February 2008 Auditor Comments

[Karen Lane]

Only 33% of auditors have completed the survey to date. The size of this pool is not large enough for the response outcome to be statistically significant and reliable. Open responses are a completely different matter and always relevant!

Auditors were asked:
A. Name your most surprising, enjoyable, or inspiring moment from ACTORS:

1.The Spear Carrier
2. A couple of "mature" actresses really nocked my socks off!
3. the one line audition "Yes sir"
4. I couldn't pick one out...sorry
5. the kids
6. Spear Carrier
7. The general high quality of Monday's actors--quite a good surprise
8.The kids!
9. Watching a few actors really having FUN.
10. The best bastard was only 15!
11. XXXXX Elizabethan Soldier and XXXXX "Brantastic"
12. Lots of them - but I loved the spear carrier

Bear in mind - kids are tough competition and they are last and fresh on the memory!

B. Name the ONE most common actor mistake in your opinion: ACTORS - remember - these are individually expressed generalized opinions - YOU are looking for themes to assess and whether or not you fall in to one of these traps unintentionally.

1. Monologues are too long
2. Not finding the appropriate light ("move down stage from the collumns, please")
3. introduction not dynamic
4. Not picking pieces that best communicated who they really ARE.
5. poor preparation
6. Not taking the extra moment to find your light, settle, and clearly introduce yourself before launching into your pieces.
7. Not 'connecting' with the piece.
8. Inapropriate material chosen through a lack of personal assessment.
9. Common monologues
10. Using "umm" or explaining a scene before they do it.
11. Good acting is more than saying the words. So often I see bodies that are ill-at-ease, and therefore not convincing me they are who they say they are.
12. Inconcise slates.
13. Apologizing during the introduction
14. They forget to introduce themselves.

C. What female pieces do you feel you heard a lot of in THIS round? ACTORS - remember - no one is saying "never do these pieces again". This is simply information to do with as you please to let you know what pieces (and/or type) were quite popular in February.

1. Julius Ceaser's Wife
2. Helena - A Mid Summer Night's Dream
3. cuts pulled off the web
4. Most Massive Woman Wins
5. MND Helena
6. The Winter's Tale
7. Winter Tale - Hermione
8. Collected Stories

D. What male pieces do you feel you heard a lot of in THIS round? ACTORS - remember - no one is saying "never do these pieces again". This is simply information to do with as you please to let you know what pieces (and/or type) were quite popular in February.

1. Edgar - King Lear
2. cuts pulled off the web
3. Collected Stories
4. K. Lear, the bastard
5. Edmond The Bastard
6. King Lear
7. Man Who Couldn't Dance

E. General Comments you (AUDITORS) wish to make to Actors: ACTORS: Remember, these are individually expressed opinions. They are to be used to assess yourself honestly if you determine them useful. Also, PLEASE remember that these are individual comments - it can not be assumed that a comment by one is an opinion held by all. THEMES are the most important and relevant part of TPS's intent in posting these comments for you.

1. Keep your monologues under one minute and do two contrasting monologues.  Don't be fooled, You don't need them any longer and we would prefer two.
2. We just want to be entertained. Huge breakdowns don't work in a 2 minutes audition and pieces about love affairs are usually boring.
3. Contrast your pieces deeply. Physicalize. Take hands off hips. Use the chair imaginatively.
4. Learn a little showbiz. Pizzazz always works.
5. Take a hard look at who you are and how you are perceived by others.  Market yourself and choose pieces that reflect how others will see you rather than how you hope others might offer the chance to be.
6. Keep up the good work, but try and do everything not to cancel an audition slot.
7. Be confident when you walk out. 
8. Know your monologue.
9. If you do have to start over, keep in character.
10. Choose a monologue of a character you could be cast for, not a stretch.
11. READ THE WHOLE PLAY. Believe it or not we probably have, and we can tell when you have not.
12. Seek out a business of acting coach to advise you on your resume and slate.
13. Pronounce the playwright's name correctly.  Don't just rely on what you've heard, use a pronunciation dictionary if necessary. 
14. Have fun! Be confident! Be prepared!

Remember, the response pool is currently not large enough for statistical significance.
F. We called in one or more people to read for a follow-up audition? 87%

G. We attended this General to cast for projects occurring between: (Please check all that apply)
 - February - June 2008: 67%
 - July 2008 - December 2008: 73%
 - We keep and file headshots/resumes for future currently unscheduled projects: 87%
Additional Responses under 'Other':
 - August 2008 - April 2009
 - Potential Company Members
 - August 2008 - July 2009

H. Please give TPS feedback regarding the change to an ANNUAL general audition.
 - would prefer TPS returned to semi-annual: 23%
 - Annual works just fine: 15%
 - I actually prefer Annual: 46%
 - Undecided: 8%

From TPS's daily attendance chart (not from survey results).
Organizations Represented:
Monday 10am - 1pm: 31
Monday 2pm - 5pm: 27
Tuesday 10am - 1pm: 38
Tuesday 2pm - 5pm: 39
Wednesday 10am - 1pm: 44
Wednesday 2pm - 5pm: 41
Thursday 10am - 1pm: 37
Thursday 2pm - 5pm: 32

[J.P. Giuliotti]

Thanks for the comments.

One thing I've always had difficulty with though....can anyone suggest a good source for monologues under a minute? Most monologue sources carry ones that are a bit longer than 1 minute and the ones under a minute are scarce and therefore the pickings are slim (I also read alot of scripts and can't find too many). I had to significantly chop my pieces (short to begin with) to get comfortably under one minute and in the process, they tend to lose their punch.

Any suggestions would be very appreciated.

Thanks!
JP

[Gavin Cummins]

An under used source are one act plays.

I am a fan of the Marathon Theater's One Act Festival series.
Also there is a yearly Best One Acts of the Year book that contain several plays.

And really if you are in a search for monologues, you don't have to read the play straight off.  Flip through the script and scan for sold chunks of text.  If you find something interesting, then read the play.  You can burn through a lot of random plays looking for pieces that way.

I will also go ahead and say, check out a book of monologues.  Having audited, it has never, ever felt like most actors had pulled their piece out of a monologue book.  Some sort of, "best monologues from 2006" or something would be just great. 

I don't think you are doing any wrong, good audition pieces are hard to find.  When you are looking for a short piece, consider going straight for the meat of it.  You don't necessarily need explanation or lead in.  Often in a play with a monologue, there is normally some sort of ramping up over the course of the play or monologue to get to the, you know, "juicy bit" of the piece.  Just start the piece at the top of the ramp.  If you know what you are saying, we will know what you are saying. 

Accept that is kind of sucks finding the right audition piece.  However, when you find one, it is great.

Good Luck.

[Geni Hawkins]

Will there be a similar post for this year's auditor comments?  I'd be quite interested to see them.  I've always found these very helpful.

[Karen Lane]

Yes, there will. I'm still collecting responses and then will 'collate' and post.
Karen