Auditions FAQs

What do I need to prepare for my audition?

 

 

    1. For all Productions please Prepare a memorized monologue, up to one-minute in length. Use a monologue of your choosing
    2. If you do not have something prepared, we can give you something at sign in to read
    3. CLICK HERE FOR A SUGGESTED MONOLOGUE

     

     For a musical

  1. Prepare 16 bars or up to 1-minute of a song. An accompanist will be provided. Please bring sheet music with you
  2. you can sing happy birthday and do scales
  3. the accompanist will also have on hand the following music CLICK HERE FOR SONG LINKS

 

 

How does an audition work?

 

  1. Sign-in takes place in person at the children’s theatre
    • no sign-ins will be taken before 3:45
    • Sign-in will be stopped at 6:00pm
    • Auditions will be seen in order of sign in.
    • You will be assigned a number at sign in
  2. What information will I need to sign in 
    • Auditionees name and age
    • Parent/guardians name AND phone number AND e-mail address

     

  3. About 15 minutes after Auditions start (or most people present have had a chance to sign in) there will be a brief informational meeting for all parents and Auditionees

  4. Following the meeting small groups of auditionees will be taken to a standby area. (parents must wait in lobby or courtyard)

     

  • One person will go at a time to meet with the director (and music director if musical)

 

                                        i.  Your audition for will be turned in to the director

                                        ii.  Auditions take approximately 5 minutes once started

                                        iii. When you are done with your audition you can check out at the sign in station and can leave.

 

 

How do Callbacks work?

  1. Callbacks are a chance for the director to work with auditionees in small groups
  2. Everyone is invited to callbacks
  3. Conflict forms are due at the start of Callbacks
  4. No additional monologues or music will be needed. You will be provided pieces from the production to work with when you arrive.
  5. Auditionees may be released early from call backs (being let out early does not mean you are not being considered, just that the director has seen enough to make a choice and needs more time with others)

 

 

What if I can’t make the audition or callback dates?

  1. You only need to attend one of the two days of auditions, but if you cannot make either day please contact us at Stage.Manager@cityofpaloalto.org and we will let the director know you will just be at callbacks and give you needed forms to fill out.
  2. If you cannot attend Callbacks, please let us know during the auditions so the director knows to spend some extra time with you during the audition. Conflict forms however still need to be returned to us by the start of callbacks you can e-mail them to Stage.Manager@cityofpaloalto.org or drop them off at the front desk during the week.
  3. As long as you attend auditions OR callbacks you will be considered for a role.
  4. If you cannot make either auditions or callbacks, we are sorry we cannot schedule individual auditions but we hope you come to our next ones.

 

 

How does casting work?

  1. It depends on the production; we try to have as large of a cast as the script allows for
  2. We do not double cast roles in Main Stage, Playhouse or Summer Hot Dog Productions (one participant per role)
  3. For Main Stage, Playhouse or Summer Hot Dog Productions, not everyone who auditions will be cast, but we encourage you to come back to future auditions so we can find the right role for you.
  4. Company lists will be posted after 5pm the day after callbacks outside our door (roles will not be assigned until 1st rehearsal). For the earliest access to the cast list, we suggest joining the Palo Alto Children's Theatre Facebook Group.
  5. The company list will also be e-mailed out to all auditionees (parents) on the following Monday in the early afternoon.
  6. If you are cast, you will also receive an e-mail with more information on the following Monday in the early afternoon.

Rehearsal Schedules

  1. Rehearsals typically take place M-F after school and some weekend afternoons, but not all actors are called every day.
  2. The amount of time each cast member will be called to rehearse will depend on the size of the role and availability.
  3. In general, actors should be available an average (minimum) of 2-3 days per week before the conflict period in order to audition. 

 

 

Private Audition Coaching

Private Audition Coaching

THREE PRIVATE COACHING SESSIONS

In a 3-session series of private coaching with a Children's Theatre Teaching Artist, participants will work on character development, and audition and acting techniques, including preparation of a monologue for a future audition. Age 8+  | Three 45–Minute Sessions | 1:1 Coaching. Residents: $225  Non-Residents: $258.75.

To schedule a series of private sessions, email childrens.theatre@cityofpaloalto.org.

  

Questions? Email stage.manager@cityofpaloalto.org

NOTE: There are no auditions currently scheduled for the Main Stage, Summer Hot Dog or Outreach Production Seasons.

 

 

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