they will let you know!

God, I Really Blew It

Nah, you probably didn’t.

We are way harder on ourselves than anyone else is going to be. Let’s not forget that the people who are casting you are trained professionals who know how to spot what they’re looking for - the potential to be the right fit.

If you mess up a line or a note, they don’t care. They’re taking you in as a whole human and performer. We can easily hear around the errors to find what we need.

So don’t be so hard on yourself.

Treat auditions like another part of the day. It’s a job. You come in, you do your thing (and enjoy doing it), and then you leave. On to the next!

It’s easy to put large amounts of stock into an audition, especially if it’s a job you really want or if you haven’t been cast in a while, but those pressures aren’t going to help anyone - and least of all you. No one audition is make or break, so be kind to yourself.

God, I Think I’ve Got It

I know that’s a lot of information, but like any other set of skills it will become second nature with practice.

There will be good auditions and bad auditions. You’ll be thrilled with your work at times and bummed at times. You’ll get callbacks, you’ll get ignored, you’ll meet some great people, you’ll have (too many) terrible MTA experiences, and you’ll do it all over and over again. But that’s the gig!

Auditions are not monsters, they’re just your stepping stone to the jobs you want. Work on them, trust your skills, and be yourself. And hopefully, you’ll then be…as the kids say…#BookedAndBlessed.

[dirtdiggersanddinosaurs]

#PressTrip This weekend marks 3 weeks since we experienced the delights of Timber Festival and 3 weeks until we fully immerse ourselves in our next Wild Rumpus adventure at Just So. But before you start to hate me too much, I’ll crack on and tell you all about how we got on at Timber.

For those of you who read my preview (if you didn’t, catch up here) you’ll know that Timber Festival was our eagerly anticipated start to the Summer and this year’s festival season. We were looking for a chilled out vibe, with lots to keep the kids happy and generally we wanted to spend some quality time together continuing on from our holiday.

So how did it measure up?

Well if you’re expecting a run down of the acts and experiences I’d listed in my preview as our must sees, then you’re going to be slightly disappointed…why? Because when we got there, the site was so beautiful, calm and spread out that we kept getting distracted and stumbling across other things by accident. We were then completely absorbed and forgot all about what we were meant to have been doing.So basically we decided not to be ruled by the programme, and instead discover, explore and enjoy the festival on our own terms. Yes, we did miss a few things that we wanted to see but this way we found we took in things that we wouldn’t have necessarily chosen on paper. Plus, it gives us a few things to add to our Timber 2020 bucket list.

Practicalities for Parents.

Timber Festival takes place in Fearnedock near Ashby in the National Forest and runs over a three day weekend. The festival encourages families to immerse themselves into the heart of the forest while exploring their relationship with trees and nature.

The site is relatively well spaced out and there is a fair bit of walking involved for those with little legs but luckily we had a wagon, well I say lucky but I’m not entirely convinced that Ben considered himself lucky when he was pulling two sleepy children and our gear (we took chairs and a large picnic blanket) back up the hill when we left!

There were plenty of water points throughout the site so take a reusable water bottle with you and stay hydrated, especially if the sun is shining. There was also a cashpoint near to the entrance although some of the vendors took card payments.If you feel slightly nervous of taking a baby to a festival set in a forest then fear not, we were your happy little guinea pigs and took Eli (8 months) with us.

Imagine my glee when I discovered A BABY CHANGING TENT. This was a tepee style arrangement that was laid out with changing mats and also a selection of biodegradable nappies and wipes too should you find yourself running low. So no trekking back to the campsite each time to change a nappy, or trying to balance a baby on your knee while you do the honours! Not necessarily high up on everyone’s priorities when choosing a festival but it certainly made my day a whole lot easier. Mama’s you’re with me on this, right?

Our Foray into the Forest.

After trading in our tickets for wristbands we headed into the site intending to meander down to Field Notes to chill out for a bit and get our bearings before exploring. This however didn’t happen as Stanley spotted a familiar mini gypsy caravan in As The Crow Flies and we had no choice but follow a very excited 5 year old into the woodland clearing.

Ian Douglas Campfire Stories

In a totally non-stalkerish way [honestly] we tend to follow Ian Douglas around a bit, over the last few years we’ve caught up with him at ‘A Day at the Lake’ which was held at Rudyard Lake and annually at Etruria canals Festival. So it was a complete no brainer that we would listen to his stories at Timber as my boys (and me) absolutely love him.

Any campfire would be a pretty sad and lonely place without the incredible Ian Douglas, the storyteller to end all storytellers. Storytelling inspired by British folk tales and world myths.

So we settled in around the fire, and allowed ourselves to get taken into a magical world of adventure. Be warned: audience participation is not only actively encouraged it’s almost compulsory, and adds to the theatre. Stories need sound effects and we became waves crashing up against the rocks.

Hammer & Chisel

Could this have been any more perfect for my boys?

Wild play rules at our unique woodland playground. Under the supervision of our forest play experts, create your own world or add to ours using pallets, ladders and ropes and help us put together a myriad of walkways, dens and secret spaces. Pick up your tool of choice and get ready to build a Timberland.

Well, unsurprisingly they wholeheartedly threw themselves into this. I actually think Ben enjoyed it just as much as the boys did, there’s something about men and tools…they are instantly drawn to them.

After waiting, and waiting and a bit more waiting I gave up and left them to it and happily headed back to the campfire for another story this time to be enjoyed without a child wriggling around on my knee – bliss!

Professor Pumpernickel’s Mind-bending Science Show.

Eventually the boys downed tools and joined me at the campfire just in time for Professor Pumpernickel’s science show. I know what you’re thinking..sounds a bit boring right, this is a festival not a classroom! Well if you’re expecting a tweed wearing professor with half moon glasses you’re going to be in for quite a shock when I introduce you to Professor Pumpernickel.

Professor Pumpernickel travels the country with his laboratory of lunacy. His mission:- to enthuse all ages and abilities about science in hope of seeding some of our future inventors, explorers, life savers and superheroes.

If you like fire, explosions, loads of mess and mind-bending magic, you’ll love Pumpernickel. We certainly did. From his crazy blue hair, to his mad scientist accent there was nothing at all boring about Prof Pumpy.

James was enthralled and took it upon himself to move seats to get closer to the action so he could try to catch the bright orange smoke rings that the Prof shot out of his homemade ‘cannon’. Stanley found the whole show hilarious, giggling his way through.We weren’t out of the woods yet, quite literally! Our next adventure was just around the corner.

TwistingSpace Giant Marble Run

Seeing is believing with this one, the giant marble run was suspended between the trees and was skillfully made from culled rhododendron. It was a beautiful thing to behold, an work of art in itself.

It was also a lot of fun too as the boys raced their marbles down the twisting tracks.

Aside from the main run, there was also a section with pieces that you could build yourself. Coming from a household full of wooden Brio train track, my boys loved creating their own mini marble run and we spent quite a bit of time here.Naturally, we did do a fair bit of hanging around watching the boys play but there was such a relaxed feel and the setting was stunning. It was lovely to just stand and breathe in the forest.

Next stop was the bar (hooray!!) and compared to other events the prices were reasonable and we hardly had to queue as there were bars situated in every general ‘area’ of the site. Once you’ve paid for your (reusable plastic) glass, it’s yours to keep which makes for a nice keepsake of the festival too.Finally, we made our way down the hill into Field notes and set up ‘base’ we sat and enjoyed the sun soaking up the atmosphere. The boys ran around the field and played on the hay bales with some other children. I just love how children make friends so easily.

One of the other boys told Stanley about a giant game of Guess Who, and as he and James came running over to tell us all about it we knew that our time relaxing was about to come to an abrupt halt! So, wagons roll we were off to Halcyon Days!

Beginner’s Luck

This was actually a huge amount of fun, we laughed A LOT!

Dreamt up and brought to life by the Wild Rumpus artistic team, expect to become a human meeple in a giant game of Ludo, crush your opponent in our enormous, ridiculous game of Guess Who and wrestle our gigantic Tiddlywinks into submission!

Watching two Dad’s bellow questions from either end of the Guess Who board…it was huge, they really did have to shout, bless them!..to be greeted with a huge chorus of YES or NO from all the kids who then charged around knocking the characters down was just hilarious and a bit bonkers!

It was fab, and everybody was in such high spirits too, they didn’t even mind too much when James got carried away and started randomly knocking the characters down between turns. It was fun and it was inclusive of all age groups. What a brilliant idea!

We also managed to catch Sweep of Swallows as they passed through. These giant yet graceful swallow puppets toured the site throughout the day.

Next was a much needed comfort break. Now, we all know festival toilets are the stuff of nightmares legend so this wasn’t something I was particularly looking forward to. Timber is a eco friendly festival so the toilets weren’t your standard portaloo’s. Outside each block was a container of straw with a handy sign that read ‘one scoop per poop’. I’m pleased to report that we are no longer compost toilet virgins…and it was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting! Phew!

Back over to Field Notes and we were set to experience my absolute highlight of the Festival…

Otto & The Mutapa Calling

Wow, these certainly made us get our groove on! Even now as I’m typing this 3 weeks later, I’m smiling at the memory.

Otto & The Mutapa Calling were full of energy and we just couldn’t help but dance along. They put on a great show with fab music and showed everyone how to get their bodies moving and shaking along.

James just loved this group and as some of the musicians turned dancers were dancing side to side in front of the stage James tried to copy them. It was so cute, he loves dancing and was very much enjoying himself.

We weren’t the only ones dancing though Otto & The Mutapa Calling in their brightly coloured shirts and headbands seemed to get the whole of Field Notes up onto their feet!

For the next couple of hours we just relaxed in the last of the sunshine, the boys played bubbles with their new friends and we enjoyed an ice-cream from one of the many vendors situated in The Common.

We also had fun rolling down the big hill from the Hollow Way lookout, yes I had a go too but thankfully there’s no photos of that!

Simon Watt’s Frogs & Friends

Frogs might be brilliant but, sadly, they are dying out. In a comedic lecture Simon Watt explores why frogs are better than people!

I found myself alone (Ben and the boys had gone for a stroll) as I gave Eli his bedtime bottle and cuddled him to sleep, sitting listening to Simon’s performance. It was both educational and funny, and I found myself chuckling along with the rest of the audience. It was something completely different and I was glad I got to experience it even if it was slightly unintentionally.

Once the gang came back we headed over to The Canopy via the Eyrie Stage. Esya was performing and we stopped to listen for a while. The stage is in such a beautiful setting that it really is something special. The lighting makes it almost look magical, Stanley described it as an elf house.

Once in The Canopy we settled in and awaited our final performance for the day. We knew it would be popular and got there a little while before it was due to start to grab a good spot.

The Baron in the Trees, Lost in Translation Circus

The Baron in the Trees is a playful, romantic fable set in the 18th century. In this surreal tale the 12 year old son of the Baron climbs a tree in protest at being forced to eat snails, vowing that his feet will never touch the ground again!

To be honest all that was lost on us, ironic given the name of the circus performing the show! HOWEVER, we thoroughly enjoyed the performance regardless. Stanley was completely spell bound watching the amazing acrobatics taking place in the tree tops above him.

We also witnessed high flying stunts, a human tower balancing act and plenty of juggling. There was also a tree top trapeze swing which Stanley said was amazing. After giving the circus a huge round of applause, the sky had started to darken so we decided to call it a day (reluctantly).

On route out of the site we were once again (too easily) distracted by giant bubble blowing in Halcyon Days and stopped to watch a while.

Our Final Say

As a final farewell we climbed up to Hollow Way Lookout for a second time to watch the sun set on what had been a truly memorable day.

Timber is such a treat, a completely chilled out festival suitable for everyone. It’s family friendly but also offers something for those wanting to learn about nature and conservation, enjoy some awesome live music, or simply relax and while away the weekend in a beautiful setting.I personally felt there was a real sense of community among the Timber parents, children made new friends, items of clothing and snacks were shared and at one point we had a little boy climb into our buggy for a nap while Eli was enjoying rolling around on our picnic blanket. I was also asked a couple of times whether I would like a drink fetching because I was trapped under a sleeping baby! Our only regret is that we just attended for one day, but I think you’ll agree we crammed a lot in. We have already put the date in the diary for next year, and we want to do the full weekend next time.

Book Your Tickets for Timber 2020

Tickets for Timber Festival 2020 are now on sale at timberfestival.org.uk. The award-winning festival (Best Festival in the UK 2018) returns to the beautiful 70 acre woodland of Fearnedock in the National Forest from 3-5 July 2020. A limited number of Early Bird tickets are now available to buy online, with a 25% discount on all tickets for residents of the National Forest.

Disclaimer: We attended Timber Festival as a press trip. Tickets were gifted in return for blog coverage, a review of the event and promotion across my social media channels.

All images are my own unless otherwise credited.

Five Go into the Woods: Timber Festival Review 2019 #PressTrip This weekend marks 3 weeks since we experienced the delights of Timber Festival and 3 weeks until we fully immerse ourselves in our next…