How To Prepare For Drama School Auditions

If you're 16 or 17 and getting ready for your first drama school audition, you might be wondering what you should practise, how to prepare your monologues, how to manage your nerves and what the audition panel will expect from you.

The good news is that you don't need to be perfect. You need to be prepared and ready to show the panel who you are as an actor.

Here's how to prepare for your drama school audition and walk into the room feeling confident and ready to perform.

1. Start Your Drama School Audition Preparation Early

Once you've been given your audition date, give yourself plenty of time to prepare.

Drama school audition preparation isn't just about memorising your monologue. You need time to explore your character, understand your text, experiment with different choices and become comfortable performing the piece.

Starting early gives you time to:

• Learn your monologue thoroughly
• Explore your character and intentions
• Work on your voice and articulation
• Practise your performance
• Build your confidence
• Get used to performing in front of other people
• Prepare for the interview or other parts of the audition
• Practise taking direction

The aim is to become so comfortable with your material that you can stay present, spontaneous and connected when you walk into the audition room.

2. Choose The Right Drama School Audition Monologue

If you've been asked to prepare a monologue, choosing the right piece is an important part of your audition preparation. Don't automatically choose the most dramatic monologue you can find.

Instead, choose something that gives you something to explore as an actor.

Ask yourself:

• Why am I drawn to this character?
• What does the character want?
• Who are they talking to?
• What has just happened?
• What changes during the monologue?
• What can I discover through performing it?

Choose a monologue that excites you. Your monologue should give you opportunities to demonstrate your imagination, emotional range, physicality, voice and ability to communicate meaningfully with an audience.

3. Character And Script Analysis

One of the biggest drama school audition preparation mistakes is thinking that learning the words means you've finished preparing. You need to understand what you're saying, why you're saying it and what you're trying to achieve.

Ask yourself:

• Who am I speaking to?
• What do I want from them?
• What's stopping me from getting it?
• What has happened immediately before this moment?
• What changes during the speech?
• What am I thinking that I don't actually say?

Try different choices. Experiment with pace, pauses, movement, tone and intention.

4. Voice Warm Up

Your voice is one of your most important tools as an actor.

During a drama school audition, the panel needs to hear and understand you clearly, but vocal preparation isn't about speaking louder.

Think about:

• Breath – Are you breathing correctly?
• Articulation – Are your words clear?
• Pace – Are you giving the audience enough time to follow your thoughts?
• Pitch – Does your voice have natural variation?
• Tone – Are you communicating the meaning behind the words?
• Intention – What are you actually trying to achieve?

And if you tend to rush when you're nervous, practise your monologue at a slower pace during rehearsals. That gives you more control when the adrenaline arrives on audition day.

5. Prepare for Your Drama School Audition Interview

Your audition may also include an interview, so don't forget to prepare for this part of the process.

You might be asked:

• Why do you want to become an actor?
• What inspires you?
• What have you been working on?
• What plays or performances have you seen recently?
• Who are your favourite actors?
• What do you want to improve?
• What interests you outside acting?

Be genuine and authentic when answering these questions. Underneath being an actor the panel also want to find out about you and your personality.

6. Working with an Acting Coach for Your Drama School Audition

To become that successful actor, you need to get into that drama school and sometimes you need the help of professionals who have been there and do that already which is why at Speaking Voices we have partnered with the incredible actor Victoria Chen who has been in the multiple Olivier award winning, My Neighbour Totoro.

Working with an acting coach can be incredibly helpful when preparing for your drama school audition. A coach can help you explore your monologue, develop your character and intentions, and make stronger acting choices, while also helping you work on your voice, articulation, pace and delivery.

So if you want to feel that rush of excitement of getting into your favourite drama school, invest in yourself and contact Vic for her expertise and support.