September 2023
Audition Question..
QUESTION: There are a couple of other auditions I saw advertised in the next couple of weeks, in addition to one I already have an appointment for. I really can't do more than one show at a time, but I'd like to audition for all three. How would you handle it if you were offered a part in a show, and you still were waiting to hear about another show or still had other auditions scheduled in the next week? It would be a nice problem to have, of course, but I wasn't sure what to do if that were to happen.
ANSWER: The dilemma is that you don’t know what you will get. If you say you only will do “x” part on the audition form, but they offer you something else, you can legitimately thank them very nicely, and say that you appreciate so much their wanting you to participate in the show, but that you were specifically interested in only that certain part, for your own development. They will understand that, and you did not originally lead them astray. If, on the other hand, you stated that you would take any part, I feel that you would be morally obligated to accept them.
Sometimes, if money is involved and it doesn’t meet your requirements to survive, you can tell them that, and since that is rarely discussed in advance, they will understand.
Some auditions are very formal, with no opportunity to discuss potential conflicts. Others are casual, and you could mention in passing that you are also auditioning for other shows in the very near future.
If two auditions are extremely close together and you receive offers from both, you can say to the second caller, “Oh, I’m so sorry! X called me back first, and I accepted a part from them” (assuming that is true).
Accepting a part but then dropping out will guarantee that you never work for that group again. Just be considerate and dependable.