Audition Instructions

This page is long! Please make sure that both you and a parent read and understand it, if possible.

Steps you need to do

  1. Decide who will be in your group, or if you will perform solo. If a group, make sure everyone has submitted the Interest Form [CLOSED] already.
  2. Decide what your act will be. It must be school-appropriate and under 4 minutes in length. You must audition the same performance you intend to give on May 11th.
  3. Key decision: Decide whether you want to come to auditions April 24, or submit a video audition (see very important rules below).
  4. Either way, whether you are doing a video or in-person audition. you must submit the Audition Signup Form [CLOSED] by April 22, or you will not be auditioning and you will not be in the show.
  5. We will not permit two acts to audition the same song, so if doing a very well-known song, submit the Audition Signup Form early!
  6. Practice, practice, practice! You can't be too prepared.

For video auditions: important rules

You still must submit the Audition Signup Form [CLOSED] by April 22. Do this as soon as you decide what your act will be. There is a chance you will get a response from us saying that someone is already auditioning the same piece, and you will need to change.

The video must be of your performance exactly as you want to do it on stage. Being in costume is optional.

The video must be a "point-and-shoot" capture of your live performance, no editing. No camerawork necessary. Please check that your performance came in under 4 minutes.

You must email the video to graham-talent-show-organizers@googlegroups.com by April 24 at 3:00 pm (the moment in-person auditions begin).

Using a video audition has some disadvantages. Yes, auditioning in person can be nerve-wracking. But sometimes having just one shot helps us focus and do our best. With a video, because you can re-record it until you "get it right", you may find you are never satisfied with the result. Don't worry: nothing is ever perfect. Set a limit for yourself -- say 3 takes only -- then just go with the best one you get in that time.

If you can't get a video you are willing to submit, do not throw away your shot! Please resubmit the Audition Signup Form [CLOSED] and choose an in-person audition instead.

For in-person auditions: important rules

On Wednesday, April 24, you need to be in Room 3 by 3:00 sharp. After a short meeting, the audition order will be posted and we'll begin.

You do not need to audition in costume, but if you would like to, you will have time to change after our short meeting. (Please don't change right after school and be late to Room 3!)

When your turn comes, we can give you only a short moment to ready yourself. If you sent us a music track, we'll be ready to start it when you give us a nod.

From the moment you begin your performance, no matter what happens, see it all the way through! (Exceptions made in case of earthquake if it rates over 6.23.) We want to see that you are performance-ready, but "performance-ready" does not mean you never make a mistake. It does mean always being able to recover from a mistake and move right on!

If your performance reaches the 4-minute mark, we may cut you off, but this doesn't necessarily mean you failed the audition.

Judges won't give any immediate feedback. We will react in the same way whether you just put Ariana to shame, or you attempted to sing a microtonal polyrhythmic fugue in Swahili while not knowing what microtones, polyrhythms, fugues, or Swahili are.

When do we find out?

We'll let you know our decision by email. Whether you did an in-person or video audition, most students should hear back in the next 48 hours after in-person auditions end.

What if I don't get in?

It always feels bad to audition and not get the part. We sympathize!

It can happen for a couple of reasons. It might really be that you are not quite ready to perform yet (but please come back and rock our socks off next year!). It can also be that we just had too many auditions of a particular kind, and we needed a little more variety in the show. Bad luck can be involved sometimes, too.

But remember: this audition was only for one show and nothing else. Nothing can stop you!