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Callback Audition: An Actor’s Guide

Andrew Koch — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:19:11 +0000

Congratulations! You made it through a nerve-racking preliminary audition. But now you’ve been asked to attend another round of evaluation: the callback audition.

If you’ve never been, callbacks can seem intimidating. Here’s what you should know ahead of time, and how you can make the most of it.

What Are Callback Auditions?

Most shows have auditions, for which actors might be asked to prepare a monologue and/or (if the show is a musical) a song. Casting directors and other members of the production team use auditions to evaluate actors’ potential and make decisions about who will fill each role.

A callback audition is a second wave of testing: an opportunity for directors to finalize a cast list. Quite literally, actors are “called back” to the audition space to continue vying for a spot in the production. For some directors, callbacks are merely a “final cut” for certain roles. Others use callbacks exclusively to fine-tune a cast list they’ve already made.

Who Gets a Callback?

Generally, actors who receive callbacks for certain roles are the finalists for those roles. However, some actors may be asked to read for multiple characters.

What Will You Be Asked to Do?

Unlike auditions, you likely won’t need to memorize any materials ahead of a callback. Most callbacks involve readings from the play or musical: You’ll be given the script and asked to perform certain scenes from the show for the production team, likely alongside other actors who have also been called back. Sometimes you’ll be given some time with the material, other times, you may receive the material at the callback and be asked to perform a “cold reading,” without much prep time at all.

Note you may be asked to read for a role you didn’t audition for. Follow the director’s request, even if you aren’t interested in that role; they may simply be experimenting, and you can always decline a role if you don’t want it. (Who knows? You might be surprised to find you like playing an unexpected character!) Mostly, you want to appear receptive to the creative process of the director, display an apt ability to make strong choices and take risks, and be game, willing, and pleasant to work with.

7 Tips for a Great Callback Audition

Much of the same audition etiquette advice also applies to callbacks. Be courteous and professional, arrive early, and bring your acting resume.

Specifically, keep these principles in mind:

A Thespian participates in Thespy adjudication at ITF 2023. Photo by David Slaughter

Carefully follow all instructions: Prepare any materials as instructed and stay active and engaged during the callback itself.
Know the show: Now that you’ll be performing lines from the show itself, it’s even more important to understand the show and your (potential) role in it. Familiarize yourself with the character(s) you’ve been asked to read for. You won’t be expected to know every nuance of a character yet, but study at least the basics: the character’s motivation, their brief biography, and their dramatic arc throughout the show. If you have time, read the whole script, or watch a recording of the performance. Of course, if the show is a brand new original work, you may not have the ability to learn much ahead of the callback. Do as much research as you can.
Be flexible: As in auditions, directors are evaluating how well you take criticism and can adapt to their vision. Listen to and incorporate their suggestions for how to read a line or approach a scene—even if you don’t necessarily agree with them. Try things various ways, if you get the opportunity to read more than once.
Support your fellow actors: If you’re asked to read with another actor, treat them courteously and respect their creative decisions. The casting director will likely be assessing how you and other actors interact—both your on-stage chemistry and your level of professionalism—so be open and respectful. (After all, they may soon be your castmate!)
A group of Thespians prepare for adjudication at ITF 2023. Photo by David Slaughter
Try not to be nervous: Receiving an invitation to a callback audition is a good sign! The director saw what they liked in your audition and wants to spend more time assessing you for a role (or multiple roles). While certainly not a guarantee you’ll be cast, a callback reflects you’ve passed the hardest part of the audition process: making a favorable impression on the casting director.
Stay true to yourself: Again, the casting director saw something they liked in your audition. Don’t suddenly present yourself differently from how you did then, and definitely don’t try to copy a famous actor’s performance of a role. (A casting director isn’t interested in your imitation of Hugh Jackman’s Harold Hill. They want your Harold Hill.)
Follow up: The production team will almost certainly confirm how they’ll inform you on their casting decisions. But if they don’t (or they haven’t contacted you in the time frame they originally announced), it’s appropriate to reach out for clarification. Just be sure to check all locations information may have been conveyed already, like a callboard or your spam folder!

What if I didn’t get a callback?

Don’t panic if you didn’t receive a callback. That doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be cast—the director may simply feel they’ve seen enough of your performance and resume to make a casting decision. Or perhaps the callbacks are only for certain roles or ensembles rather than the full cast.

Once you’re through the callback process, learn how to prepare for a table read or handle not getting the part you wanted.

Andrew Koch is a writer and editor from Cincinnati.

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Dramaturgy 101: Creating an Actor Packet

Dylan Malloy — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:18:25 +0000

This fall, I learned about dramaturgy for the first time by serving as a dramaturg for my college theatre department’s production of Lost Girl, written and directed by Professor Kimberly Belflower. Dramaturgs perform the research and story analysis that make a play come alive for the actors and creative team. They’re also often responsible for creating the “actor packet,” a short research document with information relevant to the play.

4 Tips for Creating a Great Actor Packet

The actors use this packet to gain more context about the themes present within the script, essentially helping build the story from the inside out! While there’s plenty to learn, here are four of my biggest lessons creating my very first actor packet.

1: Read the play.

First, sit down with the play and read it thoroughly. It helps to make note of what you notice while reading. Do certain character dynamics stand out? What themes seem particularly clear? Does the ending make sense, or is it more ambiguous? Is the style realistic or not?

Once you finish reading the play, ask yourself one key question: What information do actors need to know to tell this story well?

The answer to this question can come in the form of themes, historical context, storytelling devices, information about the play’s genre – the options are endless. You’ll research many different things while working on your actor packet, but answering this question for yourself narrows your focus.

2: Research the context.

Next, begin your research into the play’s context, as this often determines so much about the story from the start. Context is the particular lens through which the author, director, and/or creative team approach the material, informing how characters relate to each other and how they interact with the setting.

For example, Cabaret is a story about a passionate love affair between a British nightclub singer and an American author. However, its context is that it’s set in Berlin on the eve of the holocaust, and this affects how the actors might portray the story. Knowing details about the world the story is set in helps you understand what different characters value.

Even if the play takes place in the present, do some broad Google searches into a play’s historical setting and geographical location. What was happening in the world at the time when the play takes place? Where is the play located in the world, and how has that location been impacted by global issues?

Make a bullet-point list of the most relevant facts that actors should know. The list doesn’t have to include everything – just enough information to provide some background. At the end of the actor packet, include some links that actors can reference if they would like more information.

Think of it like drawing: by providing historical context in the actor packet, you’re outlining the sketch. Next, you’ll focus on the smaller details of the story and add some color.

3: Explore themes and genres.

In every play, the playwright wants to communicate a message about the world. They do so by exploring conflict between characters and the world around them. You can help the actors understand the themes of the story by pointing to works with similar themes. Everything you include in the actor packet helps the actors to ground themselves within the story.

For example, if the play you’re working on is a romance that ends tragically, you can provide a list of other romances that end tragically. Actors can read or watch these stories to understand the nuances of the emotions they will portray onstage. When actors understand a play’s genre, they can also work to understand what makes this particular play different from stories of the same genre. Different themes and approaches set stories apart.

While creating the actor packet for Theater Emory’s production of Lost Girl, the dramaturgy team included information about different genres: fantasy and coming-of-age. Lost Girl is inspired by the story of Peter Pan and follows Wendy Darling after she returns home from Neverland and tries to start her life again. We wanted to have a section of the actor packet that talked about tropes commonly found in both genres so they could understand how the play works with and subverts those tropes.

4: Study the characters.

Once you’ve provided research about the context, themes, and genre of the play, shift your attention to the characters. Every character pursues different goals and experiences conflict along the way, and actors seek to find out why they act the way they do. You can help them in this process by sharing research related to psychology and behavior.

For example, if a character is grieving a loss, including a scientific article about grief makes it easier for an actor to understand the character’s emotions. While working on the production of Lost Girl, which focuses on Wendy’s heartbreak after losing Peter Pan, the dramaturgy team provided research about mental health in the actor packet to contextualize why Wendy struggles to move on.

However, always be careful that the sources you include are accurate, professional, and trustworthy. If you have any questions about whether you should include a source, be sure to ask your theatre teacher. It’s best not to try to explain the characters, but to share interesting pieces of research that empower actors to draw their own conclusions.

Once you compile all your research, you’ll have a completed actor packet ready to distribute! Your research and attention to detail will help the cast and creative team see the story in a kaleidoscope of different ways.

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3 Ways to Get Your Back-to-School Theatre Goals on Track

Patty Craft — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:35:48 +0000

We’re well into the school year, and you’re way past prepping for back to school—you’re living the reality. Your days may seem beyond full; been there, done that. But all that business could leave you feeling like your back-to-school theatre goals have fallen by the wayside.

Luckily, there’s still plenty of time to get back on track. Here are three tips to help get organized and make time to do more theatre.

Tip 1: Learn to (Respectfully) Say No

It’s trite because it’s true: There are only so many hours in a day. While we want to spend plenty of time with our “want to” activities, like theatre, we’re often left with a lot of “have to” chores—it’s hard to enjoy anything when we’re over-committed.

We suggest you make time to talk with your theatre teacher or Thespian troupe director. Why? They want to see you succeed and have some fun doing it. Be brave enough to ask for help organizing (or reorganizing) your days so that you can balance your responsibilities with your passions.

Until you get the chance to have that important conversation with your teacher (and if no one has told you yet), it’s OK to say no.

How? Practice the pause. That is, every time you’re asked to volunteer for a cause, participate in a group project, or are invited to an event, learn to say, “Let me check my calendar and get back to you.” With a bit of time to consider the offer, ask yourself if saying yes supports your goals and passions.

It’s not too late to get your schedule under control, and honing the “just say no” skill will help you manage well in all aspects of your life.

Tip 2: Get Back to Basics

People who stand out in their chosen fields often possess a small amount of natural talent, but those who find lasting success developed discipline. They all know that practice makes progress and understand the proven value of preparation and repetition.

What that means for you: Right now is a great time to get back to basics.

With auditions in your future, you can regain a sense of control by revisiting what you’ve been taught from the very start. Audition coach Laura Enstall put together this easy-to-follow audition etiquette guide. “Act like you’re auditioning the minute you arrive,” she advises. “Maybe the stage manager is holding the door for you, or maybe you run into the choreographer in the hall. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings.”

Maybe you’re already cast in the first show of your school’s season and you have a table read coming up. Arrive well-prepared and you’ll help the entire process flow a bit more smoothly. Do you know that you should read the whole script ahead of time, and not just your parts? Plus, here’s a separate post if you’re the playwright running a table read.

Tip 3: Get Curious with a Purpose

To be the kind of actor who transforms into a character so authentic that the audience suspends disbelief, you must understand people.

And to meet a variety of people, you’re going to need to go where you don’t normally go; talk with people you may not normally talk with. Get to know people outside the theatre. Yes, the musicians, the STEM gang, the 4-H crew, the athletes, and whomever else you can interact with.

Talking with new acquaintances opens doors into worlds you’ve not explored. For example, be curious and ask the first chair trumpet player in the marching band how they honed their skills. Ask about their practice routines or performance-day rituals. Connect with students in the STEM program and listen to what motivates them to be part of those activities. Even find out how the kicker on the football team stays ready to play when they’re only on the field for a few opportunities in each game.

And when it comes to your theatre skills, now’s a great time to explore new parts of every production. Instead of auditioning for an acting role in the next production, join the tech crew and experience what goes on behind the scenes so the show can go on. You may even discover talents you haven’t tapped into yet.

Remember that it’s not too late to begin again. Schedule a meet-up with your theatre teacher. Return to the basics and practice, practice, practice. And light a fire under your curiosity so you can achieve all your theatre goals.

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to the Educational Theatre Association.

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