A Year Like None Other: A Discussion on College Auditions with Denise Simon
Happy New Year from all of us at On Location Education! In our last post, we spoke to casting director Liz Fraser about actors remotely auditioning for jobs in a moment where opportunities are few and far between. This month, we are focusing on the impact this period has on high school students pursuing degrees in the performing arts, whose admission to college often hinges on an audition in tandem with their normal applications.
The typical college audition process takes months of preparation, pre-screening video auditions, travel to conferences and college campuses, and often auditions for over a dozen schools as thousands of high school students compete for a select few spots at each collegiate theatre program. But, given the pandemic is expected to continue worsening into the winter months, this year for the future theatre students of the world is a year like none other. We discussed the evolution of this year’s application process and how aspiring theatre students can still showcase their talents with renowned acting and audition coach Denise Simon.
About Denise: Denise Simon is a New York-based acting coach and career consultant who has been in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years as an actor, teacher, director, casting director, author and personal talent manager. She managed the careers of Scarlett Johansson, Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino, Lacey Chabert (Party of Five), and Judy Reyes (NBC’s Scrubs) among many other working young performers. She has coached hundreds of children and young adults appearing on Broadway and TV & Film including Noah Schnapp and Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things. In addition to her private coaching, she teaches group classes throughout the tri-state area and is a co-partner of the Young Actors Film Experience with programs all over the country.
She is the author of Parenting in the Spotlight: How to Raise a Child Star Without Screwing Them Up.
On-set coaching credits include Fox's The Following and the award-winning Teen Kids News. Denise consults on the business of show business and serves on the young performer's committee at SAG-AFTRA and the Actors Fund Looking Ahead committee. She is an expert columnist for Backstage Magazine and Backstage.com.
Visit Denise at DeniseSimonCoaching.com, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
A lot of change has been forced upon the college audition process this year. Can you walk us through what is different this year in relation to the normal audition process?
This year, all auditions are virtual. Many schools still ask for a pre-screen audition and if the student moves on, the actual audition will be conducted virtually. Instead of hanging out in the hallway they will be in a waiting room on Zoom. After meeting with a group of students they may get taken in a breakout room for their audition. They are still required to perform contrasting monologues and songs if applying to musical theatre programs, but instead of being live in the room, they will be on Zoom or another online platform. They will still be required to submit a dance audition to musical theatre programs, and for some programs, a wild card or “why this school” piece where a school can learn something about them.
Are you finding any advantages to the changes in the audition process that you hope will be here to stay in the years ahead?
I think many schools will go back to the in-person format as much more can be learned in person, however, now that programs have experience with the virtual audition process, it may be used in some instances for students who don’t have access to in-person auditions.
In terms of numbers, do you anticipate the number of applicants this year will be an increase or decrease from normal years? Furthermore, do you think institutions will be more or less selective when creating cohorts for Fall 2021?
There may be a slight decrease in applicants as some may take a gap year until they feel it is safe to travel and work in close quarters with others. I really don’t know – it’s just a guess. Schools are always selective, so I don’t think this year will be much different in that regard.
Are your students able to show themselves as well auditioning virtually as they are in person?
Some are and some aren’t. In reality, nothing really changes. They are still performing their pieces for an auditor, however, because they can’t work off of the energy in the room and technical issues may arise, it is more difficult for some.
Are students needing to, encouraged to, or benefitting from ordering any special microphones or other equipment when doing remote auditions? Does a good audition depend upon something other than regular computer sound?
Whether auditioning for theatre, television, or film, actors are required to submit by self-tape until the pandemic is under control. Self-taping will continue even after in-person casting resumes, as it allows casting directors to reach actors across the country. I encourage my students to invest in the proper equipment, such as a tripod, ring light, a pop-up screen backdrop (unless they have a blank wall), and an external microphone. The external microphone attached to their camera or phone allows the actor to be heard over the reader. They don't have to invest in expensive equipment, but these items (which can be purchased reasonably online) will help to eliminate distractions and allow the actor to have a more professional audition. For voiceovers and commercials that are being taped directly from their homes, the proper microphone and mini recording booth can be instrumental in booking the job. Although not mandatory, investing in this equipment is an investment in your career.
Once the auditions are over and the offers are out, how should students best make a decision without the opportunity to visit a program, observe classes, and see productions?
Talk to other kids. Find Facebook groups of students who attend or have attended the program and ask questions. Find out what they like and don’t like about the program. Even though they can’t see a live production, they can watch online productions to see the talent, direction and creativity of a program.
What is your top piece of advice to students embarking on the audition process this year?
Be prepared and go with the flow! Embrace the mistakes or when things go wrong. That may create the most honest moment, and especially showcase how you recover.
Check back over the coming months as we speak with more industry professionals on how they’re adapting in these newly challenging times. We’re thrilled to be returning to work in film and television, and are eager for live theatre to reopen when it is safe to do so. For now, be sure to book Production Services through OLE, explore our Private Learning Offerings for your children, and keep following our Industry Updates page to stay current on what’s happening in entertainment and education.
We continue to wish you health and happiness during these difficult times.
-The team at On Location Education