Hydrating in an audition

I am fascinated by the omnipresence of water bottles in auditions. No matter how short the aria (i.e. O mio babbino caro, Lieben hassen), it seems that more often that not, the singer will ask if the audition panel minds if he or she gets a drink before their next aria. In addition to this taking a bit of time away from your singing, it always makes me wonder what you will do in the middle of a long scene on stage (i.e. Susanna, Act II finale, Figaro). I know, I know, you can plant a bottle behind rocks, etc, but let's face it, that's usually not practical. I am fully aware that this is a case of me saying "back in my day, we didn't have water bottles - we sang twelve arias in a row and were happy to do it!!" In any case, just an observation......

Will I get more auditions if I have a manager?

Well......that depends. Getting a manager is not a silver bullet for your career. The old adage is "there has to be something to manage". It's a real catch 22 - it's easy to feel that "I need a job to get a manager, and I need a manager to get a job". In many cases, this isn't true. If you find that a manager is anxious to sign you, and you really don't have any credits yet, put on the brakes - and do some home work. The internet and social media has made these things easy to check. Look at the roster of the person who wants to sign you - where are the singers' credits on the roster. If they are predominantly in pay to sing programs. or companies that you've never heard of, etc., it should be a warning sign. Ask colleagues directly or check the many social media sites about the manager in question. I won't weigh in on this right now, but you will also need to address the issue of retainers.
But to stay more to the side of this that I deal with....We always hold spots open in our auditions for unmanaged singers, and in reality, you have a better shot at getting an audition with me (and I know with some other companies as well) as an unmanaged singer, than you do if you are submitted by an unknown agency that we don't generally deal with. If you have just completed an artist diploma or a young artist program, don't be afraid to use the contacts you have developed to obtain an audition. If any number of my colleagues call and say "you really need to hear this singer", I will. And I will do the same for young singers as well. Don't be afraid to ask for those kind of recommendations. You stand a much better chance of getting an audition that way, than you do if you simply send your materials in blind, or if you sign with an agent, who may in fact, put you even further back in the pack.

Why do I hear about singers doing rep they "shouldn't"?

Perhaps because of the following. This question also serves as a point regarding auditions. Remember, when a General Director hears you, he or she is thinking in terms of what will work in his or her particular theatre. My last theatre was 500 seats, so I was able to cast certain shows in ways that I can't here where the house I usually perform in is 2200 seats. Smaller houses usually mean smaller pits, which mean smaller orchestras - which means that singers who might not usually sing a certain role may actually get to do it in that smaller house.

Repertoire - Musical theatre and operetta - yay or nay?

This question often comes up. For a company that regularly does Gilbert and Sullivan, other operetta or musicals, this is, of course, not an issue. Also, there are certain pieces from the world of operetta that seem to be universally acceptable - pieces from The Merry Widow and Die Fledermaus, Candide (particularly Glitter and be Gay) and Street Scene. After that, it becomes a little more hazy. Perhaps the best advice is - try to find out what a particular company's attitude might be before diving in with repertoire you're not sure about. Some other examples of musical theatre, operetta rep. that has shown up in auditions I have heard:

• Various G & S
• Ice Cream from She Loves Me
• Soliloquy from Carousel
• One Kiss from New Moon
• Meine Lippen from Giuditta
• Various non Hoffman Offenbach (i.e. La Perichole, Grande Duchesse)

It would be interesting to hear other folks' views on this subject.

Feedback

One of the questions/complaints I get from singers with whom I meet is about feedback from ADs/GDs. I know from conversations that I have had with colleagues that there is a wide range of attitudes about feedback. Some feel, with some justification, that the sheer volume of answering feedback questions, even with today's e-mail is very daunting. Therefore, the most equitable way to approach it is to not do it all. I think this is certainly fair, and I understand that. I have usually said that I will give feedback, and I try to do it in an expeditious manner. But there are times when it feels daunting, based on sheer volume.

If you do request feedback, be very clear about what points you are asking about, such as:

• What was the general impact you made in the audition
• What vocal work do you still have to do
• Did the rep you sang seem well suited to you
• What should you work on?
• Next steps - i.e. another audition for this person in the future, etc.

Your goal with feedback should be to give you further tools for your next audition - either for the same company, or another one.
You need to go into feedback with a strong sense of self - otherwise, you will find yourself turning somersaults every time you get a suggestion that varies from a previous idea. This is the difficult part - taking what is useful, while maintaining your core.
There will certainly be more about this as we go along.

Clothes comments

Well, those were some interesting comments, and ones I will digest a bit. I don't know if there is a different psychology to color, etc. in a musical theatre audition vs. an opera audition, but I will muse on that. And of course, things change. Back in the dark ages when I was auditioning, most every male wore a coat and tie. Today, while that is still common, one also sees open neck sport shirts, turtle necks, nicer colored tees with sports jackets, etc.
The comments regarding female issues are appreciated, and I confess that they might not have occurred to me!
In any case, we will retire attire as a subject for the time being, and I will be back with a new topic shortly.

About those clothes......

Well, it's Friday, so why not open a real can of worms - clothes and hair for auditions - an interesting topic to be sure, and one that shouldn't be minimized.
I'll keep it basic to start:

• Your outfit should be neutral - I should remember you and your singing, not your clothes.
• Your hair should be out of your face, so I can see how you use your face expressively.
• Coat and tie are not necessary, but you should dress in such a way as to be respectful of the situation - and no jeans!
  
• If you're a mezzo or soprano, you don't have to dress androgenously to sell Cherubino, Octavian, Oscar, Seibel, or any of their brethren.
• Don't underestimate the comfort factor - being comfortable - clothes not too tight, shoes that allow you to balance, etc. - all are important in letting you do your best work.

Well, that's my starting list - please weigh in with questions or comments!