Jenem
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What? No Callback?This ever happen to you guys? I recently gave an excellent audition—my best ever, actually. I've been preparing every day for a couple months and gave an excellent monologue, quite good singing and made it through the dance portion without freaking out (lol). And then...nothing.
The panel seemed genuininely impressed too; they gave very complimentary feedback, and it seemed genuine to me. So now, I'm pretty confused.
I've never been very good at auditioning; my nerves tend to get the better of me, but somehow I always manage to get a callback and often the role I'm aiming for. So why, as soon as I master my nervousness, does it somehow go against me? I'm seriously scratching my head here. What's a girl to do?
Anyone care to give thoughts or add stories about similar situations?
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jazzygirlsings
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I know you guys have heard this one, but I went in for an SOM call for Maria...Sang and acted the HECK out of my song...
The panel said (AND I QUOTE) "THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!"...
And I stood there for a sec waiting for them to tell me when callbacks were. Instead, they said "thank you."
It happens...And it's their loss, NOT yours! LOL!
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opheliarose
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Yup. And sometimes they cast you without calling you back if they've already seen enough to know they want you.
And sometimes you give a God-AWFUL audition and get cast anyway!
I gave up over-analyzing myself for Lent 
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Jenem
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| Quote: | | And sometimes you give a God-AWFUL audition and get cast anyway! |
Yeah, I know how that goes. 
| Quote: | | And I stood there for a sec waiting for them to tell me when callbacks were. Instead, they said "thank you." |
LOL; this is exactly what happend. I was schocked. And normally I'm already shoving myself out of the door out of emberassment.
I don't mind not being cast if they've already made up their minds, but it would be nice to get some validation for your efforts, y'know? I just don't get what I'm supposed to learn from this; that the more I prepare, the less my chances for a part are? I was so proud of myself for being sooo prepared. I was confident, my choices were excellent, I acted, acted, acted! It just doesn't add up!
The only thing I can think is that it wasn't meant to be. I did have a lot of obstacles put in my way for this audition, but I plowed through anyway. And despite giving an excellent audition, I just kinda felt like I didn't belong there. I dunno, it's wierd. Conversley, I've been to auditions before that I went for merely for practice and felt like, I need to be in this show!
Oh well, I'll let you know how it goes....but it looks bleak. 
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what_the_heck013
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I've never been on the other side of the audition... so I don't know this for a fact... but maybe they like to see a bit of nervousness. I don't know. That was crazy...
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Chevstriss
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Iv'e also found the more they praise your audition, the less likely they are to call you. It's kinda like a consolation prize.
When they mean business, they get right down to it.
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jazzygirlsings
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| Chevstriss wrote: | Iv'e also found the more they praise your audition, the less likely they are to call you. It's kinda like a consolation prize.
When they mean business, they get right down to it. |
...So true!
I guess you've gotta take the positive from it and know that they are acknowledging that you are talented, but they just can't use you in their production at this time, for whatever strange reason! LOL!
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Jenem
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| Quote: | Iv'e also found the more they praise your audition, the less likely they are to call you. It's kinda like a consolation prize.
When they mean business, they get right down to it. |
Yeah, you know, I was kind of thinking this too. I've never really gotten praise after an audition before; it's always very seriously "thank you, please come back tomorrow". They seemed eerily happy and complimentary. I think you're probably right.
But damn it; I did well!  Crazy people...
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MsDivaKate
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I've had a director look at me after I finished a singing portion of a musical audition (it was for West Side Story) and all he could say was "Wow. That was amazing." Then when it came to having people called back to read for roles he went down the line telling people to stay or leave and when he got to me he says "And you, you were AMAZING but you can leave."
As Jazzy says, its their loss, not yours, I later went to see the performance of the production I didn't make and was glad in more ways then one that I wasn't involved.
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music is my life!!!
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i remember when i auditioned for the play midsummer night's dream i was so nervous and i did the speech when puck's in the woods and comes across the lovers. If you know the story you'll know the next bit but i'll write it anyway...
anyway... Puck puts drops of a potion into lysander's (i think) eyes to make him fall in love with whoever he first sees when he wakes up.
My point is, i thought i'd get a callback for Hippolyta, as i sort of look like her but only a couple of people got callbacks. One girl got a callback for Puck and ended up getting Oberon because of her increddible voice and i ended up getting the part of Snug. (btw, i go to a girls' school so some of us ended up playing guys) It's my first role with school and the rehearsals are great.
Just remember to keep on being + even if you don't get a callback, because you might get a really fun role!
also, the part of puck went to a girl who didn't actually get a callback so it just shows not to worry if you don't get a callback.
While i'm doing this ridiculously long post, i'll jus say that this was my 3rd audition thru school and my drama teacher told me to keep on trying and now i go for a variety of roles (NOTE: since then i've got 3 out of 4 roles that i've gone for and before i got hardly any)
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christinadaae
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Might I also point out that:
Some directors don't even hold call-backs.
Some directors wait until the night after all the auditions have ended to call people on the phone to com in again.
Some directors only call back one part. Maybe you were so much better than anyone else who auditioned that they know you can do it better than anyone. They don't need to see you again.
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Jenem
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| Quote: | Might I also point out that:
Some directors don't even hold call-backs.
Some directors wait until the night after all the auditions have ended to call people on the phone to com in again.
Some directors only call back one part. Maybe you were so much better than anyone else who auditioned that they know you can do it better than anyone. They don't need to see you again. |
Yeah I hear ya, but in this case they most definitley are holding callbacks, the auditions are more than completed now and they were holding callbacks for all of the lead roles.
But thanks anyway...
| Quote: | | I've had a director look at me after I finished a singing portion of a musical audition (it was for West Side Story) and all he could say was "Wow. That was amazing." Then when it came to having people called back to read for roles he went down the line telling people to stay or leave and when he got to me he says "And you, you were AMAZING but you can leave." As Jazzy says, its their loss, not yours, I later went to see the performance of the production I didn't make and was glad in more ways then one that I wasn't involved. |
This makes me feel so much better, becuase I've heard your soundclips online and that director is obviously crazy. That actually kinda sounds like the experience I had too.
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star2ballie
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| christinadaae wrote: | Might I also point out that:
Some directors don't even hold call-backs.
Some directors wait until the night after all the auditions have ended to call people on the phone to com in again.
Some directors only call back one part. Maybe you were so much better than anyone else who auditioned that they know you can do it better than anyone. They don't need to see you again. |
She is right though. When we did AGYG ...two (I think?) falls ago, they only called back 6 people, 3 boys and 3 girls, to read for Winnie and Tommy. They had already cast Annie, Frank, Dolly, Buffalo Bill, etc. (well, obviously)...but still. Lots of girls (especially the older ones-- Jrs. and Srs.) started freaking out because they were almost killing each other for the role of Annie...and to know that it had already been cast...it was funny. 
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I Love Lockstock
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My nightmare audition story:
I've loved Into the Woods for forever, I've been in it twice (going on three) and audition for it whenever I see it around. Well, about a year ago, I went to an audition hoping to be Little Red. I got there, filled stuff out, blah blah blah, got called in, and went onstage. It was only me, the director, and the piano player in the auditorium. I did my monologue, and handed the pianist my sheet music, 'Castle on a Cloud' from Les Miz. I was hurried, and it was all I could find when I was searching for some good music. In the middle of my singing, the director yelled "Why the hell are you singing that song?" I stopped, looked very confused and explained that I thought it was appropriate. He said "Appropriate? Appropriate. Who the hell are you?" The guy checked over my resume. "Do you sing this song at all your auditions?" I said no. "Get out. Get the hell outta here."
It was really scary. I still don't know what was up with that guy. Weird.
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Etoile
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I Love Lockstock... Holy mackeral! I would've started crying on the spot. At least you can laugh about it now. And that seems like it would make a good YouTube video...hmmm....
On subject though, I have never gotten a callback for anything. The only times I've ended up in plays is when they were casting everyone who auditioned. So what, I suck at singing and acting but at least I like doing it!
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deedlebug103
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wow! i love lovestock- that is a TERRIFYING audition story!! I've never had an audition quite that discouraging, but ive definitly had the experience doing a fantastic audition and getting nothing..
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The Drama Queen
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Wow, that really is awful how he treated you, but in all honesty that probably wasn't the best song to pick. It's an extremely over-done song and doesn't really fit Little Red's character, but he still should have been polite and not so hateful to you. With a director like that you are probably far better off not being involved in the production.
I've actually never experienced callbacks- theatre's in my community just don't do it that often. We almost had them for Wizard of Oz because the directors didn't find a Witch on the first 2 audition days but they found her on the 3rd and they decided it wasn't neccessary.
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MaryMag
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| I Love Lockstock wrote: | My nightmare audition story:
I've loved Into the Woods for forever, I've been in it twice (going on three) and audition for it whenever I see it around. Well, about a year ago, I went to an audition hoping to be Little Red. I got there, filled stuff out, blah blah blah, got called in, and went onstage. It was only me, the director, and the piano player in the auditorium. I did my monologue, and handed the pianist my sheet music, 'Castle on a Cloud' from Les Miz. I was hurried, and it was all I could find when I was searching for some good music. In the middle of my singing, the director yelled "Why the hell are you singing that song?" I stopped, looked very confused and explained that I thought it was appropriate. He said "Appropriate? Appropriate. Who the hell are you?" The guy checked over my resume. "Do you sing this song at all your auditions?" I said no. "Get out. Get the hell outta here."
It was really scary. I still don't know what was up with that guy. Weird. |
That's ri-f*ckin-diculous. I don't care how accomplished or important this man thinks he is. Even the most accomplished, prominent, respected person in theater will go to the not-so-extreme effort of patiently saying, 'you can stop there, thank you.' Watch the tv shows (idol, the grease thing,) - even those directors who see insane horrendous-ness are moderately gracious and kind. Even Simon Cowell doesn't swear at his auditioners.
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what_the_heck013
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| I Love Lockstock wrote: | My nightmare audition story:
I've loved Into the Woods for forever, I've been in it twice (going on three) and audition for it whenever I see it around. Well, about a year ago, I went to an audition hoping to be Little Red. I got there, filled stuff out, blah blah blah, got called in, and went onstage. It was only me, the director, and the piano player in the auditorium. I did my monologue, and handed the pianist my sheet music, 'Castle on a Cloud' from Les Miz. I was hurried, and it was all I could find when I was searching for some good music. In the middle of my singing, the director yelled "Why the hell are you singing that song?" I stopped, looked very confused and explained that I thought it was appropriate. He said "Appropriate? Appropriate. Who the hell are you?" The guy checked over my resume. "Do you sing this song at all your auditions?" I said no. "Get out. Get the hell outta here."
It was really scary. I still don't know what was up with that guy. Weird. |
My director said that once... to someone he had already cast... while she was taking... while he was giving notes...
Honestly, though, I would've b!tch slapped him. Set that guy straight.
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Dancediva19
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To get back to the original topic, (not to ignore your HORRIBLE story, I Love Lockstock), for one of my school musicals, I didn't called back and alot of people who did just as well as me (everyone's in one room during auditions so you can see how everyone else does) did get called back. I wasn't happy about that, to say the least. It turned out that I got a better part than all of them; most of them got stuck in the chorus. haha! (I shouldn't say that, a lot of them are my close friends.)
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