Local theatre audition

[JemimaMuddledUp]

DS2 (13) has spotted an advert for a local theatre's auditions for their Christmas show. No experience necessary.

He has been in a few school productions and has been going to a theatre group for several years, but has never auditioned for anything like this.

What sort of thing would he be expected to do in the audition?

If he can sing, and dance a bit be a good start, but I don't think they would expect too much of him. Enthusiasm and ability to follow instructions/directions also useful.

(I played drums for ten years for pantomimes, South Pacific, Guys and Dolls, Annie, Oliver etc and it can be good fun.)

It totally depends on the production & the company. Is it amateur or professional.

Our local professional Rep theatre casts its Christmas productions through an initial audition then via a summer school. Depending what they need from the children they might ask them to prepare a few bars of a song. If it's a show that involves dance/movement they might teach a routine or if its a more pure acting production they might cast using a group drama workshop or physical theatre workshop.

Pantos tend to be dance focused for juveniles.

What is the show?

My dc have done various auditions, generally musical theatre.

Basically they'll learn a song and scene (often provided beforehand) and learn a dance then and there.
He'd need to be happy singing solo, and, unless told otherwise, won't need to learn the lines, but it's as well to be familiar and not sound like you're reading them. Might also be acting with other children, or just to one of the audition panel sitting there reading it deadpan. Or occasionally they go for improvisation.
Dancing is usually a few steps, often to the solo song music (but generally not done at the same time) and done usually in groups.
Smile and look confident is the best advice.

As a boy he'll have a reasonable chance in my experience-one sound of music audition I chaperoned for (2 teams looking for total 4 boys and 8 girls total) had 6 boys and well over 100 girls going for it. not one of the boys would have got in as a girl.

However: Firstly they may require you to be prepared to chaperone-that is a formal qualification which depends on your council how it's awarded, or do something else (washing costumes is usually helpful)
Secondly: It does depend on who else is going for it. It can be something as silly as too tall for the costumes we already have. Plus known children, fairly naturally, will often take precedence. It's unfair and not unfair as those they know have shown that they can be relied upon etc (or not, it can work the other way!)

Thanks for your replies.

I've actually managed to speak to the director, who says there is no need to learn anything beforehand, they will just read through the script and have a chat on the day. All very laid back.