Learning how to audition well is the secret to success in the musical theatre. Casting decisions are sometimes based on factors you can’t control (age, height, vocal range), but consistently good auditions— and call-backs—are the key to long-term success.
No Square Theatre is bringing expert advice to young people who plan to audition for any kind of singing role. Children and teens ages 11 - 18 now have affordable access to instruction and the “inside knowledge” of successful professionals in theater entertainment thanks to a new program, Access Excellence.
The program consists of two opportunities:
Square One
Learning the skills for successful musical theatre auditions.
Square Two.
Recording the remote audition.
Under the Direction of Bree Burgess Rosen, Susan Geiser, Sabrina Harper, Roxanna Ward, and Ella Wyatt.
Keep scrolling to learn more details about Square One and Two.
Made possible by a grant from the City of Laguna Beach
Square One
The audition
Who’s teaching? Respected professional entertainers and educators with decades of experience in the industry from LA to Broadway and around the world: Bree Burgess Rosen, Roxanna Ward, Ella Wyatt, Sabrina Harper, Susan Geiser.
How long is it? Limited to four hours of instruction.
What does it cost? It's free! (Thanks to funding from the City of Laguna Beach.)
How do I prepare? Email us to set up a time to meet and get to work.
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What will I learn?
• A great song for you to use at auditions. We’ll help you figure out your range and match you up with an audition piece. You’ll be provided with the sheet music and a rehearsal recording of that song so you can come to the next lesson prepared to work on it.
• Confidence that comes from knowing the procedures, vocabulary, and what happens in an audition, as well as the tools to present your best self.
• How to choose audition pieces in the future, for any role of show. What vocal material shows off your skills? Age-appropriate lyrics, ballad or upbeat, character or specialty songs, standard, or less well known? How to select the right range and style for each show and role.
• What to know about your material’s source, composer, lyricist, performance history.
• Audition etiquette. How to dress, stand, slate, enter, exit, take applause and direction, prepare and present material to an accompanist (or secure an edited audio track).
• Some basics of singing, dance, acting as applied to the musical audition. How to interpret lyrics and correctly use phrasing and dynamics to present the most important element of a vocal audition: telling the story.
• How to use character voices to cover range challenges, protect the instrument, and support strong acting choices.
• How to warm up, improve memorization skills, and care for the vocal instrument and body.
• How to talk the talk with accompanists and musical directors. Sight reading at your call-back, music fundamentals.
• What to expect and how to plan for call-backs.
• What’s expected in a résumé.
• How to do homework and research for auditions: breakdown, find sheet music and accompaniment tracks, edit charts or tracks to requested length (32 bars, 16 bars, for example). Basic audio editing for audition purposes (with Audacity software, provided).
• How best to add to your repertoire of audition and performance material.
Square Two
The remote audition
Additional help with self-recordings for remote university and scholarship submissions.
• How to present a quality video, appropriate for university and scholarship applications when requested.
• Students with performance experience or who have completed SQUARE ONE.
• You rehearse your selected song, scene, or dance over time.
We can help you find a deeper understanding and polished interpretation of your material. Contact us to schedule a date and time to meet at the theatre. Our directors will then help you polish and record your submission.
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• This support is available to any student seeking higher education in any musical theatre discipline: dance, acting, or voice.
How long is it? Approximately two hours, as needed to create your best video.
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How do I sign up? Email us to set up a date and time that works for everyone.
What does it cost? This is a free support service provided by No Square Theatre to the community.
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Where is No Square Theatre? 384 Legion Street Laguna Beach CA 92651
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No Square Theatre is sponsored by Lodging Establishments & City of Laguna Beach, Patrick Quilter, Dorene & Lee Butler Family Foundation, Yvonne & John Browning, City of Laguna Beach, Chris Quilter, Rotary Club of Laguna Beach, FOA Foundation, Laguna Real Estate Charitable Assistance Fund.
ACCESS EXCELLENCE is made possible by a grant from The City of Laguna Beach.