Bil - A Handy Guide to Dream Theatre Company's Auditions for "Downward Facing"

Despite cold weather outside and a construction site inside, Dream Theatre is sallying forth this week.  On Wednesday is a reading of our 2011 Season opener, Mishelle Apalategui's "Downward Facing" (which "Theatre of Women" fans should recognize).  Thursday and Friday are actual auditions.

I know there's a lot of audition advice out there for actors, and I'm sure some of it's good, but because we're about to audition a specific show at this specific company, let me throw out some specific advice that really will help...

• Bring a headshot and resume.  I know it seems like a no brainer, but there are a surprising amount of actors out there who actually have no brain.
• Reach out to Dream Theatre Company in advance.  Facebook is a great place to start.
• If there are sides available ahead of time, read them.  If you are able to read the whole script ahead of time, do so.
• If you have a monologue, be prepared to show all your intensity AND all your subtlety in one go.  You will only have one chance.
• If you have a monologue, be emotionally prepared to not get a chance at all.  Again, read those sides in advance.
• Connect with the director.  If the director gives you direction, use it.
• Impress the director.  If the director gives you direction, go above and beyond.  If the director does NOT give you direction, do something different anyway.  Show some range.
• Leave your ego at home.
• Leave your dog at home.
• Do not talk about Fight Club.
• Understand the English language.  The dialogue in "Downward Facing" is both transcendentally poetic and absurdly hip.  It's not like a Shakespeare play, where language is heightened upwards, or a Mamet play, where language is smashed downward.  It's more like "Juno," where language is shifted to the side a bit.  It's different from everyday language, but the emotions behind the words are all very human.  If you have questions about what something means, ask someone.
• Talk about how handsome Jeremy Menekseoglu is.
• Bring enough chewing gum to share with everyone.

Don't be this guy.

Break a leg, everyone.  We're all very excited to meet the cast, whoever they may be!