Auditions do more than you think they do

I got this question from a reader over the weekend:

“Should I have auditions for my upcoming production or should I cast it from people I know?”

The answer?

You should always audition.  

Three reasons:

1 - You never know who is going to walk in the room.  

Auditioning is your opportunity to meet new artists.   And it's a chance to give new artists an opportunity.  And that’s important essential. (You’d want that same opportunity, wouldn’t you?) That's why I love "open calls", which allow anyone to audition, regardless of union status.

As a TheaterMaker you should always be looking for new actors who will take your work to the next level.  And auditioning is the best way to do that.

2 - Auditioning is an Insurance Policy.

Even when you have your cast picked out, it's always important to have backups for your backups. Especially these days!  

I can't tell you how many times I thought my cast was set, only to have my lead get a movie or TV show.  If you lose someone, you want to be able to open your file and say, "I've got these three people I loved from my last audition! Let's call them in for a callback!"

3 - Auditions are also Marketing.

When you hold auditions, word will get out about your show. In fact, Playbill.com and BroadwayWorld troll the trades, looking for audition notices so they can write articles about the shows! Audition notices are when press gets the scoop on what's happening! Because often, auditions happen before announcements about openings.  

So part of your marketing campaign is scheduling, announcing and promoting your auditions.   You'll create a buzz within the theatrical community just by doing what you need to do to cast your show.  

(One of the extreme examples of this was the audition tour for American Idol. That show made SO much about their audition process and got so many people to show up, it translated to more viewers!

So when in doubt, audition.  It's the best way to get the best show AND to plant the seed for what you're about to do. 

And what you're about to do is something extraordinary, now isn't it?  :-)

P.S. Want to make sure you're taking advantage of every single chance you have to make the best show AND market it as the same time? Cuz spoiler alert - you need to. 

Click here to set up a call with a member of our team to learn about how we make sure our TheaterMakers leave no marketing stone unturned.