TV Exclusive: What Should You Do in an Audition Room? Casting Directors Tell All

Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World

We're at the Casting Society of America's 34th annual RTOS Awards, which honors excellence in casting for film, television, and theater

and we caught up with many of this year's winners. We have millions of young actors and actresses at Broadway World watching this

What do you look for in a casting room when an actor-actress comes into your room

What do you look for? Passion. It's because we're now, my... My office also cast Harry Potter

So we're in the process of seeing a lot of very young actors. And to see someone with the passion and the love for wanting to do theater is kind of amazing

My office also did Spring Awakening all those many, many years ago. And it's the same thing

It's incredibly exciting to see young people who still have a hunger to get on stage and

do that. It's not all TV and film. And there are still a lot

lot of young people who have a passion for getting on stage and connecting with a live audience

every night. And that's the excitement of finding someone that's very talented who wants to do

that is incredibly gratifying. I think the thing for the young ones to remember is that we're all

here to do a job. So I'm on your side. You know, the nerves, everything, I will help you do

the best that you can do. So just come in, have a good time, be yourself as much as possible

You don't have anything to prove. It's just, me as a professional and you as a professional talking to each other and working off of each other

And that if you chose to be an actor it a tough life So I hope that you love it and enjoy every moment you have even if it just auditioning in that day Because you chose it You got to do it Someone who prepared to be themselves in the best way that they can be

that they're not trying to please us in some way. They're coming and presenting a story and a character that's their version of it

without any fuss or any needing to please us in some way

Yeah, it's exactly about it. We talked about this a little before. It's I'm looking for the person who brings their art

their vision, their point of view. I love working with curious people

And that's, I mean, that's it. I love working with curious people

and I love it when a curious actor walks in the door. Somebody who is prepared, who makes choices, who's fearless

and who wants to earn the part for themselves and has put in the work

And I think just recognize that actors can talk to us and not necessarily at us

There's a way that actors can walk in the room and it's like, hi, hi, I'm projecting myself at you and I understand because it's nerves

But actually, we're trying to find out who the human being is as well as who the actor is

So it's important to remember that we're people who are receiving your energy as people

as well as then showing me what you can do as an actor. So I think it's really keeping, you know, making sure you connect with the person

and don't thrust your energy at them, even though that may be what you feel you need to do or your nerves

trying to keep yourself, keep your eye on the prize. I look for somebody who ready to go to work somebody who read the play somebody who has read the scene and knows the context from which the action emerged and is ready to dig in and do their work I also look for actors to be themselves to understand how important it is for them to bring themselves to a text to a character

And I also look for people who have imagination, I think, you know, who bring something that I didn't think of to the character

That's always really exciting to me. Just honesty, spirit, intelligence, and just that special something

And it's so wonderful to work in New York because there's such a rich variety of talent

And every day somebody walks into our office who has that special something and we love to celebrate it

I know it might sound trite or crazy, but really just being yourself and knowing who you are

And the more that you can embrace that and trust it, and then on top of it, add whatever training methods you have that can show that you can be

be an individual and somebody with a craft, that's what's important. I want to see the person just as much as I want to see the performer

I think it's all about trying to honor the material. Honestly, it's not about being jazzy

It's not about being special. It's just about doing your best work, being prepared, and making the material the most

important thing. Yeah, it's if you can bring it to life. Like, we all have preconceived notions of what we want when we have a script in mind

But I think when someone comes in and really breathes life to it, from the one-liners to the big roles

I'm looking to be surprised and really to put some, not some energy, but my world life, I'll keep saying that

That's the exact word. Yeah, trying to find actors that fit the world

especially a role like Ozark which is so unique and fascinating to find actors that perfectly fit in that environment is something that this show specifically really really makes it special for us

to work on this show. Yeah, and I think you're often, you're bringing yourself to the material in that

We want them to be as comfortable as possible, and we luckily work for Ellen Lewis

who is such a great mentor, and that is one of the key things she tells us, we want them

to be as comfortable as possible to do the best that they can. We want someone to get the part, so the better they do

the user our job is. Yeah, just be an authentic artist, whatever that is to you

whatever that looks like, whatever shape, size, color, whatever beliefs you have

be yourself, and that's who we want to see because we want to see that artist

that maybe won't get this role, but if we can find the right piece for you

that authenticity is just going to be key to helping you find your voice

and helping you connect with the community at large. What I always look for

is someone just bringing themselves and what's unique about, them because even if they're not right for that part, if you see that they're great at what they

do, that they bring an honesty and an authenticity, then you'll just go, oh, not this, but I have the

exact right thing for you in three weeks. And so the important thing is obviously you have to

do what's required of the part, but also don't try to lose what makes you special

Exactly. And I would completely agree with what Betsy said. And also just to, it seems

obvious, but be as prepared as you possibly can and also open to any kind of adjustments or

playing you might be able to do in the room. Yeah, it's amazing how many times you say to people like

do it again, but just don't look at him. And then they just do it again the way they had practiced

So really listen to what the note is. If you're getting a note, the casting person's really

trying to help you get the part. So really hear the note and try to do it