[PappyCat]

I have a tendency to have my song completely memorized, be completely prepared, and feel completely good, and than be completely thrown off once I get to an audition.

I really want to get into this production. There is not ensemble, so I have to shine. I know I have the talent to do it, I'm just afraid I'm going to totally blow my audition, because I get nervous and don't perform well.

Any advice? How do I stay calm?

[everdancing]

Breathe. It sounds really simple and "duh!" worthy, but I for one have a tendency to forget to really breathe. So just remember that. Take slow deep breaths and just tell yourself you're going to do the best you can.
What honestly helps me the most is to just quietly pray, of course if you're an atheist that would be rather silly for you to do....but I know prayer calms me down more than anything else in the world can.

[wicked_boy]

Don't think of how big the audition is. Like if it's a regional show, just forget about that. That's what I did and when I got the call, I was like, cool, then remembered it was a HUGE show then went mentle.

[disneybeauty]

So you're totally prepared right? Here's what I do to keep focus and relax. It's called hands falling (it's Tai Chi). Pick a focal point to look at (it can be anything anywhere, any distance but the further the better) As you inhale deeply thru your nose, let your wrists rise up as if being pulled by strings in front of your body. As you exhale thru your mouth, let your arms float down in front of your body, your fingers being the last thing to reach the bottom. I do this for about five minutes in my car, the bathroom, where ever I am for an audition, and I instantly feel calmer. There's another pulse point that helps with nerves if you massage the meaty part of your hand that's between your thumb and pointy finger. Sometimes that helps.
The other thing I started doing is bringing a book to look at to keep my mind off of how huge the audition is for me. I felt like it really helped me at my last audition; I was totally calm.

Hope these help you!

[music is my life!!!]

when i auditioned for this media project i was so nervous cuz it was first on camera audition! Anyway, i walked confidently and was polite and tried to ignore the fact that my fate rested on the audition. In the end i got a different part to that i auditioned for but if you walk confidently, you suddenly feel more relaxed. remember to smile and be polite, too, but don't be overly confident!

[MaryMag]

I (used to) combat nervousness by going over my audition nonstop for like 2 hours straight. Meaning, for a few hours without a pause, I would sing my 2 16bars and go right into my monologue over and over and over and do it all as fast as I could, just so I could get SO damn comfortable/familiar with my audition material/what I was doing that there'd be no room to screw up. Keep in mind that I didn't try to ACT my songs/monologues throughout these 2 hours, I'd probably get sick as HELL of my material if I did that. I just tried to know my stuff SO WELL and be SO comfortable with it that I could do it even under the worst of conditions - including HIGH STRESS.

For auds where you do cold reads, I'd cheat and get the script ahead of time and read the scenes I was likely to read OVER and OVER so that, again, I could do them even if I was in a coma.

So for me, good preparation is the way to combat nervousness. Cuz when you're prepared, you're confident. And when you're confident, you're not nervous.

[PappyCat]

This isn't even a big audition for me...Like, it's not a big regional theatre (just community) and it isn't a dream role of mine...But it is really the only chance I have of doing a show this summer...and I REALLY REALLY need something fun to do this summer.

Fingers crossed!

[dorphelousman]

eat a banana, it sounds weird, but a lot of performers take pills that are called beta blockers that calm your nerves, but the same thing that is in the pill is in a banana... it helps...