Audition

In an audition, the employer is testing the ability of the applicant to meet the needs of the job and assess how well the individual will take directions and deal with changes.

For actors in theater, film, and TV, the "audition is a systematic process in which industry professionals make final casting decisions.

For most auditions, it is expected that auditionees will bring a professional 8"x10" photo called a "head shot" and a resume that indicates their acting experience and training.

To find their talent, casting directors are able to request video auditions from actors and actresses from a different state or country.

Self-tapes have become a popular widely used and requested tool for casting directors in the theatre, TV, and film industries.

While recording a self-tape, it is important to ensure that the camera quality is clear and not grainy or blurry, and that the space used has good natural lighting.

A person auditioning for a role as a rhythm section member in some styles of music may be expected to be able to demonstrate the ability to perform as a backup singer.

In some popular genres, there is relatively less emphasis on "stage presence" and movement onstage, such as classic jazz or traditional 1950s-style country music.

In other genres, such as heavy metal "shred guitar" or hardcore punk, it may be very important that a performer can move about in a dramatic fashion onstage.

A person auditioning for The Rocky Horror Show may be asked to sing a standard rock song.

This allows the band to see how the singer performs in a full multi-hour concert, including how well the singer can develop a rapport with the audience, deal with the inevitable problems that occur in live music (e.g., microphones failing or stage lights malfunctioning), and maintain their vocal endurance until the end of the evening.

For smaller roles in a large musical theater production, mass auditions are held at which many inexperienced or aspiring performers, most without agents, show up.

The performer may, by tradition, wear a tuxedo or a formal dress, and the judges may sit behind a desk and write comments on clipboards.

Orchestral auditions are typically held in front of a panel that includes the conductor, the Concertmaster, and a number of Principal players from the orchestra.

Orchestral auditions are often run in several stages, in order to screen candidates and reduce those who are less likely to meet the needs of the job.

If a candidate is successful in passing the audition, typically a Trial period of several months to a year takes place allowing the Chief Conductor and Principal players to see if the individual can function well in an actual performance setting.

In auditions for opera, a singer will be expected to demonstrate the ability to act out the movements that are associated with the lyrics of the aria, which may include pretending to be dying from a stab wound, miming an activity (e.g., pouring wine), or doing a simple dance routine.

Since microphones are not used in most classical music performances,[5] the audition panel will be assessing the auditionees ability to project a strong, room-filling vocal tone.

), the audition panel will be judging the applicant's ability to use the appropriate diction and pronunciation of the major languages used in Art music: German, Italian, and French.

For musical theatre, a standard audition consists of two 16-32 measures of selected songs, usually contrasting in some way (style, intention, characters, time period, or all of the above).

As such, during a callback audition, the candidate is asked to sing the songs performed by certain characters or read their lines.

Casinos, resorts, amusement parks, and cruise ships hire dancers for revue-style shows that can range from jazz dance to hip-hop.

Many dance auditions test the ability of applicants to learning new choreography in a short time period, rather than showcasing a prepared work.

At some auditions, applicants are asked to make a short verbal statement about their dancing goals or why they wish to join the troupe.

For this reason, some dance coaches encourage their students to wear outgoing clothes and bright things to stand out, so that the dancer will get personal attention during his or her audition.

Performers auditioning for amusement parks worldwide are generally viewed by one or more casting directors in a rehearsal hall or a large facility.

Vocalists for Disney auditions are asked to prepare two separate vocal selections of contrasting styles.

Disney provides a piano accompanist for all vocal auditions, and so singers have to bring sheet music in the correct key.

Aspiring female models for most fashion industry roles need to be in their teens or early twenties and be tall and slim.

At an audition, casting agents will ask the model to demonstrate different poses, which a photographer may record with a digital camera.

Sketches by artist Marguerite Martyn of women trying out for the chorus at the Delmar Theater in St. Louis in May 1906, with quotations from some of those pictured
A singer performing a live audition in front of judges on TV for Fox's American Idol reality television series.
For actors, monologues and speeches are the "calling card" that they use to demonstrate their skills to casting directors.
A bassist auditioning for a pop band might be asked to play basslines from a range of different styles.
Irving Berlin , Rodgers and Hammerstein , and Helen Tamiris watching music theater auditions
A contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest tries to impress the judges at her live audition
Two dancers performing modern dance , a style in which performers may be asked to demonstrate improvised movements at an audition.
These dancers from the Braziers troupe are performing Highland dancing , a style at which auditionees must demonstrate a high degree of technique and the ability to quickly learn new steps.
A high wire act by an acrobat
Model Ai Tominaga modeling in the 2004 Red Dress Collection for the Heart Truth campaign