Tips for Irene Ryan
Scholarship Auditions

• Selecting Material

• Rehearsing the Material

• The Audition

SELECTING MATERIAL

* Time management is a very important consideration in selecting material for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions. Since the candidate will have a maximum of three minutes in the preliminary round to perform a single two-person scene (which may or may not incorporate singing) and a maximum of five minutes in the semi-final round to perform the preliminary round scene AND a contrasting two person scene (which may or may not incorporate singing) using the same partner for both scenes, actors and coaches are advised to take extra care in the selection and length of material for the preliminary round. While there is a 15 second grace period at every level of the auditions, candidates who plan on using the grace period as an opportunity to cram as much as they possibly can into the audition are in significant danger of disqualification. The grace period exists to allow for genuinely unexpected and unplanned events in an audition such as audience response, an actor going up briefly on lines, or an unanticipated disruption in the audition. It is often the actor's primary instinct in these auditions to use every possible moment to demonstrate their ability, when in almost every case the exact opposite instinct is a more effective way to accomplish that goal. When thinking about length in the selection of material, candidates and coaches are strongly advised to remember that LESS REALLY IS MORE at every level of the auditions.

* Coaches and candidates may also wish to keep the following criteria now used by judges at every level of competition in mind when selecting and preparing material for the auditions:

a). Ability to urgently pursue strong, clear objectives. (Has the actor identified a strong goal or task to pursue in the scene and are they consistently in ³high stakes² pursuit of that task)?

b). Ability to partner. (Is the actor genuinely and significantly connected to, and in relationship with their acting partner throughout the scene? Are they listening, responding and pursuing task through partner)?

c). Ability to make varied, specific and bold acting choices. (Is the actor employing different tactics in pursuit of the overall task, are those tactics clear, interesting and specific? Is the actor avoiding the traps of generalizing, emoting, and playing a single character ³color² or ³quality² throughout the scene)?

d). Mastery of an expressive and flexible vocal and physical instrument. (Does the actor have vocal and physical control? Can they be heard and understood throughout the audition? Is the audition free of superfluous energy or tension vocally or physically)?

e). Facility with language and clear understanding of the text. (Has the actor met the specific demands of the language in the text? Do the actor's choices seem grounded in, and informed by a broader understanding of the entire play)?

f). Demonstration of range and contrast. At each successive level of the audition-- as it journeys from the preliminary to the final round-- the actor is expected to show increasing degrees of range and contrast. In the preliminary round the actor will be evaluated primarily on the range and variety of choices within a single scene. In the semi-final round, the actor will be expected to demonstrate range and contrast in the material they select to perform as well as the choices they make within each scene. In the final round, the actor is expected to present three selections that demonstrate the broadest possible range and contrast.

This criteria has been developed to ensure that the actor demonstrates some ability in the craft of acting in addition to native talent, charisma and stage presence, and selecting material that enables the actor to demonstrate a genuine understanding of craft is strongly encouraged.

Actors and coaches are also strongly encouraged to remember that all auditions will be evaluated primarily on an actor's ability to demonstrate the acting competencies listed above, whether the material selected is from contemporary drama, rock opera, musical theatre, Shakespeare, Moliere or Christopher Durang. Actors are expected to illuminate the truth of a character within the context of the world the playwright has created in keeping with the stylistic demands of the play, rather than use the material as a vehicle solely to illuminate their own beautiful singing voices, their dazzling sense of comedy and style, or their ability to entertain an audience. The advice below is particularly useful in helping the actor find and frame material that meets those expectations.

* Find material that you could be cast in today.

* Use material that is within your age range, your vocal range (especially if you're singing), your emotional range, and within the scope of your movement skills.

* Avoid material that requires a dialect.

* Choose material has a clear beginning and moves to a conclusion.

* Use material that focuses on (or showcases) your character.

* Avoid material that you have performed in a complete production.

* Discuss your choice of material with your director, and your other acting teachers to ascertain that it is 1) suitable for presentation at the regional and national festivals and 2) that you have acquired performance rights and/or permission to perform the material.

* Make certain that you select clearly contrasting material.

* Choose material in which you have faith, and that which allows you to gain confidence as you rehearse.