After the Audition: When the Cast List Comes Out

There are five possible outcomes of every audition. Make sure you are mentally prepared for all of them!

Hey, you got exactly the part you wanted!! Congrats and rejoice! This will only happen occasionally. It happens when the stars align — when you are the right person at the right time in the right theatre production company with the right director. Also, you would have had to have been great. And prepared. And showed you had experience. You were probably kind to everyone you met in the audition room. Perhaps your look/energy is exactly what that particular director envisioned when conceptualizing a show (and realize that each director is going conceptualize each character differently). Maybe you remind the director of their younger selves, and being slightly narcissistic, they unconsciously give you the edge. Maybe they heard about how responsible you were from their friend who directed the show you just finished.

You got a part that you hadn’t really thought much about, but as you go on to work on the show, you come to realize that this was actually the perfect part for you in this particular production. Directors are in charge of the overarching vision of a show — they have to see the forest — and actors are in charge of their one part — they have to be the trees (sometimes actually!) So, a director may be able to see how things fit together better than you can from your spot on the audition floor.

You get an unexpected part, but you still disagree with the director that this was the best role for you in the production. Well, then you should know that there are even more considerations/variables that a director is weighing when casting roles. On the “negative” side: Did you have too many conflicts? Did you need a little more experience? Was your chemistry poor with the person who you would have been partnered with onstage? On the “positive” side: Did you have awesome chemistry with the folks you are going to be partnered with on stage with in this part? Did you look the exact right age for the part? Did they want you to “level up” the other actors in your scene?

You were cast in the ensemble. Some possible reasons for that: Maybe the directors think you need a little more experience under your belt. Maybe they don’t know you well enough to trust you in a larger role, and they want to test you out (in terms of commitment and energy) in a smaller role first. Or, maybe you’ve dropped out of shows in the past, and they want to make sure you’re willing to put in the work. Another very real possibility is that there just wasn’t a role that you were perfect for at that time. But, the director saw your talent and wanted you on their stage.

You were not cast at all. Why weren’t you cast? Honestly, who knows. One thing that I have come to realize is that there are tons of truly talented people in the world. Music and acting are such wonderful things that lots of folks spend lots of time becoming masters of these particular crafts. And so, competition is really stiff, especially as you get to the higher levels of performance. 80% actors who have Equity status (and you need lots of experience in high level productions to qualify) are out of work at any given time. One of my students who has had a successful, ongoing Broadway career auditioned for 100 roles his first year, and was cast in 1. Competition and being passed over in casting is just part of the reality of doing theatre.

Additionally, remember art has a lot of subjectivity. Directors have different preferences for how folks approach stage acting — some like a more stylized, melodramatic approach; others prefer realism. They also differ in terms of what types of voices appeal to their ears — I love a belter, but others prefer voices that are used very lightly. Directors also vary in terms of how willing they are to do non-traditional casting.

Final thoughts: The best approach as an auditioner is to see the audition as just a chance to perform. Try to enjoy the moment without having an expectation of where it may lead…because, honestly, you’re not in charge of it, anyway. I know that’s super hard to do, but in the end, it truly allows you to do your best work.

Also, if you’ve auditioned for the same company a few times with no real results, move on. Each company has its own “feel,” so it is worth exploring many different companies to see where you fit best. That way, you can really find the people who appreciate your gifts.

Finally, you should understand that, really, once you walk through that audition door, you are actually agreeing to a deal. A deal where the director says “I am going to do a show,” and you say “you can put me wherever you want to.” That’s the deal. There is nothing to be negotiated. It’s signed when you sing your last note.

If you don’t like the deal, then you’ve got other options. You can go to the other side of the table and direct shows instead. You can start your own theatre company. You can produce your own solo performances. I did all of those things because, frankly, I didn’t really like the deal. But, if you want to audition for other people’s show, there is no other deal but that deal, so be ready to come to terms with it :)