Just HORRIBLY screwed up an audition and it's blown all my confidence. What can I do?

Question

I got up there and forgot my lines. Not just a little spacey. I remembered one line and then had to look at a paper and then said that line and then had to look again. Then I had to sing a 30 sec part of an upbeat musical song and I couldn't remember the material WHAT-SO-EVER! I went totally blank!! I sang one line all shakey and forgot the next line. Then I looked at the words and got that. And couldn't think of anything else. It sounded so bad that I decided to just sing it off the sheet thinking it would be my only saving grace. But of course, then I couldn't remember how it went! So I made up something WAYYYY off and it was HORRIBLY out of tune. When I was done I just said "Thank you." royally humiliated. Took her a sec to even SPEAK and she goes, "Thank you, call backs will be posted tomorrow." I got out of there as fast as I could.
This was my first audtion but I KNEW MY STUFF! I knew it!! That's what makes me so mad. Tips on how I can get back in the game? I want this.

Answer 1

Practice with audience. Get your crankiest relatives together and have them as your audience.

Freeze-ups happended to me too, at dance performances (doh!). The first time it happened I cound't get out of it. Good thing I was very very young. The next time was better - I just told myself "catch the music, and you'll be OK, catching the music is all you want now" and once I started moving I got back into it.

Answer 2

I'm sorry you screwed up your audition. I know how tough it can be. But everyone -- and I mean everyone -- around you has been there, or will get there sooner or later. When you reach the bottom you can only go up, when you reach the top, get ready to drop. If it makes you feel any better, I rented the film 'The Long Good Friday' the other day. On the extras on the DVD, they had an interview with Bob Hoskins who was in the film and the director. The interviewer totally ignored Bob Hoskins and only talked to the director, because Hoskins was not well known then. I was really surprised at how blatantly rude it was. Now of course no one would dare do that to him - he is a big star.

If you can find it, rent the DVD of the original movie and TV series of 'Fame'; I went to a high school of the arts that was similar -- a lot of the drama in the show (and for me at that time in real life) was finding one's feet in the face of the audience, or in face of public judgement which is the test of all art. It's the moment of transition when the thing you have in your heart and head has to be put out there in the real world. It is a very difficult moment, and you might have forgotten your lines because you were so into the material that you didn't want to 'let go' of it artistically yet. It is NOT a reflection of your acting ability. But you can use the experience as a measure of your willingness to make that 'jump'; that is, don't look at the audition as a problem of confidence or acting or as something terrible or negative. Understand that outward expression and communication is part of the problem of artistic creation and that you suddently came face to face with the reality of that in a big way, which is a good thing. Of course, you already knew that, but now you really, really know what you are dealing with.

You should use the feeling from this audition in your future acting. It might help to watch other auditions, in life, on film, whatever. Just watch a few of these things to see how people overcome the situation. There's the famous one in 'Flashdance' of course. A good audition scene is in David Lynch's film, 'Mulholland Drive,' which shows in a clever way how you can turn a really bad audition situation into a success by doing the unexpected. Also if you get the DVD of 'Jeepers Creepers' the extras section shows Jonathan Breck's real audition (as well as the separate one of his co-stars) -- Breck was very simple, no special effects or makeup, shaved his head, and was absolutely terrifying, spine chilling and amazing. I'll never forget it.

Also, buy the 'Rocky' soundtrack and play it before the next audition; it is the ultimate music for fighting back when everyone thinks you've gone down for the count.

Answer 3

Don't get a wig, it'll be pretty obvious especially on a guy. I'm not sure if you've tried this but it's called Nexxus Emergencee. It's the best thing out there for severely damaged hair. It's made out of the same stuff that your hair is, so it reconstructs your hair. Follow the directions really carefully and use it once every two weeks. After the first treatment you'll see a really big improvement. Hope this helped :)

Answer 4

I totally screwed up for a production of Pirates of Penzance. I knew the song that I had had chosen, but the key that I was singing in, did not match the accompaniest, so that was the last time, that I ever auditioned for a musical in college, I just continued to audition for plays, until I graduated from college. But since finishing college, I became more confident and I sing all the time, and I try to pick audition songs, that I am really familiar with and that fit the content of the show that I am auditioning for. Best of luck to you.

Answer 5

Start learning relaxation exercises then practice them religiously a few minutes before your audition. When you audition make sure that you are applying your technique to the part. Here are a few questions that you should ask yourself about the character. Who am I? Where am I coming from? What am I doing? What do I want? Why do I want it? The answer to those questions will determine how you react. Concentrate on what the character wants (the objective) and you will react naturally and spontaneously. You will be "in the moment", which is the goal for all fine actors.

Answer 6

Turn the page, and get on to the next one. Sub-par auditions have happened to EVERY actor in the history of the world. Guaranteed.

However, one thing I would caution: the only way you'll benefit fully from this experience is to OWN it, and to take 100% responsibility for what happened up there. You wrote; "I KNEW MY STUFF!!" Clearly, you didn't. An actor's job at audition is to be so thoroughly prepared that, even on your worst day, you give the performance you prepared and rehearsed. In a way, you're fortunate to have had such an experience early in the game. It should serve to strengthen your resolve to NEVER let it happen again.

Answer 7

Welcome to the club, Kate

We have all died in auditions from time to time. Some people, even some of the best, still never audition well. Trust me darlin', I know exactly how you feel.

Have a sense of humour about the whole thing, (Yeah, I know that's a tough one), and remember that the work is what is important. Also remember that by auditioning you are doiing one of the bravest things that humans can do, and that even an audition is an important part of the process. Believe me it's even tougher to go in and know that you have done the very best you can possibly do, that you have KILLED, and then they still don't cast you. That has happened to the very best as well. But you have still been part of the process.

Go in to do your work, your business, but go in knowing that you are you, and fallable, and that there is JOY to be had, even in this.

A truely wise director/mentor of mine, before every performance always told us, "Enjoy your mistakes."

You screwed the pooch, Kate. Embrace it, take a deep relaxing breath, and "Bring 'er!"

Answer 8

How can you get back in the game? Get back on the stage. You merely had a bad audition. You may not get this particular part but that doesn't mean you don't know what you want. Keep auditioning and be prepared for the next time even better than you were this time.

Answer 9

Alright girl, you already got this...you said you "want this." WANT is what you need! You need to embrace this failure....learn to LOVE failure, because 9 out of 10 times that is what will happen to you in this business...You can go up on stage and flawlessly sing and act, and STILL NOT get the part. Do NOT measure your self worth by this...great actors/singers fail daily. Don't let failure get in the way of your passion for anything. I was told by my acting prof today that if everytime you fail at something and decide you don't like it, you won't progress. I'm majoring in theatre, straight acting...and one of the requirements is auditioning with song for every single show in the course of my 4 years here. I don't sing, I have a massive fear of this level of exposure. Words are no problem, singing...eeek. Audition 1 got me into the program. Audition 2....I sang for the 1st time onstage in.....oh say.....7 years?! I did horrible, I gracefully said thank you...and then I cried walking to my car. Nothing....NOTHING ELSE would have gotten me on that stage...BUT my passion for acting. My mother couldn't have dragged me up there...no amount of money would have got me up to sing in front of anyone...Just the thought of it made me cry a few times, for real. And then I beat myself up over it for about a week, when I decided two things: 1. I wasn't prepared enough for this audition, and 2. I need to do something about my fear of singing. Voice lessons were my answer. Not to say you need voice lessons....but the point is, that was my fear...but I want this more than anything in the world....I'll do anything for theatre...it means more than my fear of singing. So I took action... Audition 3...I sang again...not the best...but not in fear. I still cried and was frustrated with my audition. I have many more songs to sing....and I damn well will succeed, because I have no intentions of giving up ever. The important thing is walking on and off that stage with grace. You took a risk in auditioning in the first place. That is very important in this business. If you are serious about singing or acting, you'll have many more auditions. And you'll fail even more. Take no prisoners...get up there...show them what you have...learn from the experience, do what you can to learn how to make yourself the best....and keep at it. Best of luck. :) And no matter how much you fail or succeed, be a threat...have force. Get up there and sing with a shaky voice till it goes away....feel your passion in your gut...remember that WANT when you get on stage, and NOTHING will stop you.

Answer 10

First, take a relaxing deep breath. Second, realize you messed up and that it happens to everyone whether you think it does or not. Three, find another audition to go to. Practice, practice,practice... but not just reading your lines or singing but actually being there. Imagine getting the rush of confidence because you know you have what it takes and you are willing to show everyone that you do. If you don't do it for any other reason do it because you owe it to yourself to do it.