Do You Know What Theatrical Acting Auditions Are?

Theatrical Acting Auditions (Film/TV)

When you hear the term theatrical auditions, what kind of acting auditions do you think that means?

You probably think of theatrical as defined by Mirriam-Webster – “of or relating to the theater or the presentation of plays.” So theatrical acting auditions should be auditions for theatre or for a play. Right?

I know when I first came to L.A., that is what I thought when I heard of theatrical acting auditions.

But in Los Angeles, when you hear the term theatrical audition, it is typically not referring to an audition for theatre.

So, what is a theatrical audition in Los Angeles?

Read more »

What Happens at Movie Auditions for Kids?

Universal Studios via Wikipedia Movie Auditions for Kids

It is a little unnerving going to movie auditions for kids, especially at first.

I was particularly nervous when my daughter and I went to her first few movie auditions for kids in Hollywood. I still find it stressful, even after going to quite a few of them.

I remember going to one of my daughter’s first film auditions on the Universal Studios lot. After I’d found the right gate to enter into Universal Studios and the right parking lot, we still had to find the audition.

Getting Lost Before an Audition is Not a Good Thing!

The guard at the gate just pointed to where we needed to go. After we parked and exited through what must have been the wrong door out of the parking garage, I was completely turned around.

We walked around in the hot sun for what seemed like an eternity (thanks to my poor sense of direction) before we finally found the building and room for the audition.  I really knew we were in trouble when I saw the tram for the Universal Studios Lot tour go by!

I tried to stay calm, but running late for an audition for a lead role in a major motion picture really upset me, especially since we’d arrived at the gate 30 minutes early. My daughter’s mouth was dry from all the running around, and she was looking tired and wilted from the heat.

Avoid Distractions if You Can

As we stepped into the room, we immediately saw Elle Fanning (Dakota Fanning’s sister) and her mother sitting on the sofa in the waiting room. Being a big fan of “Daddy Daycare,” my daughter immediately recognized her and started excitedly whispering to me about her.

I signed  my daughter in quickly and took her out into the hall to go over her sides (lines). She was so excited about seeing Elle Fanning that she could barely focus. I thought taking her out into the hall would help her focus and give her the chance to go over her lines.

I’d learned from the very beginning that it was best to avoid distractions right before an audition, particularly before a theatrical audition (an audition for film or tv).

Unfortunately, our unintentional Universal Studios Lot tour and seeing a well-known child actor were too much distraction before a film audition.

Since there were only three or four kids signed in ahead of my daughter, we went back into the waiting room quickly. I did not want the casting director searching for us. Elle had already gone in for her audition, and I sat and chatted quietly with her mother, who is also from the Southeast (Atlanta).

I’m not sure exactly what happened when my daughter went in for her audition a few moments later since we can’t watch or listen. I just know she did not book the role. But neither did Elle, and neither did hundreds of other little girls who auditioned for it. Only one got that part.

So, that leads us to the topic of this post, “What Happens at Movie Auditions for Kids?”

Read more »