Audition

By: Jasmine Welch

The truth is the for every actor who gets hired for a part , fifty or a hundred or two hundred do not. An actor is forever trying to get a part; an actor is forever getting rejected, never knowing why, simply not wanted .

Whatever you decide is your motivation in the scene, the opposite of that is also true and should be in it.~ Michael Shurtleff

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Charles Gordon Shurtleff was born in Oak Park, Illinois and attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and the Yale School of Drama, where he received his MFA in playwriting in 1952.

He moved to New York after graduation and changed his first name to Michael.

Shurtleff worked with Bob Fosse on Pippin and Chicago, and Andrew Lloyd Webber on Jesus Christ Superstar

He served as casting director on such films as The Graduate and The Sound of Music

He has two brothers, John and Roger.

Michaels life

One ingredient missing from acting these days is Romance. Everyone secretly wants romance, but in these harsh,

“realistic” days, no one will openly admit it. Shakespeare’s plays retain their undiminished popularity

because they are everlasting romances. People are motivated by dream, by visions of what might be,

not by realities and harsh views of what is. Actors plunge into sensible estimates of their characters,

leaving out the major element of romance, which will make us laugh, cry, and feel with them.

Method 1; Romance

There are few differences between reading for a play and reading for a musical. A good actor can do both (provided they can also sing and dance).

Reading for a musical, however, can pose some special problems.

Musical theatre is fast, but just because the pace is usually faster than a straight play doesn’t mean the actor can skate over the surface.

The relationship of the actor to the audience is more direct in musicals.

The most important element in singing at auditions is not the forming of sound but the creation of the a relationship, just as it is in a reading

Method 2; Musical Theatre

Turn to someone next to you, I will give you a well known

musical title. The title I give you is the show you're about to go audition for. You have 1 minute to discuss and decide with you're partner what song you will be singing and why. We will share results after.

Titles : RENT, ADDAMS FAMILY, SHREK, ALADDIN, CHICAGO, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, WICKED, MAMA MIA, LES MISERABLES, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LEGALLY BLONDE, INTO THE WOODS

GAME!!!

The performing of comedy is not basically different from the performing of drama, but there is a different emphasis

Most comedy acting is so dreadful because the actors are trying to be funny. What is worse, they try very hard.

Opposites are at the heart of comedy. What makes us laugh is the playing of one emotion immediately and unexpectedly against another.

You cannot create comedy by the actors habit of constantly looking at your partner.

Hold the moment by shooting your arrow, let it land, then hold the moment until someone takes it over.

Method 3; Comedy

The book “Audition” by Michael Shurtleff is set up by and introduction in the beginning explaining the audition process. Followed by the 10 guideposts of tactics to use during a scene or performance. After that, another 11 topics are covered, followed by the conclusion.

Setup

I recommend this book, because I found it very informative. I learned a lot on a Varity of topics. From cold reads to improv as well as different techniques for enhancing the things I learned. Michael definitely voices his opinion on everything, which I enjoy. It is a very good read.

Recommendation