Improv Audition Tips
- micahphilbrook
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Improv auditions can be some of the most terrifying auditions for artists. Whether you're an experienced improvisor or not, this moment of truth can seem extremely daunting. Unlike a typical audition, there is no monologue you perform, no music selection to practice, no choreography to rehearse. Improv auditions rely on all your previous training and your ability to be in the present. Over my many years of experience teaching and performing improv, I've been on both sides of the tables at countries improv auditions. What follows are some of my observations that make for the most successful auditions in this elusive art of improvisational theater. Incidentally, this is also my first “list-cle!” I did it, y’all!
TIP #1: START STRONG
When the scene first begins, you may get a suggestion or you may not, but you have to start somewhere. While it may be obvious to some, it is worth saying this: Don’t preplan a first line! It never works out the way you think, the auditors can often tell, and besides, it’s not improv! What you can do is be open to inspiration but step into the scene with a little something. What I mean by start strong is give yourself some combination of the following three solid initiations.
A character choice, like a physical or vocal change is a strong option to start with. Some venues and institutions want you to play more realistic characters and some prefer more cartoonish, so do your homework on this. But starting with a strong character choice will propel you in the scene.
An object work initiation does wonders for the scene and for you! It immediately gives you something to do that isn’t just standing and talking, plus it will begin to create the environment, showing the auditors you know that the where is an important part of the scene. And, it can propel you in the scene since you can always heighten the object work or explore the world more.
An emotional choice right off the top can create a fun energy to a scene and give you so much to say and do by simply exploring the emotion. Additionally, it can showcase your acting chops and give you a way of standing out. Again, if the institution prefers more “close to home” characters, they may want you to play more grounded (read less melodramatic) emotions, so do your research!
And, as you may have noticed, any of those three choices can easily help generate the others if you allow them to do so. One of the best reasons to start strong is that it will give you confidence at the top of the scene and help you make strong choices during the most crucial part: the rest of the scene!
TIP #2: SAY YES
We all know “Yes And” is like the bedrock of improv, but during auditions (and other panic moments) we’ll often resort to our bad habits of fighting each other. Improvisors often create needless obstacles in a scene out of a fear of the unknown. Ironic, isn’t it? When we first start scenes, especially in auditions, maintaining agreement as much as we can will create a solid beginning to a scene that will allow us to discover what the scene is even about. However, fighting or arguing early on in a scene keeps us in the argument, or even worse, not working together on moving the scene forward. Even in an audition when your scene partner hasn’t learned this basic concept (so many “No, but”s!) you can be in agreement with them by simply saying yes to their no’s. It’s not an argument if both sides don’t argue. Ultimately, by staying in agreement in the first few beats, your scene will start strong and allow for you both to discover the plant based meat (I’m a vegetarian) of the whole interaction. You may find that there is a disagreement, but it will be from a natural and believable place. As a bonus side effect, I can guarantee that the auditors will have seen a million fights and arguments so a scene with agreement will be a breath of fresh air that will stand out in their mind. And not just because you’ve shown them that you understand the most basic concept in improv; Yes And.
TIP #3: YOU ARE NOT A ROCK
During the scene, you need to be affected by your scene partner, emotionally or otherwise. This will create transformation and will be interesting to watch. If you stay rigid (emotionally, physically, etc) you are not allowing the scene to evolve. Also, to the panel of adjudicators, you are not listening or working with your scene partner, two qualities no one wants in their ensemble or training program. I believe that an emotional transformation is the most interesting and, lucky for us, it’s also the easiest. All you have to do is pay close attention to your partner, something you should be doing anyway, right? Then, during the scene, something they do will stand out. Trust me, you’ll notice it. Maybe it’s an action that catches your eye, like how they stir their coffee. Maybe it’s their response when you tell them that the burgers are almost ready. Or maybe it’s the way they smirked when they asked if you were their uber driver. Whatever it is, you will know it when you see it. And in that moment, you need to emotionally react, you need to be affected by them and allow for the transformation. I refer you to the caveat in the first tip though; the institution or ensemble may want more realistic emotions, so do your homework. That table flipping guttural scream in response to their demure eyelash batting may not be the best choice. Oh, side note: never show your emotion by throwing the chairs or other real props in the space. That is very disrespectful and very much over done. In the auditions I’ve ran, that would be an almost immediate disqualification.
TIP #4: REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN!
This is an important one, y’all. We can get so anxious and nervous about doing our best that we forget why we even want to do this art in the first place. It’s fun, right? It’s called playing for a reason. Let’s face it, most improv only auditions are not for paying work. They may help you get the training, exposure, connections, etc for paying work, but they aren’t very often for paying work themselves. So, although there are many other reasons that we put pressure on ourselves for the audition, money isn't one of them. Therefore, we can allow ourselves to have fun during them. One thing that happens when we get nervous and forget to have fun in this art is we end up trying to be funny, something that is never helpful in improv. In an audition however, you do need to bring your creativity and sense of play so that comical choices can be had, giving you the best possible conditions for comedy. ( Unless of course you are auditioning for a dramatic improv group or show. I still suggest you follow the fun for that one, but it will lead you to a different sort of fun.) When you allow yourself to play and make fun choices that you enjoy, you are channeling all the reasons you first got interested in this art. You will be playful and silly, you will be more inclined to agree since you won’t take yourself too seriously, and you’ll be a strong supportive scene partner who is listening and building. And, from the point of view of the panel, you will have the energy and chemistry that most ensembles or training programs want to work with.
If you follow these tips, you will have stronger auditions and way more fun while you’re at it. And while they can’t guarantee that you’ll land every part you go out for, as actors and artists constantly auditioning, it’s important to be able to accept rejection without letting it destroy our spirit. These tips can help you find the joy in this again by making your scene work stronger, your improv stronger, and your love of the art even stronger.
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