I am extremely fortunate to be in the middle of an audition process right now, having gone through the rounds successfully and am through to the finals. Every round in any audition is an opportunity to refine my approach, to try new things, to deepen my process. In the past - especially with roles I have been up for before, I have looked for new ways to access the character by focusing on physicality first. Other times, I have used textual analysis to ground myself in motivation and creative choice. Each audition is an opportunity to build upon the foundations of the last.
The goal that I’ve set for myself in this upcoming audition is to simply inhabit the characters more than I have in the past, and to be able to show that to the panel. In looking at this goal, I am now working backwards to build up to it.
I’m going to sink deeper into the characters’ back stories to discover my take on their motivation, which ultimately leads to the words they say and the lyrics they sing. I am going to try the method called ‘free-writing’, where I just start writing and allow the story to be written as I go along. In other work I have done, this has helped access a new well of creativity and insight I have into the character. Ultimately, very little (if any) of the story I write will be directly portrayed on stage. But knowing where it all comes from helps me inhabit the world of the character from the inside out. Knowing where it all comes from brings me the assurance that whatever choices I make on stage, they will be grounded in the character I have created.
For this particular audition, I have also decided to treat it as the 1st day of rehearsal - rather than audition. On any first day of rehearsal, I would have done sufficient background work on my character and the show to be able to discuss choices I have made and to illustrate those choices. At the same time, I would have none of these set in stone and I would be ready to play. This really helps SHIFT the focus away from a one-sided “performative” stress environment to one of collaboration and sharing.
-
My name is Eu Jin. I recently embarked on a career as a professional actor after 20 years in the corporate world. A big supporter of personal growth, I also dedicate time and energy in performing arts education, specifically in the arena of practical approaches to inner health because I believe that lays the groundwork for a sustainable career as an artiste. If you would like to find out more or share your thoughts, please leave me a message on the "Contact" page of my website. Thank you very much!