Gina Wilhelm Actress - Audition Meetings
This afternoon I met with two friends to talk about auditions and how I can improve my results in them.
My first meeting was with Cyndi Thomsen, who directed me in "A Christmas Story" and was present at my Theatre Puget Sound general audition.
At our meeting, she suggested a variety of things, including meeting with a singing teacher who could find a song that suits me well and isn't likely to be sung by every other actress coming into the room.
She suggested a number of classes, as well as taking something like Zumba or yoga to keep limber and active.
The most important thing she advised was to find monologues and songs that really show who the actor is.
As a director, she's had people come in and obviously audition for a particular role. Those people don't generally get the part. But those who connect to their monologue tend to get the callback and often the role.
She suggested asking onself, "What am I saying to the director?"
Afterwards, I met with Sam Longoria, writer, director, producer, editor, and actor. We wrote an audition monologue together. It's hilarious, and I can guarantee no one else will perform it at my next audition.
Thank you so much to both Cyndi and Sam for your invaluable help!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Showing posts with label audition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label audition. Show all posts
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Victoria Cyr is a Grown Up
Victoria Cyr is a Grown Up
Victoria Cyr doesn't know why the producers of the movie "Grown Ups" cast her. "You always kind of wonder."
She isn't complaining, though.
Cyr plays the niece of a basketball coach who has died. Several people have come back to their hometown for the funeral.
Those home comers are played by Adam Sandler, Maya Rudolph, Chris Rock, and a handful of other Saturday Night Live alumni.
Cyr describes her part as a "plum role."
She already filmed the funeral scene, which she said was difficult, as the veteran comedians would keep cracking jokes between takes.
"It was hard to keep a straight face," she said.
Cyr made the decision 14 years ago to pursue acting. She decided to follow her dreams.
She moved to Hollywood, but decided to return to Beverly Farms, MA, because she hated the traffic there, among other things. Also, her "beau" lived in Massachusetts.
She still manages to find acting work, despite living so far from Hollywood.
Tax breaks draw many films to be shot in Massachusetts. Additionally, she lives close enough to New York that she can go there for work.
She also sends audition tapes electronically to Hollywood.
She has been known to get roles through sheer determination. She followed the filming of one movie for two years because there was a role in it she was sure was perfect for her.
Eventually she was able to get and audition and landed the role.
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Victoria Cyr doesn't know why the producers of the movie "Grown Ups" cast her. "You always kind of wonder."
She isn't complaining, though.
Cyr plays the niece of a basketball coach who has died. Several people have come back to their hometown for the funeral.
Those home comers are played by Adam Sandler, Maya Rudolph, Chris Rock, and a handful of other Saturday Night Live alumni.
Cyr describes her part as a "plum role."
She already filmed the funeral scene, which she said was difficult, as the veteran comedians would keep cracking jokes between takes.
"It was hard to keep a straight face," she said.
More scenes for the film are set to be shot close to her home, in Essex, MA, soon, set at a Fourth of July cookout.
Cyr made the decision 14 years ago to pursue acting. She decided to follow her dreams.
She moved to Hollywood, but decided to return to Beverly Farms, MA, because she hated the traffic there, among other things. Also, her "beau" lived in Massachusetts.
She still manages to find acting work, despite living so far from Hollywood.
Tax breaks draw many films to be shot in Massachusetts. Additionally, she lives close enough to New York that she can go there for work.
She also sends audition tapes electronically to Hollywood.
She has been known to get roles through sheer determination. She followed the filming of one movie for two years because there was a role in it she was sure was perfect for her.
Eventually she was able to get and audition and landed the role.
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Adventures in Auditioning: SecondStory Repertory
Gina Wilhelm Actress - Adventures in Auditioning: SecondStory Repertory
As we near the end of April and beginning of May, several theatre companies in the Seattle/Puget Sound area hold general season auditions.
For those who are unfamiliar (and I was when I moved up here a few years ago), some theatres just have one audition for their whole season.
They will then call actors back throughout the year to see them for specific shows, thereby only having to deal with the callback right when it's time to start work on the show.
Among the theatre companies that do that are Village Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 5th Avenue Musical Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, and SecondStory Repertory.
Today was all about SecondStory Repertory, which is based out of Redmond Town Center. Next season they have seven shows on the mainstage as well as four "Sprouts" children's shows.
I had done the general audition for SecondStory last year, and it had involved a group of some 20 actors all sitting in the auditorium with most of the upcoming season's directors at the front of the room.
Each actor went up when called and performed in front of everyone else. Each audition group was scheduled in 1-hour blocks.
I therefore assumed that was what was in store for us this year. However, this time it was more of what I have become accustomed to: Three directors, an accompanist, and one actor.
I gave my monologue first. It was received well, I think. At one point in the piece, my character goes from being cynical and despairing to overcome with joy over an essay she's reading.
One of my biggest strengths is my ability to react to what's going on onstage (they say acting is reacting).
I had given myself a peptalk before the audition to remember to really react to what my character was reading.
Judging from the chuckles I heard from behind the table, it paid off.
I got some other laughs, too, and at the end, the accompanist said he was going to have to watch the movie from which my piece was adapted. Given his tone, I took that as a compliment.
After that, I sang my song. This was a little challenge today.
The accompanist was playing an electric keyboard, and the volume was down a little quieter than I would have liked. A few times it was hard to hear where the beat was.
However, I continued to sing, remembering to act the music, and they seemed really pleased. I thanked them and left.
The hardest part for me about season general auditions is that they hold callbacks at various times throughout the year, and you don't really know when they'll be.
However, they're doing a number of good shows this season, some with parts for which I think I'd really be suited, and I think things went well, so hopefully I'll be hearing from them!
In any event, I'll have more opportunity to get used to the idea: I have my season general audition for Village Theatre in Issaquah this week. More to come!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
As we near the end of April and beginning of May, several theatre companies in the Seattle/Puget Sound area hold general season auditions.
For those who are unfamiliar (and I was when I moved up here a few years ago), some theatres just have one audition for their whole season.
They will then call actors back throughout the year to see them for specific shows, thereby only having to deal with the callback right when it's time to start work on the show.
Among the theatre companies that do that are Village Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 5th Avenue Musical Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, and SecondStory Repertory.
Today was all about SecondStory Repertory, which is based out of Redmond Town Center. Next season they have seven shows on the mainstage as well as four "Sprouts" children's shows.
I had done the general audition for SecondStory last year, and it had involved a group of some 20 actors all sitting in the auditorium with most of the upcoming season's directors at the front of the room.
Each actor went up when called and performed in front of everyone else. Each audition group was scheduled in 1-hour blocks.
I therefore assumed that was what was in store for us this year. However, this time it was more of what I have become accustomed to: Three directors, an accompanist, and one actor.
I gave my monologue first. It was received well, I think. At one point in the piece, my character goes from being cynical and despairing to overcome with joy over an essay she's reading.
One of my biggest strengths is my ability to react to what's going on onstage (they say acting is reacting).
I had given myself a peptalk before the audition to remember to really react to what my character was reading.
Judging from the chuckles I heard from behind the table, it paid off.
I got some other laughs, too, and at the end, the accompanist said he was going to have to watch the movie from which my piece was adapted. Given his tone, I took that as a compliment.
After that, I sang my song. This was a little challenge today.
The accompanist was playing an electric keyboard, and the volume was down a little quieter than I would have liked. A few times it was hard to hear where the beat was.
However, I continued to sing, remembering to act the music, and they seemed really pleased. I thanked them and left.
The hardest part for me about season general auditions is that they hold callbacks at various times throughout the year, and you don't really know when they'll be.
However, they're doing a number of good shows this season, some with parts for which I think I'd really be suited, and I think things went well, so hopefully I'll be hearing from them!
In any event, I'll have more opportunity to get used to the idea: I have my season general audition for Village Theatre in Issaquah this week. More to come!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Audition Update
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Earlier this week I reported on my general audition for Seattle Musical Theatre's production of "Jane Eyre the Musical."
Yesterday I received a call from my friend, who happens to be doing props for the show. She frequently stage manages at SMT, but not this time out. Anyway, apparently she was doing the callback calls, because she told me I'm called for the second day of callbacks.
I have no idea for what I'm called. I'm hoping it's for Bertha, the wife locked in the tower. I've been told by a few people I'm well suited to the role and vice-versa. But I'll just have to see.
The callback is on Monday. Stay posted. Once again, more details to follow.
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Earlier this week I reported on my general audition for Seattle Musical Theatre's production of "Jane Eyre the Musical."
Yesterday I received a call from my friend, who happens to be doing props for the show. She frequently stage manages at SMT, but not this time out. Anyway, apparently she was doing the callback calls, because she told me I'm called for the second day of callbacks.
I have no idea for what I'm called. I'm hoping it's for Bertha, the wife locked in the tower. I've been told by a few people I'm well suited to the role and vice-versa. But I'll just have to see.
The callback is on Monday. Stay posted. Once again, more details to follow.
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
More Adventures in Auditioning
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Today's audition was for the Freehold Theatre studio series show "The Benefits of Chaos." A friend suggested I try out for it.
The show itself will only be 20 minutes, but there will be an interactive tea party before and after, so there will be lots of improv. I'm interested in improv, and I've had some success with it in my Gilbert & Sullivan Society auditions, but I've never Officially Done Improv.
The auditions were yesterday and today. Apparently everyone went yesterday. So I had the director all to myself. Which is good and bad, I imagine. Only I got there a little late (got lost). Which was probably more noticeable since I was the only one coming.
She had me do a speech with a puppet (which will be in the show) and perform my monologue. Apparently the show proper is MOSTLY monologues. And one of the monologue/vignette bits is done with a puppet. Another involves singing.
My parents owned a puppet company when I was little (and before), so we talked about that. The scene with the puppet she gave me to read was two pages long, and she gave me time to work on it.
She had me perform only the first page of the scene. Which was fun, but I had really wanted to do the second page. The performer gets to kiss the puppet (after resisting), and I had worked out how to make him "walk" away.
The first page was more about acting. The second was more about puppetry (At least, that's how I saw it). The director, I'm sure, really wanted to see me act. But I wanted to get my puppet on.
She said she might let us know within the next couple of hours. So, fingers crossed. And once again, stay tuned. There's more to come!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Today's audition was for the Freehold Theatre studio series show "The Benefits of Chaos." A friend suggested I try out for it.
The show itself will only be 20 minutes, but there will be an interactive tea party before and after, so there will be lots of improv. I'm interested in improv, and I've had some success with it in my Gilbert & Sullivan Society auditions, but I've never Officially Done Improv.
The auditions were yesterday and today. Apparently everyone went yesterday. So I had the director all to myself. Which is good and bad, I imagine. Only I got there a little late (got lost). Which was probably more noticeable since I was the only one coming.
She had me do a speech with a puppet (which will be in the show) and perform my monologue. Apparently the show proper is MOSTLY monologues. And one of the monologue/vignette bits is done with a puppet. Another involves singing.
My parents owned a puppet company when I was little (and before), so we talked about that. The scene with the puppet she gave me to read was two pages long, and she gave me time to work on it.
She had me perform only the first page of the scene. Which was fun, but I had really wanted to do the second page. The performer gets to kiss the puppet (after resisting), and I had worked out how to make him "walk" away.
The first page was more about acting. The second was more about puppetry (At least, that's how I saw it). The director, I'm sure, really wanted to see me act. But I wanted to get my puppet on.
She said she might let us know within the next couple of hours. So, fingers crossed. And once again, stay tuned. There's more to come!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
Sunday, December 7, 2008
In Which I Audition for a Show
Gina Wilhelm Actress
That's right, it's a post about ME for once.
Today I had an audition for an actual-gasp-musical. Not Gilbert & Sullivan or Opera or anything. This was Seattle Musical Theatre's "Jane Eyre The Musical."
And I was even there on time. As promised.
Everyone there who knew me seemed pleased to see me, and the assistant stage manager, whom I don't know, was very nice. And she kept me from saying I wanted to be considered for what I assume was an ingenue part (Two characters with names beginning with "B" with which I would never ever saddle a poor kid. Too confusing).
I'm especially pleased with how my song went. We spent a lot of time working on it, and I think it paid off. It's been out of my regular rotation, but I think I may go back to singing "My Funny Valentine" more often.
After I sang, the music director wanted to hear me do some other things, so I'm feeling optimistic about this one. Fingers crossed. Hopefully this post will be just part one of a series. Stay tuned!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
That's right, it's a post about ME for once.
Today I had an audition for an actual-gasp-musical. Not Gilbert & Sullivan or Opera or anything. This was Seattle Musical Theatre's "Jane Eyre The Musical."
And I was even there on time. As promised.
Everyone there who knew me seemed pleased to see me, and the assistant stage manager, whom I don't know, was very nice. And she kept me from saying I wanted to be considered for what I assume was an ingenue part (Two characters with names beginning with "B" with which I would never ever saddle a poor kid. Too confusing).
I'm especially pleased with how my song went. We spent a lot of time working on it, and I think it paid off. It's been out of my regular rotation, but I think I may go back to singing "My Funny Valentine" more often.
After I sang, the music director wanted to hear me do some other things, so I'm feeling optimistic about this one. Fingers crossed. Hopefully this post will be just part one of a series. Stay tuned!
Gina Wilhelm Actress
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