How to Not Be SCARED When Going in For an Audition

Do you have an upcoming audition? Are you nervous and scared? Whether you are auditioning for the first time or the 100th time, it is completely normal to feel scared!

While you can learn to manage your audition anxiety it may never entirely go away, and that is okay! The more you audition, the more you will learn a routine that helps you get in the right mindset and helps you feel confident and relaxed.

I too have struggled with being scared for auditions—the feeling of sitting in the waiting area for a big audition—when your heart races, hands start to sweat, shaking my feet. But no matter how many nerves I feel, I remind myself to not let my focus and confidence slip.

The more I have auditioned, the more I’ve learned. Here are some ways that help me to not be scared when going in for an audition. Hopefully, these tips and techniques can help you too!

#1: Be over-prepared

This doesn’t mean over-rehearsed. When it comes to being nervous or scared, the best way to overcome those feelings is to be prepared. Practice, practice, practice! Make sure you know your audition piece, performance, or lines by heart.

If you get nervous during your audition, and you go blank, you will find your brain involuntarily taking over because it has become so well-rehearsed.

 The old saying of ‘practice makes perfect’ is not entirely true, I like to say ‘practice makes permanent so practice perfect.’

#2: Pre-plan your day

When it comes to the day of your audition, you might want to plan your day ahead. 

You may want to consider skipping the caffeine before your audition. While a normal cup of coffee on a regular day might help you be more alert, on audition days it can actually agitate your stage fright symptoms. You will already have enough adrenaline pumping before your big audition.

You should also make sure to locate a restroom upon arrival. Being nervous can make you more apt to have to you know...especially if you did not skip your morning cup of coffee, tea, or soda.

And finally, it is always a good idea to exert some energy before your audition. Having that extra adrenaline pumping through your system might make your mind race. Consider stretching, jumping jacks, or pushups to release your extra energy. But don’t go too crazy; you don’t want to be too winded or too tired before your audition either. 

#3: Visualize

I find that our imaginations are so powerful. 

When you are practicing, imagine yourself at your audition from start to finish. Visualize yourself entering the building, warming up, breathing, walking onto the stage, talking to the judges, performing your entire audition line for line or note for note, saying thank you, all the way to walking off the stage.

If you have auditioned before, visualize and recall the times you have successfully auditioned and how you felt. Remember your nerves and anxiety, which in turn make you scared, is all in your mind. Take ownership of those feelings.

#4: Breathe

A simple way to keep from nerves taking over and getting stage fright is to breathe. When you focus on breathing, it helps to center and calm your mind and body. 

There are many breathing techniques you can try, but I like to simply sit still, breathe in deeply and slowly, and then slowly release my breath. You can do this over and over as many times as you want until you feel ready. 

When you focus only on your breath, it helps bring your stress levels back to normal, allowing you to think more clearly.

#5: Walk-in with confidence

One of the first things directors and casting agents will notice is your body language and if you are radiating confidence. Hold your head high, make eye contact, and act like you already have the gig! No one wants to give the part/role to someone who is acting sheepish and nervous the entire time. Even if you are feeling those feelings, try to not let it show!

Do not panic if you make a mistake. Mistakes happen. But keep going, the judges will be more impressed with how you were able to recover.

The bottom line is you want to show the judges that even if you made a mistake today, that you are confident enough and mature enough to handle the part and will continue on and grow.

#6: Keep auditioning

No matter what happens during the audition, and the outcome from it…keep auditioning! Pat yourself on the back and reward yourself for putting yourself out there. 

It may help you to start a journal and jot down some ideas about what you learned from that experience so you can look back at it. Once you figure out your audition routine, you will continue to build on your confidence, which will help make you less and less scared each time!

Don’t Be Scared to Audition

The next time you have an audition I hope these tips and techniques will help you feel less scared. Remember, it is perfectly normal to have anxiety before an audition—no matter how many times you have auditioned before—even experienced actors get nervous. The key to auditioning is learning how to handle your nerves!

Til next time, 

Katrina