In our quest to be a successful, recognized, possibly award winning actor, we always have to be aware of what the people who are hiring us,  i.e. casting directors, are looking for.  At first thought this can seem extremely difficult. But after eleven years of auditioning, screen tests and eventually booking, I’ve come up with a few things that will make a casting director never forget you.

One of my greatest mentors, who was an actor that booked over 500 jobs in his career, once told me: “If you’re going to succeed in this business, you need to leverage everything you can to help you stand out.” He later explained that, if ten million people are vying for the same roles that I desire, it has to be my obligation to help the casting director want to give me the job. This made so much sense to me because, let’s face it, as an actor we need every advantage possible to help us rise above the rest of the pack.

If you’ve read this far, then I know you are ready to embrace your uniqueness as a performer and find yourself cast in a multitude of projects.

The very first thing you need to know if you are going to stand out is the concept of CONNECTION. Connection is not only something actors need, but human beings also. By studying psychology, I realized that if I can establish a connection with anyone, they’re going to be drawn to me.

Great news is, this is easier than you think! One of the easiest ways to establish a connection with the casting director you’re auditioning for is to do your research before you go into an audition.

I utilize this concept at an audition for a major television show once. This was a casting director who was widely known for her work in television, but I knew through different interviews and articles that she was most proud of her independent films. At this point, you have to be thinking how can I create the advantage? I strategized and realized that the first thing I was going to do was mention her latest independent film and how well I thought the cast had gelled to create an awesome project.  I found the film, watched it and made specific notes that I would use. When I entered the room, I could tell she was tired. Here’s another important point you need to know as an actor.

It’s of great significance that you always raise the energy of the room you’re walking into. For the people on the other side of the table, seeing the same audition over and over can be exhausting. They are hoping that you can come in with a spark and light the room on fire. That’s exactly what I did. I walked in with a big smile, joked about the energy of the room and mentioned the independent film. It took all the guts that I had, but if I was going to book, I had to be a step ahead. It worked perfectly. I watched as the casting director went from indifferent to extremely interested in my performance. Funny thing was,  it wasn’t even my best audition, but I established connection in the most unique way and that left an indelible impression.

We all have the ability to make anyone laugh. It all comes down to staying authentic to what the moment gives you. This is true comedy. COMEDY can win anyone over, especially a casting director.

In the aforementioned story, I touched on how I joked about the energy of the room. The people who were exposed to it were completely receptive and we all had a laugh. It broke the tension that previously existed. Keep in mind that this was an audition for a television drama, but when we are relaxed as actors, we open up the playing field to be authentic. When we’re authentic, anything is possible. So after establishing connection, see if there’s an opportunity for comedy.

If there’s one thing you need to know if you’re going to succeed with this, it’s that great laughs come when you call out the elephant in the room. Think about the best job interview you have ever had. You likely experienced a plethora of emotions and feelings. From seriousness to compassion to funny, the interview came full circle and you got the job. Auditioning is no different. Own the room with your energy, tell a joke, connect on a deeper level with the casting director and win the job.  It’s a simple process when done right, can go a long way. If you can make the person behind the camera or table laugh, you are one step closer to the most important step of this process, creativity.

CREATIVITY is when you tie it all in a bow.

You were called in to audition because of your ability to act and this is where you’re going to seal the deal. I want to open your eyes to something. Chances are, the role you are auditioning for has either hundreds or thousands of other actors aiming for a chance to be cast.  From my experience alone and building relationships with casting directors, I’ve found that 95% of those actors will do the audition the exact same way. Hence, why casting directors are likely exhausted when you walk in. Can you imagine watching the same show one hundred times? Neither can I!

So here’s how we go a step above the rest and get into that 5%.

Get creative with your script and your delivery. Don’t pay so much attention as to what the scene is giving you, but focus more on what can I do differently? Meditate on this if possible. By doing so, you will open up your creative capacity to think outside the box and excel through the auditioning process.

To give you a specific example, if the script calls for angry emotion, choose indifference. If the script calls for sadness, choose happiness. This is one of my favorites because how many times have we seen people receive bad news, they start to laugh and act happy before they break down. Although just an example, it gives you the perspective that you can hit your mark from an unlimited number of ways.

Don’t just stop there.

Another awesome way to get creative is just to ask yourself all the time, “HOW CAN I MAKE MY AUDITIONS STAND OUT.” You won’t always get an answer immediately, but you will always receive the answer in the form of hunch or corresponding circumstance. Ultimately, when you can stay mindful through the auditioning process, the creativity available to you will be immeasurable.

Use it and become unforgettable to every casting director you encounter.

Being the best that we can be as actors is just a matter of putting ourselves in the most optimal position to succeed. The more I act and the more I coach actors, I find that success is just a matter of finding unconventional ways to create connection, comedy and creativity.

When we can establish those concepts for every audition, callback or meeting,  we ensure that every casting director we see will never forget who we are and the dynamic talent we can potentially bring to any production.

Find your Next Audition Now and use this Golden Advice!

Everyone knows that Hollywood is the mecca when it comes to a career in the entertainment business. That’s why 50,000 people moved to Los Angeles in the last year, many in hopes of being discovered and making it big in the industry. The city now taps out at a populations of over 4 million. From actors to producers, directors, singers, dancers, and everything in between, those with talent and drive will do anything to succeed, and you’d be hard pressed to hear anything but entertainment talk at any coffee shop table.

Tony Boldi, knows the landscape all too well, and he knows what it takes to make it in Hollywood. A soap opera star from General Hospital and Port Charles, Tony began his career as a musician before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Now with over 1,500 projects under his belt, Tony is an actor, producer, director, host, and musician, who is also a private and in-classroom acting coach. His students have ranged from Britney Binger from Girls Next Door, Booboo Stewart from Twilight and X-Men, and Isaac Singleton from Pirates of the Caribbean.

The People’s Mayor of Hollywood sat down with us to share his insights on what it takes to make it in Hollywood.

NYCastings: How did you become the People’s Mayor of Hollywood?

Tony: My parents were involved in politics when I was growing up and I saw so many opportunities to bridge the gap between the people and the politicians. I wanted to raise the peoples’ voice so they could be heard by the decision makers, like our very own Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. I was a big supporter of keeping films at home and working with our city organizations to find solutions for the extraordinarily high parking fines.

NYCastings: You started out as a musician? What caused you make the switch to acting?

Tony: I was in a band that traveled from Michigan to L.A.  We had a mini record deal. We also had creative differences, so when the band went home, I decided to stay. I saw an advertisement taped up on a light pole and called the number. I ended up booking my very first major role on the hit feature film entitled Contact, with Jodi Foster. That  led to my being a series regular on General Hospital, then Port Charles, and a lot more roles followed.  Work begets work, I always say.  I made sure to make the most of my contacts and stayed in touch with the various film crews and casting directors .  So when they had roles open, they would call me in, and I ended up booking again and again and again. I swear that networking is the key to this town.

NYCastings: What was your first real acting role?

Tony: My first real gig was in theater playing Noah from The Rainmaker, which lead to many other plays and helped me to really master my craft. I went on to study at The Van Mar Academy of Motion Picture and Television Acting, as a student, and later became a teacher there.  I eventually received an honorary PhD.,and when the legendary owner and mentor Ivan Markota passed away, he willed the school to me. I will forever be grateful to him and his teachings.

NYCastings: What was it like acting in soaps versus acting in film?

Tony: Soaps are a grind. A smart actor can take advantage of camera tech rehearsal, which is the only rehearsal you might get. It’s like going to a gym for actors. It constantly keeps you on your toes for sure. Soaps were a great training ground for me, looking back. Now with film, you can get many different takes for the editor to choose from, for the final cut performance, which the viewers get to see.

NYCastings: Who would you say has made the biggest impact on your life in the business?

Tony: I owned a few night clubs back when I lived in Michigan which gave me the confidence to make the leap to LA to start all over again.  As an actor, you are in business for yourself, just like I was in the night club world. However, I would say that working at MGM, with Christian Slater’s mom Mary Jo Slater, gave me a huge eye-opening experience on how the movie business really works.

NYCastings: What is the hardest part about getting started in acting?

Tony: Just getting stared is the toughest part of acting. Be willing to get out of your own way. Learn to juggle paying your bills while studying your craft, taking head shots, getting your reel together, and always remembering that you are running your own business as an actor. This is why it’s called  “Show Business.”  You are literally managing your own brand. Your agent and manager work for you, not the other way around.

NYCastings: What advice would you give to those just starting out?

Tony: Start by getting into acting classes early on, as well as signing up with a background agency to get the feel for tv and movie sets. Make new contacts daily. The more people you know, the more chances you will have to work in this industry.

NYCastings: What would you tell those who are being stereotyped, or who just can’t make it to the next level?

Tony: Stereotyping is not a bad thing, if you use it to your advantage. It’s a foot in the door. Write and star in your own projects, in more diverse roles, in between those gigs.

NYCastings: Tell us about LifeForce Indy Films. When did you start and how has it grown?

Tony: I started my film company in 2003 with my feature film, In the Blink of an Eye. I was so excited about getting to produce and work with some amazing names right out of the gate. I personally employed over 200 people with that film alone.  Check it out on IMDB.com

NYCasting: What are you working on now?

Tony: I am working with Majestic Productions as VP of Development & Programming, as well as producing a new film adapted by the late, Garry Marshall, from Pretty Woman/Happy Days. We are currently in the casting phase now. I also have my own acting school with an exclusive, “invite only” masters class taught by the top celebrity mentors.  On the side, I DJ for celebrities like Paris Hilton and friends.  You can see tons of pictures and video on my website, if you are curious.  Thanks for asking.  If any one would like to submit for any of my projects, just send me a note there as well.

Tony’s Top 5 Mistakes New Actors Make When Breaking Into The Business

1. Not studying Your Craft

You can’t be successful at anything in life if you don’t know what you’re doing. Many actors think that looking good on camera and remembering their lines, is all it takes. There is so much more. Take classes, and then take more classes.

2. Lack of Networking

Hollywood is all about networking. Some actors make the mistake of losing contact with those they’ve worked with or whom they’ve met at events. Without maintaining relationships with these contacts, they are missing out on projects.

3. Not Treating Your Career As A Business

Acting is a business and “there’s no business like show business.” Those who treat it like a business are the actors who move up the ladder the fastest and who are the most successful. It’s all about branding yourself, promoting yourself, and making wise choices.

4. Mishandling Money and Living Beyond Your Means

A sudden influx of money can cause some actors to make bad choices, spending all their pay, instead of investing it back into their business. This is why you see huge celebrities end up bankrupt with their houses in foreclosure and their cars repossessed. They lived beyond their means.

5. Doing It For The Wrong Reasons

Those who get into acting for fame and fortune, and maybe even to attract lots of beautiful women, are in it for the wrong reasons. Acting is an art form, and if not treated as such, if there is no passion for it, most likely those people will fail.

We want to thank Tony Boldi for his time and great insights. Keep it real actors, and happy auditioning!

As actors we’ve all heard the clichés about starving artists. And especially if you’e planning or have already made the move to a city like New York or L.A. where the rents are clearly still Too Damn High, and especially the entry-level salaries wildly out of line with the cost of living, you know there’s some truth to it.

But as a working actor there is more to the difficulties of maintaining a sane budget than just not getting paid enough when you’re starting out. Another factor is the sporadic nature of the work, and therefore the pay. Even for actors who make great money for each project they work on, there are bound to be some dry spells in between jobs.

So how can a working actor at any income level learn to live within his or her means? Here’s a road map that can help you keep your head above water no matter your financial situation and goals.

The bottom line

First, figure out exactly what you need to get by every month and keep the business of you as an actor running smoothly. How much money do you really need to keep the machine functioning? This isn’t the time for guesstimates or a stab in the dark. Much like counting calories for weight loss, this is the time when you need to record every single penny you spend so you can figure out where it all goes. Every frappuccino and every movie ticket–no purchase is too small to be entered right now. Then, once you’ve recorded a month or two of your true spending, you can go back over the numbers and look at discretionary spending items that aren’t essential–nights out, vacations, concerts, etc.–and strip them out. Now you should be down to your critical needs: food, transportation, and rent, as well as the tools you need to keep the business of your acting going: internet and cell phone bills. Add it up on a monthly basis and you’ve got your necessities.

Now we add back in other costs you can’t avoid.

• Buffer zone – Life throws us curve balls. As actors well-versed in the “Yes, and…” principles of improv, we perhaps know this better than most people. So to help you avoid having every little unexpected expense break your budget, right off the bat you should add a buffer of ten percent to your monthly expenses.
• Debts – Here’s where we list the minimum student loan payments, credit card payments and other monthly debts like car and health insurance we have due. These should be treated as sacrosanct, as missing even one payment can affect your credit rating and your long term finances.
• Savings – This is something that most of us don’t think about when we’re younger or just starting out, but it’s a good idea to treat as non-negotiable putting aside even a tiny amount each month as insurance against emergencies and for the long term. Check out budget guru Dave Ramsey’s Every Dollar app and his “Baby Steps” philosophy to budgeting. You’ll be surprised at how quickly putting aside even a little bit of money can become a habit, and how little you’ll miss it. What’s more, it adds up quicker than you think–future you will thank you!

So now that you’ve got these additional expenses factored back in, you’ve already prioritized the things you really have to pay for every month before you’ve even looked at discretionary spending–which is the only sane approach to living within your means. This number represents your Minimum Bottom Line. By approaching your expenses this way, you prioritize your financial security and future savings over your discretionary spending, walling these vital items off from the whims of daily life and preventing you from dealing with the stress of living paycheck to paycheck.

So if you find yourself having to choose between say, paying a credit card bill and paying for your internet, you’ve fallen below this critical minimum, and you’ve got to change something. Let’s look at that possibility.

Bottoming out

So you’ve fallen below this bottom line number you’ve assigned yourself–now what? Even if you’ve got several months’ worth of your monthly expenses built up in savings, it’s time for immediate action. You can’t live off your savings forever if you’re slipping further and further behind every month, and you can’t count on getting paid for some job that you’re auditioning for next week; you’ve got to make changes now.

Go back over your monthly expenses

Falling below your minimum bottom line number means it’s time to break out the fine-toothed comb and go back over your budget to see where you can squeeze out some more savings. Can you negotiate lower rent or a different split on utility bills with your roommate? Americans have incrementally been programmed to accept paying an obscene percentage of their income on housing, up to and beyond 50 percent for some. And while moving is a radical change, is your living situation really in line with your budget? If not, it might be time to consider going more minimal in the housing department. How about your cell phone plan or internet? Can you switch to a plan that consolidates the two? Also, cable and internet companies are well known for immediately offering lower-priced plans if customers call and threaten to drop them. Work those phone acting skills!

It’s all about the hustle

It’s nice when you have enough work in your beloved field of acting to make ends meet. But if you hit a rough patch where the money coming in just isn’t matching up with the money going out, it might be time to expand or take advantage of your skill set outside of acting. In this economically precarious day and age, to be limited to one revenue stream is asking for trouble. For starters, renegotiate your salary or ask for a raise at your day job. Or you might look for a part-time restaurant job, submit your resume to a temp agency, or look for weekend gigs doing promotions–easy money for an actor. If you’re a crafty person, there are tons of internet stores where you can sell your wares. If you play music, there are literally thousands of cafes and bars and restaurants in every city where you could play and earn a few extra bucks.

Apps like You Need A Budget and Every Dollar are a huge help for putting your budget in perspective. Budgeting is not easy, and it’s not sexy. But in order to make the actor’s life viable, it really is necessary. The bottom line is this: you can make it work, if you put in the work!

Actors can try for years to land a decent role, and even when they do, it’s no guarantee of success. Those who manage to make it big often say the same thing: they were in the right place at the right time. Have a look at the auditions that changed everything for these actors…

Actor Auditions in this video: 

– Daisy Ridley | 0:16
– Hugh Jackman | 1:24
– Harrison Ford | 2:32
– Sigourney Weaver | 3:42
– Christopher Reeve | 447
– Gabourey Sidibe | 5:51
– Daniel Radcliffe | 6:52

There’s nothing quite like a really well done dialect. It’s amazing from time to time to see certain actors on talk shows and realize what they really sound like in their native accent. Hugh Dancy from the series Hannibal, Idris Elba of The Wire, and of course the inimitable Hugh Laurie of House fame are all great examples of Brits who have mastered an American dialect to the point where their native accent disappears completely. Hearing them speak in interviews is always something of a shock, even though you know they’re not native North Americans.

So what’s the secret to really nailing a good dialect? We’ve all had auditions where we were called on to affect a dialect–what can we do to really bring it home? Here are a few tricks and tips–some obvious and others not so much–that can help you hit that dialect like a champ next time out.

1. Time is the key 

Not so much a secret trick as a blindingly obvious note: it takes time. There’s no substitute for time and practice to get a really good dialect. The aforementioned Elba claims it took him three years to really get his Baltimore dialect down pat, so there really are no shortcuts. That’s why we should all work on maintaining some basic dialects so instead of starting from scratch every time a dialect audition comes up, we can simply brush up on them when they’re needed. A few U.K. accents, including Irish, various New York dialects, southern U.S.–all of these are fairly standard and come up regularly in plays and films. Put in some work on various dialects when you’re between auditions and jobs. Practice dialects with your actor friends–a fun challenge is to make a night out a dialect-only affair. Challenge each other to stay in whatever accent you’re working on for the whole evening–and see if you’re believable when talking with strangers! Better yet, make a friend from one of the countries whose dialect you want learn and practice with them! It’s a bit daunting at first, but speaking with a native in their native dialect really does take you a long way towards getting an accent ingrained.

2. Sourcing 

Speaking of speaking with natives, when learning a dialect make sure you’re modeling it from reliable sources. Your buddy Steve who knows the entire Monty Python canon by heart may be quite adept at the various dialects therein. But if you’re trying to book a job with a dialect, you’ll probably want to find someone with a bit more in the way of bona fides. Get a qualified coach, or at least find a native speaker to critique you. Barring that, make sure you at least get some books with CDs or find other audio tracks that have a genuine version of the dialect you want to learn. Robert Blumenfeld’s dialect books are exhaustive and thorough, and come with CDs featuring practice tracks on which you can model your dialect. Another great resource is IDEA Dialects, the International Dialects of English Archive. This massive resource features tons of real people of various ages, genders and backgrounds speaking in English in their native dialects. The site is searchable by continent, country and region, and it’s a fantastic free resource for cash-strapped actors.

3. Acting is still action 

This cuts against the grain a bit, but try to keep in mind that acting is still about action, objective and intent. The dialect is important, but when it comes to auditioning, don’t let it get in the way of you playing the scene. Too often we see actors so focused and tense about the dialect that they forget about the acting–they are working so hard to speak in the dialect that they aren’t really even listening to their scene partner. Remember too that we’re still talking about an audition here. In order to book the role you’ll first need to show them you understand the character and his or her background and objectives. And if you’re really struggling with the dialect, sometimes less is more at this stage of the game. Drop some shadings and hints of the dialect without trying too hard to sell it, especially if it isn’t there yet. There will be plenty of time after you get cast to work on it.

4. Play it again, Sam

We mentioned using recordings above, and obviously listening is a vital part of learning a dialect. But another great tool is to record yourself as you work the dialect. Compare your pronunciation in the target dialect with the CDs or IDEA Dialects recordings and check your progress. What we sound like inside our own heads is often very different from how we sound out loud. One great way to help you really lock down a dialect is to alternate recordings of yourself with recordings of the native speakers’ tracks or your coach. Then you can compare them back to back and adjust accordingly. And even if you can’t always repeat out loud the dialect you’re working on–for instance while listening at work or on the treadmill at the gym–it still helps to hear the target dialect. While there is some controversy about how useful passive listening is in learning a language or other new skill–certainly active learning is also important–getting accustomed to the sounds of the dialect you’re trying to learn can make a big difference in how quickly you’re able to master it. Listening and imitating is how we learn a dialect, but if you are in a position where you can’t imitate, just listening is still useful.

5. Be positive

A lot of actors are intimidated and get overly stressed about learning dialects. This is of course not helpful. The mere presence of stress like this severely constrains your ability to be open to learning. Try to remember that, with hard work and the right coaching and other resources from which to model, anyone can learn an accent. Absolutely anyone. Yes, it’s easier for some than for others. But just remember to run your own race and forget about how it works for anyone else. If you are dedicated and put in the time and honest effort, you can master any dialect you need, and you can open yourself up to a whole new arena of acting opportunities!

If you’ve spent any time in acting classes, at a university level theater program, or even if you just learned acting by doing, one thing we can all probably agree on is that commercial auditions are weird.

Any audition is weird, of course: taking the material out of context and being expected to plunk down the goods in your allotted minute and a half is a challenge that can baffle actors of all experience levels.

But the commercial audition, now. That is a special looney beast of its own weird flavor.

Probably mauve. I bet commercial auditions are mauve-flavored.

Regardless of whether that is an astute observation or the fever dream of a bent mind plagued by too much caffeine and too little sleep, it’s undeniable that commercial auditions are their own special challenge. Here are a few mental tricks to play on yourself in order to help you up your game on this strangest of playing fields.

1. It’s not about the money (even though it is)

Well, of course it’s about the money. We’re not dragging our carcasses all over town to read for commercials because of a deep artistic need to eat Cheetos or to help pharmaceutical companies sell erectile dysfunction medication. But the thing is, if money is what you have on your mind when you walk in the audition room, it reads. We talk a lot about intention and objectives in acting, and having the forefront of your mind as the actor occupied with thoughts of how you might spend the filthy lucre you could get from booking this job shows, in the form of desperation. At the very least it’s a distraction. You have to be focused on the job at hand in order to even have a shot at getting a callback, much less booking the role. And if you’re daydreaming about buying a new phone and a new laptop and a new car and taking a trip to some tropical island, you’re not focused on the work. (And if that’s the kind of money you stand to make, I’m going to the wrong auditions.)

2. Relax, you’re not going to book it

This may sound negative, but if you think about it, realizing how long the odds really are to book any given commercial can be a tremendously liberating thought. Better yet, it allows you to perform a little mental jujitsu. Look at it this way: just knowing that you are one of dozens if not hundreds of actors reading for this commercial can help you relax to the point where you can perform well enough that you might actually book it. The mental trick here is to use the fact that you are but one of many to free you from pressure rather than put pressure on you. Most of the time we think something like: “Oh god, look at all these people. I’m going to have to KILL IT in order to book this.” And the attendant nerves that this sort of mental pressure brings ruins our chances of performing well. Do the opposite, grasshopper: understanding the likelihood of failure can bring you success by helping you to relax and thus perform your best.

3. Yes and…

If you’re part of almost any commercial audition, your agent likely submitted you to the casting team. So you already know you have the relevant age, looks, etc. So now what? What do they want from you in the audition room? Well, the casting director and ad exec he or she is working for generally have some pretty specific ideas about what they want the final product to look like. Your take on the role, your unique voice and perspective on how you might play the part are not as important at this point as getting yourself to the next stage of the audition process. So to that end, be a yes-man or yes-woman. Remember your improv training and dive in with joy and enthusiasm and go for it on every single weird or goofy thing they ask you to do. First of all, this demonstrates an actor who is willing to take direction, an important aspect of getting cast in anything, as we all know. Second, it shows an actor who is willing to play, and fearless about looking silly. And let’s face it, silly is often vital to the stories that commercials tell. Thirdly, this can be yet another mentally liberating idea: since they have their specific picture of what this thing is going to look like, you are free at this point to just take their ideas and run with them, rather than pressuring yourself to create something new and unique out of thin air. Being the one actor to fully embrace the ideas the casting agent and ad exec bring in can in itself be a unique aspect of your audition.

4. Dress the part (but not too much)

This one is the source of some controversy; I’ve read advice columns that suggest actors have, say, a doctor’s coat or other wardrobe choices on hand when going in to read for commercials. But this seems a bit much-ish, doesn’t it? And anyway, unless you plan to roll around the city with your own wardrobe rack, or pack your car full of every possible costume choice for every possible commercial, this is a fool’s errand. A more measured approach might be to wear something that is generally in keeping with the character you’re reading for, but not overdoing it. Be in the neighborhood rather than trying to ring the doorbell. If you’re reading for a doctor, maybe don’t show up in flip-flops and board shorts. If you’re reading for a mechanic, leave your three-piece suit at home. We’re busy actors, and casting directors know this; we have other things to do today so we need our clothing to be somewhat versatile. At any rate they’re expecting us to be capable of calling on our acting skills rather than relying on costumes or props to do the work for us.

5. Be yourself (who else can you be, anyway?)

Most importantly, bring your genuine self into the audition room with you. You may look like 30 other actors in the waiting room, but you are a unique individual with your own unique energy and your own unique quirks. Show them off! The character notes you were given are a guideline, but who you are is really the bottom line that lands you the role or not. Do what you have to do to get yourself relaxed and fully engaged in enjoying the experience of getting to do a little acting this day. It’s easier said than done, but have fun! If you’re not having fun, neither is anyone else in the room. And when you’re selling products, projecting an aura of fun is usually 90 percent of the battle. Enjoy yourself, and everyone else will enjoy being around you. Most of all, have fun because it will help you book that commercial!

Typically, the way we think of actors is as loud, outgoing, fully extroverted people. And of course there’s some truth to that–if you’ve ever been part of a big dinner with the cast of a musical, you know that getting a word in edgewise is often a matter of raising your volume to professional wrestling announcer levels.

But for every actor that conducts his entire life along the T.J. Miller model–always on, always performing, always projecting himself outward into the world and onto the people around him–there is also another type.

For some of us, “being on” is something we do when the camera is on or when the curtain has been raised. But much of the rest of the time we’d be perfectly happy reading a good book or spending an evening at home.

And let’s be clear: people are complicated. Each of us is a muddled mix of all kinds of tendencies and feelings and desires. To say someone is “an introvert” or “an extrovert” is a gross oversimplification and frankly silly. What you see of other people out in the world isn’t necessarily or even likely to be what they’re like behind closed doors.

So if you’re a person with some introverted tendencies, is it even possible to make it in a business that is so dominated by outgoing types? Yes indeed. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind if you fall somewhere along the more Introverted half of the Myers-Briggs Personality Test.

1. Remember you are not alone

Here’s the thing about that well-trodden stereotype about actors all being outgoing party animals who are running their mouths 24/7: it’s just that, a stereotype. We’re all human beings and we’re all different, and that goes for actors too. Many of your peers may feel the need to appear to be “more on” in social situations–just like you do–so you only see them that way. But you might be surprised at how many of us are perfectly happy spending a quiet night at home when the auditions of the day or the performance is over. Many of us recharge by having quiet time by ourselves, not by socializing. And while this may seem counterintuitive at first, when you think about it, it does make some sense. The necessity for actors to be in touch with their emotions, to be able to access emotional places within ourselves that we’re not necessarily comfortable letting out all the time requires tremendous emotional stamina, and this can be exhausting. So the first thing to keep in mind is that if you feel a little out of place at the stereotypical social events with other actors, don’t get down on yourself or wonder what’s wrong with you or anything like that. The first action to take is to accept yourself for who you are. It’s perfectly acceptable to say your hellos and sign in at an audition and then settle into a corner to read a book or go over your sides while you wait your turn, rather than force yourself to awkwardly engage in the gossip and joking that others actors bring into the waiting room. You’re fine. That self-assurance and confidence in who you are reads to casting directors too. So while we as actors must play our roles when we’re performing, declining to play a part when you’re not in character is actually a strength, not a weakness.

2. Make real connections

So much of the talky talky we more introverted actors observe–and, let’s be honest, are at times envious of–is often of the most shallow and insincere nature. That’s not to say that all conversations had by the more extroverted types fall under this category! Just that a lot of the gabble that we introverts find distracting and off-putting can be dismissed: it’s probably safe to say you’re not missing out on anything terribly deep or emotionally fulfilling most of the time you overhear chatter on set or in the audition waiting room. So for us the fix is to focus on quality not quantity–of words, that is. You still need to seek out connections and a support group and a professional network in the acting community. But if the shotgun approach to socializing doesn’t suit you, make sure your sniper rifle is well-oiled–to continue with that slightly horrifying metaphor–and that you’re using it to pick off the people with whom you feel a genuine connection. Whether it be in a professional sense or in terms of friendships, make sure you put in the effort to follow up: invite people one-on-one for coffee, ask casting directors or other industry professionals with whom you feel a kindred spirit to attend performances you’re in, reach out regularly to other contacts via email or social media–the key is to make sure you maintain your smaller circle and care for it assiduously. Having a few genuine, deep connections is infinitely more fulfilling than having lots of shallow ones, so don’t be afraid to be the person who goes that route.

3. Do what you have to do for yourself

This is probably a no-brainer for most people with introverted tendencies, but the first order of business–especially in the crazy stressful world of acting–is to take care of yourself. If you need down time, take it when appropriate. If you need five minutes of quiet to clear your head when you’re on a break on set or at rehearsals, don’t be afraid to step out of the circle of chatter the other actors are engaged in and go sit quietly somewhere. Sometimes the pressure to “perform” off-stage or off-camera and be that stereotypical outgoing actor can be overwhelming. But you have to be strong enough in knowing what your own needs are to do what you’ve got to do to protect yourself. The way many more modern thinkers talk about the classic and over-simplified tropes of “introverted/extroverted” is in terms of how a person recharges. Some of us refuel and get re-energized from lots of socializing and chatter; some of us recharge by being alone and spending some quiet time without other people around. This doesn’t make you weird; just as some people have brown hair and some have blond hair, it just makes you different from them–and them different from you. There’s no “normal” here. So the bottom line really is to just be yourself. If you are neglecting your need for some alone time because you feel weird about it, and trying to force small talk with the more extroverted crowd at a moment when you’re not really into it, you’re just hurting yourself. And in truth, you’re draining away much needed energy you could be using in your performance or audition!

You do you. Engage with others when you need to, and disengage when you need to. You’ll return after the break recharged with more energy and ability to fully go for it!

We refer to our bodies as our instruments and this is an instructive way to think about how we as actors must commit to caring for ourselves if we want to succeed. If you play a violin or a saxophone, you don’t drag it behind you down the street or kick it down the stairs or leave it out in the yard overnight. Not if you want it to work correctly and well when you need it.

Acting requires stamina, clear thinking, and confidence. And all of these things tend to slip away when you’re feeling sluggish or sick. If you’re going to be on set for 12 or 14 hour days, or do a typical tight rehearsal schedule for a stage show including the dreaded 10 of 12 rehearsal–or even be at your sharpest while running from audition to audition and learning new sides under the gun while working two or three day jobs–you need to be as healthy as possible. Here are a few ways we can help ourselves to be the best actors we can be by keeping our entire instrument healthy.

1. Exercise

This may seem like a no-brainer, especially in this day and age where there’s a gym or three on every corner and seemingly every famous actor out there has a gym body that looks like it’s been chiseled out of stone. However, a shockingly high number of actors seem to think that getting in physical shape is something that can wait. Perhaps they think that they can wait until they hit the big time and they can afford a private trainer at their fully tricked-out home gym in Bel-Air. While nothing is impossible, let’s just say that this order of events is unlikely to occur in reality. To do your best work–and thus be successful in whatever way you define success–your body must be able to withstand the relentless demands of rehearsals and performances. Keep in mind too that being physically fit doesn’t necessarily mean being ripped to one percent body fat or beefing up to the size of The Mountain from Game of Thrones. However, the fact is, muscle burns more calories than fat, and a toned actor is more versatile than one who is not. A solid exercise program should include some weight training, some cardio and some yoga, or at least stretching for flexibility. This goes for both men and women. A pernicious myth among women is that if they do any weight training at all they’re going to get bulky and overly muscled. Ladies, I promise that lifting some dumbbells a few times a week or doing some push-ups will NOT result in you looking like Brienne of Tarth by Christmas. It will, however, contribute to an overall tone that can help you with the physical aspects of acting, including movement and stage/screen combat. One more point on exercise: the mental and psychological benefits are often overlooked, but they are very real too. The release of endorphins you get from exercise is a fantastic natural mood elevator and helps tremendously to combat depression and to clear your mind so you can fully engage with the work at hand.

2. Diet

Another fantasy some younger actors seem to entertain is that they can eat like crap while they’re young and worry about getting healthier at some vague point in the future. Perhaps they’re also anticipating living in that mansion in Bel-Air and eating the perfectly crafted, balanced and healthy meals that will be prepared for them by their personal team of chefs. In the meantime, it’s McDonald’s and soft drinks all the way! Again, nothing is impossible. But even the damage done by half a lifetime of waging war on your own body can be difficult to overcome. Plus no matter if you “have a fast metabolism” or not, the fact is you will feel better, more energetic, and less sluggish if you eat better food. A balanced diet of natural, unprocessed foods, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains and nuts as well as a reduced reliance on meat–especially heavily processed “meat” like you find in fast “food”–will result in more energy and a stronger body to give you the resilience you need as a busy actor. Another health fact that is becoming more apparent is that sugar is truly a killer. Diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancer are being linked by more and more studies to over-consumption of sugar. What’s more, some studies have likened it to cocaine in terms of its addictive nature, and have linked the sugar-heavy western diet to chronic inflammation of the organs and the gut. Do yourself a favor and forgo that massive soda and instead go for a water with lemon. Your body will thank you–and so will your career.

3. Quit smoking tobacco

You just…at this point? Really? With everything we know about tobacco and the horrible things it does to your body, this too is a no-brainer. There are a million methods out there to help you quit, and often you can even get stop smoking meds for free. Personal experience here: the nicotine patch will help you tremendously in overcoming that “I’m going to murder everyone I see” phase when you first give up cigarettes. And getting that crap out of your lungs will free you to get yourself in better shape, speak and sing with a clearer, cleaner voice, and will even add to your range as a singer. Another benefit of quitting cigarettes is a tremendous boost in energy levels, which every actor needs!

4. Limit alcohol and drugs

Hey, we’re actors; by and large we’re fun, outgoing people. There’s nothing like the camaraderie of boozing it up a little with your castmates at a wrap party or on opening night of a play you’ve worked so hard to create. So no one is suggesting you live like a monk. On the other hand, there is a danger to taking the social life blended into cocktail form too far, especially for actors. Make sure you avoid crazy nights out right before a big audition or when you’re in the middle of a shoot requiring long days on set. Even if you’re one of those horrible people who are lightning-quick to recover from this kind of self-abuse, you still have to admit you’re not at 100 percent of your capabilities if you partied hard the night before. Find a way to compartmentalize and structure your boozy activities in such a way that they won’t affect your work. Future you will thank you.

The bottom line is this is a demanding line of work and we all need to be conscious of taking care of ourselves as we pursue our dreams–both mentally and physically. And the more we learn about the body-mind connection, the more we realize that our health, mental and physical, is a result of not only the way we think, but also what we put into our bodies. A good actor is a healthy, happy actor!

We talk a lot about auditioning and the challenges actors face in going out for “job interviews” on a weekly or daily basis. And most actors would probably agree that the one aspect of the audition that is probably the hardest hurdle to overcome is performing a monologue.

As unnatural as it is to perform a chunk of a script out of context and by yourself, doing so cleanly and effectively is vital. It’s your ticket, your hall pass to get you to the next level of the audition process, where you can show the casting team what you are capable of with the actual material you would be performing if you were to be cast.

Sadly though, many people seem to take their monologues for granted, continuing to rehash old pieces from shows they’ve been in, and pieces they’ve used for years. And while we all should have a solid arsenal of memorized monologues ready to go, it takes time and effort to keep it fresh and interesting. So here are a few ideas for how you can create magic with your monologue and get yourself that callback!

1. And now for something completely different

Make an effort to go off the map a bit and seek out a monologue that hasn’t been done a million times by a million actors–perhaps even on the same day and at the same audition you’re attending! There’s just no excuse these days with the availability of so many play and film scripts online for you to still be using the “Lying in a Box” monologue from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead or Libby Mae Brown’s speech from Waiting for Guffman. Brilliant as each of these pieces are, the people sitting behind the table have all probably seen them quite enough, thank you very much, and while your take on it may be fantastic, it still comes with heavy baggage attached that puts you at a disadvantage right off the bat. Also avoid using a monologue that is strongly associated with a particular actor. If you try to do a Matt Damon monologue from Good Will Hunting or Quentin Tarantino’s “Like a Virgin” speech from Reservoir Dogs you will be compared with those actors and you will come up short–yes, even compared with Tarantino. Sorry, no matter how well you deliver a well-known monologue like this, you just can’t win. Better to find something you can make your own.

2. Typecast yourself

We all like to think we have the range necessary to play anything from an accountant to a Mafiosi, from age 18 up to 80. But the fact of the matter is we all have certain types that fit us better than others. If you’re a beefy, gruff-looking construction worker type and you try to perform a monologue as a nebbishy character from a Woody Allen film, the incongruity may be interesting, but it will probably work against you at this point in the audition process. You want to pick a monologue that is a slam dunk, a walk-off home run and a touchdown all rolled up in one. There will be time to show your range and give them a creative, twisty take on the material during the callbacks. For now you just want to get your foot in the door for the next step, so perform something that is a good fit. You should walk in the door for a monologue audition utterly confident that you can kill it.

3. Level up

Look for a monologue that has different levels in two senses of the word: first, find something that has an arc and isn’t simply one-note. Sure, it’s fun playing enraged characters, but no one wants to be yelled at for two minutes straight–including casting directors. Find a piece that shows a variety of emotional colors, and one that tells a story. Secondly, look for a piece that has a variety of levels in terms of drama and comedy. If you can demonstrate the ability to play both dramatic notes and comedic notes within the same two-minute piece you are well on your way to getting the callback.

4. Get shorty  

There are just so many great words out there, especially when you’ve found a monologue from a piece you really love. The temptation is to use every single second of your allotted time and cram in as many of these beloved words as possible. But the fact of the matter is that most casting directors have already made up their minds in the first ten seconds of your monologue–and perhaps even before you started reading. So do yourself a favor: cut, cut, cut. Be sure you can take your time where you need to rather than trying to barrel through at a breakneck pace in order to finish one second under the allotted time.

5. Button up

The last thing the casting team sees of you as an actor is the end of your monologue piece, so make sure you go out with a bang, not a whimper. Really take the time to find a way to deliver the goods at the end, and make sure you take an extra beat in character to let the piece sink in before you break and thank the casting team. One fun way to grab their attention at the end is to go against the obvious choices the text seems to be leading you toward. If it’s an angry moment, try it with the volume way down. If it’s a sad moment, put on your bravest smile. The monologue audition is your opportunity to direct yourself and to play–take advantage of that and have some fun with it! The confidence to make brave and unlikely choices reads really well to a director who is, after all, looking for partners with whom he or she can collaborate.

6. It’s instrumental

While wandering about aimlessly or creeping “downstage” toward the casting team is a no-no, that doesn’t mean you should be a statue. Engage your whole body and incorporate it into the piece. Human language evolved from wordless communication in the style of our cousins the great apes. In fact, some modern research indicates that up to 90 percent of human communication takes place non-verbally. So don’t be afraid to be a real human being up there–really feel the words and the objectives they indicate for your character and let them infuse your whole body as you tell your story.

The main thing to remember when approaching the monologue audition is that you are trying to show them who you really are. Stay loose and go in with the attitude that you are there to have fun and enjoy this little opportunity to act. Do this consistently and that confidence and the sheer joy that acting brings will translate into callbacks!

We’ve all got to start somewhere. That’s the thing to keep in mind if you’re a newbie actor just getting started in this delightful and looney business. Everyone had their first audition, and everyone booked their first role somewhere along the line. So there’s nothing wrong with being green.

In fact, if you have the courage to dive in to this at times intimidating and challenging world, you should start off by congratulating yourself–that’s a mighty brave first step you’re taking!

Now let’s get to work helping you overcome some of the common hurdles new actors face. Here are a few errors almost every rookie makes that you should avoid, and a few tips on how to overcome them.

1. Being late

Being late is simply a cardinal sin in the acting biz. Sadly, the rule is: they can make you wait; you can’t make them wait. It’s not only bad manners to keep a casting director waiting–or anyone, for that matter–it’s a sign of disrespect. Casting directors are some of the most harried, busy people in the business, and your allotted time slot is time they could have been using to see another actor, one who was interested enough in the role to show up on time.

The fix: Help yourself by planning your route the night before. Use Google maps or the wonderful public transportation app Moovit so you know exactly where you’re going. And don’t cut it too close; the fact of the matter is, even if you breeze into the casting office two minutes before your appointment, you aren’t really going to be ready to give a good read right then anyway. Give yourself at least 15 minutes to center yourself and relax.

2. Shuffling around

We talk a lot about intention and objective in acting, and that applies not only to words but also to movement. There’s nothing more infuriating than seeing a play in which the actors seem to drift about the stage for no real reason. Same applies to auditions: wandering around or shuffling closer to the auditor’s table or your reader is distracting and makes you look indecisive and lost.

The fix: Stillness is your friend. There is tremendous power in simply planting yourself and focusing on getting what you want from your scene partner or monologue. If you are going to take a step or two somewhere along the way, make sure you do so deliberately and with purpose, but truthfully it’s best to avoid moving around much.

3. Being fearful

Auditioning is indeed a nerve-wracking process, no doubt. But the fact is, barring an earthquake or some horrific fire, you are not going to die here, no matter what happens. So behaving like a frightened rabbit in a roomful of hungry wolves is a little ridiculous, when you think about it, isn’t it?

The fix: Directors are looking for competent, confident collaborators with whom to create something, so show them a confident actor in the audition! Remember that this is just one of hundreds of auditions you will attend throughout your career. Another trick to taking the pressure off of yourself is to think of some reason why you DON’T want to get cast in this particular piece. Desperation is raw and ugly and very, very apparent, whether it’s in dating or in auditioning. So trick yourself: think about how long the drive to rehearsals would be, think about the fact that there is another part you’re up for that would conflict with this one, or that the material isn’t your favorite–anything. You don’t have to actually hate the idea of getting cast; just have something in the back of your mind about how it would be better if you didn’t get the role. You will be amazed at how it changes your perspective from one of desperation to one of calmly accepting whatever comes.

4. Is it too late now to say sorry?

Yes, Justin. Yes it is. Whether your singing voice was a little rough because you have a cold, or you didn’t get your sides until the last minute, or you flubbed the dialect–whatever. Don’t apologize. The only time you should apologize is if you are late–which you won’t be, because you read tip number one above–or if you spill the casting director’s latte and ruin her Macbook Air. And for god’s sake, don’t ask them how you did, or say you would have done better, were it not for factor A, B, or C.

The fix: Remember that this is your job. You are a professional, so act like one. You won’t hear a librarian or a construction worker or, god forbid, a cop at their workplace saying something like, “Hey I’m sorry, that wasn’t my best work. I’m a little under the weather today…” Be prepared, go in with confidence and do your thing. Then say thanks very much and go on to the next audition. And leave the self-doubt and neediness for the amateurs.

5. Meet the new boss: you

One big error that many newer actors make is treating the casting director or director as if they were a revered, god-like authority figure. This is the sort of attitude that leads to the “I’m sorry” error mentioned above: placing the director on a pedestal and giving away your power.

The fix: Granted, you should be respectful–not only of the director and casting director, but of everyone involved in the project. However, you should also remember that in an audition you’re not so much submitting a job application and interviewing with a potential new boss as you are conferring with fellow professionals in your field about the possibility of a collaboration. Your energy, point of view and unique ideas are the tools you bring to this potential creation that you and the director’s team might make together. You are not a vessel for the director to fill; you have agency and are being assessed as a potential member of a creative team. Be truthful to yourself and your singular vision, and let them see who you really are. After all, there isn’t anyone else you can really be, right?

Most of these tips have something to do with confidence, which obviously comes with experience. The best thing the beginning actor can do to build experience and therefore confidence is to work, work, work, and that means taking classes as well as auditioning and performing as much as possible! So get out there and break a leg!

When you think about it, our calling is all about learning. With every project, we learn new lines, and we learn new characters, and through them we learn new ways people deal with their emotions. What’s more, we should all learn something from every director we work with, and most actors we work with too, good and bad.

So in keeping with the spirit of learning that is so inherent to our craft, we should all be taking acting classes. That said, not all classes are created equal. As with any business, especially in the arts, there are all manner of charlatans and frauds out there preying on newbies and offering little of substance.

So how can you know if a class is right for you? And how can you know what to watch out for when auditing a class? (And yes, you should always, always ask if you can audit a class before plunking down your hard-earned money.)

Here are five red flags to look for in an acting class, followed by five ways to know you’ve found the right class for you!

1. Red Flag: The teacher never offers critiques 

The point of taking any kind of class is to learn. And although a “class” wherein all feedback is positive and everyone is always doing just super great work may feel nice at the moment, it really isn’t improving your craft. You can be coddled at your grandma’s house; spend your money on a different acting class however.

2. Red Flag: The cult leader

If the main focus of the class seems to revolve around the ego of the teacher, this isn’t really helping you. It isn’t even about you. This business perhaps more than any other produces some damaged characters, and some “teachers” are clearly in it for the ego-stroke of telling young actors endless tall tales about this or that famous celebrity whom they know SO WELL. Avoid if there’s more storytelling and ego-boosting than acting.

3. Red Flag: The teacher is condescending

Perhaps “negging” is more than a neckbeard, wannabe pick-up artist technique that actually works on some people, but I’ve never seen any evidence of it. Honest and fair critiques have a place in learning, but if the teacher is condescending or rude about the efforts of his or her students, it isn’t helpful to the students; it’s about the teacher’s ego.

4. Red Flag: The teacher has the students critique each other

We all know what opinions are like. And there’s a reason why films and plays have just one director: if everyone on set or in rehearsals went around offering their views on everyone else’s acting, there would be bloodshed. No, seriously, it would look like a scene from Hellraiser. Same goes for in class: it simply isn’t appropriate for one actor to directly critique another when they’re both there to learn from the instructor.

5. Red Flag: The teacher is aloof

Acting and directing is an intimate dance, and taking an acting class is asking to be directed. If the teacher doesn’t know everyone’s name, or is simply packing in as many students as possible and overcrowding the class, it’s going to be hard to develop that kind of intimacy and trust. Best to avoid these, as again, the focus appears to be elsewhere, not on the students’ needs.

Now for the positive! How to know you’ve struck gold in an acting class:

1. Gold: You feel welcome

The term “safe space” has been abused and co-opted lately, but in truth we as actors need exactly that to thrive and to feel free to explore. When you’re in a class and you feel you are among people who are happy and excited to be there and happy to have you there with them, it’s a great sign you’ll be able to do good work there.

2. Gold: There is a clear curriculum 

Think about what your “elevator pitch” for this class would be to a friend: can you describe what’s being taught in 25 words or less? That’s a great sign of a teacher who is focused, professional, and has a clear idea of what they want to impart to their students.

3. Gold: The teacher is focused on the students

Acting classes should be active. If you audit a class where the students are continually performing, trying new techniques, reading scenes and etc., all the while interspersed with instruction and critique, you have hit gold. This is what class should be; it’s not about lengthy war stories and name-dropping while the students sit and listen.

4. Gold: The students 

If the students in the class are talented, generous, and committed, it’s a great sign that you are auditing a solid class. Talent begets talent, and talent attracts talent. Plus, you can think of an acting class as a sort of pseudo-show or ongoing film project in the sense that, if it is a good group, it will generate a sense of family and trust–not to mention be a great crèche for learning, both from the instructor and from watching your fellow actors!

5. Gold: Your gut instinct

It’s a shame how much of our instinct has been beaten out of us as modern humans; we’re taught NOT to trust our first reaction to situations and people. We as actors, however, are famously the opposite of that: our instincts are a vital part of our toolkit. When auditing a class you should be able to imagine yourself taking part comfortably and connecting with the teacher and the students involved. “Good vibes” may be a touchy-feely concept for some, but the truth is, without a sense of safety, comfort and togetherness, good acting–and open, eager, adventurous learning–simply cannot exist.

Now get out there and get yourself in a class!

We talk a lot about auditions and the stress of them–after all, auditions are our “job interviews,” and nobody likes job interviews. (Next time your non-actor friends and family suggest that you complain too much about auditions, ask them how they would like to attend not one but several job interviews every week!)

But although all working actors are by definition familiar with auditioning, there are still some common errors many actors continue to make. So let’s a do a “good news/bad news” thing: we’ll talk about five mistakes many actors make, and then we’ll move on to five ways you can maximize your chances of getting that callback!

Five Common Mistakes:

1. Creeping on the auditors

When you participate in early blocking rehearsals in theater or in group read callbacks that take place on a stage, a funny phenomenon occurs: actors have a tendency to “hug the furniture.” Everyone tends to creep back and back and back, upstage away from the house. There’s something psychologically disconcerting about being out in front of everyone. The opposite tendency occurs in the audition room: many actors, once they’ve begun their reads, tend to creep “downstage,” closer and closer to the auditors table or their reader. Don’t do this. While you shouldn’t stand like a statue, there is tremendous power in stillness. At least be aware of the tendency to creep closer to the table.

2. Leave the costuming to the costumers

While showing up in clothing that is loosely related to the character is wise–i.e. if you’re reading for the role of a mechanic, don’t show up in a three-piece suit–it is a cringe-worthy mistake to show up in a full-on costume. You are a professional, trained actor confident in your ability to demonstrate a character. You don’t need costumes or props.

3. Find your levels

There’s nothing worse than being yelled at, and that goes for casting directors too. Even if you are playing a scene in your audition that is emotional, find a variety of levels. Use your imagination to find some counterintuitive ways to express the rage/frustration/whatever in the text. Not everyone yells when they’re angry!

4. Show your range

If you’re doing a monologue audition where you’ve been asked to present two contrasting pieces, take full advantage and show your full range. Too often we see actors play it safe and select two monologues that are similar and firmly in their wheelhouse. Push yourself to do two pieces that are truly contrasting–show us what you’ve got!

5. Get out of your head

No matter how you rehearse your audition piece in front of the mirror or with a friend, it simply will never go exactly as planned. Do yourself a favor before you walk in the room: let go of your expectations. Instead put yourself in a head space of openness, acceptance, and preparation for rolling with whatever comes your way: A reader who isn’t up to snuff, tripping over a chair, forgetting a line–these are things that happen, and the casting team knows this. Laugh it off and move on. Kicking yourself in the midst of your audition is counterproductive and a waste of your energy, and anyway distracts you from the task at hand.

Five Tips to Help You Get the Callback

1. Make sure you warm up

Performing cold is a huge mistake. You can’t fully relax into yourself or be fully connected to your instrument if you walk in off the street and just start reading. Even if you have very little time and space, find somewhere to at least do some stretches, and while you are doing so, work your articulators. If you are doing a dialect audition, make sure you find a way to take some extra time to vocalize in the dialect before you read.

2. Do your research 

Nothing is more infuriating than a lazy actor. While of course we sometimes don’t get our audition notices and sides until the night before the audition, with the advent of smart phones there is no reason to walk into an audition completely clueless. Find out everything you can about the piece, the director, their previous work, and if you can, about the particular scene you’re reading for. Even if you can’t find a ton of info, at least when they ask you if you know what the scene is about, you can say, “Well, I know x and y, maybe you could fill me in a little more?” Also, you must know what you’re saying: any word in your sides you’re the least bit fuzzy on–look it up!

3. Take a moment

Despite the adrenaline rush of finally getting called into the audition room, and despite the sense of overwork the casting team may exude, you must take a breath before you start your audition piece. Too often we launch right in without being fully mentally prepared. Take a moment to not only breathe deeply, but to mentally place yourself in the scene and remember the beat before: where are you, what got your character here to this moment, and what does he or she want now. This is your time to show the very best you can do; don’t squander it by feeling rushed or by rushing yourself.

4. Button, button, who’s got the button

Far too many auditions trail off into the ether with no clear ending, or with the actor immediately looking to the casting team like an eager puppy hoping for approval. No. Bad puppy. As you rehearse your piece make sure to delineate a clear button, a closing moment for your piece: how close has your character gotten to achieving his objective? Have you convinced your scene partner of the rightness of your cause? Find a way to land the last line of your monologue and imagine your character seeing the reaction of whomever they’ve been speaking to. Then take a breath before you fully come out of the moment and back into yourself. A clear ending will make your piece read much cleaner.

5. Be prepared to talk about yourself 

While it might not happen at every audition, do be prepared to chat after your read. Riding out the wave of emotion and adrenaline after a read we often fly toward the door. Use your improv skills to read the room as you say thank you; don’t linger, but do give them a chance to talk to you if they have any questions.

We all know the world has gone digital, there’s no getting around it. No matter how much we might like to escape the clutches of the Zuckerbergs of modern life, we seem to be firmly in their grasp.

But hey, as we say in improv, “Yes, and…!” If it is our fate to be fully digitized and forever staring into our smart phones like infants fascinated by a set of shiny, shiny keys, we actors might as well use it to our advantage, no?

To that end, ignore your weird uncle’s forwarded conspiracy emails for once, and do something for yourself and your acting career instead! Here are a few must-have apps that can help you maximize your time, stay organized, and run your lines.

1.  Rehearsal Pro is perhaps the best-known of the apps designed for actors, allowing you to watch your script scroll past like a teleprompter, or record your lines and play them back. You also can set it to “blackout mode” which tests how close you are to being off-book. Rehearsal Pro is compatible with scripts of all sizes, from short audition scripts to full-length pieces. Sadly for Android users, this one is only available for iPhone and iPad. And with a $19.99 price tag one has to wonder what kind of “starving artists” can really afford it. Still, it is consistently reviewed in a positive light, and remains a valuable tool.

2. We Rehearse applies the crowd-sourcing solution to running lines by providing instant access to a rehearsal partner through video chat. When you add yourself to the We Rehearse database, you can select a reader from their list of those available, and start running lines immediately! Plus, you can pay it forward by making yourself available as a reader for other actors. Runs on the Chrome browser and the only drawback is that it isn’t yet available as a stand-alone app. Still, an extremely useful tool. Free.

3. Tableread is another Apple-only app for now (the website says “coming soon” to the Google Play Store) that allows actors to read as well as listen to film scripts, teleplays and other scripts that have been formatted for the program. Just import a professionally formatted PDF to Tableread and it automatically converts it, making it available for you to listen to in a few moments. Featuring nearly 50 unique character voices, Tableread also can add a soundtrack to help put you in the scene. Free.

4. MyLines is an app that is available on both iPhone and Android platforms, and with a price tag of only $1.99 it is a bargain tool for learning lines that nonetheless comes with a tremendous array of features. Once you are signed in you can import scripts from your computer to the MyLines website, where they will then be converted and made available for you to access when you are on the go, using your phone. Also features a “blackout” function that helps you test yourself, and allows you to record lines. Automatically stops when it comes time for you to say your line, then you just hit play again for it to continue with the other characters’ lines. A great deal at $1.99.

5. AuditionCal is a time-management tool that lets you organize all your auditions, industry contacts, and events in one easy-to-use location. You’ve got sections for Networking, Workshops, and Agent and Manager meetings, plus it comes with a searchable database and email export function. It also allows you to seamlessly upload photos as well as streamline social media app postings, and the calendar view lays everything out for you in an easy-to-grasp format that is clean and clear. Apple product only, $.99.

6. Slatable takes the hassle and stress out of self-taping auditions and streamlines the process for actors who are too busy–what with the acting and all–to deal with learning to use professional video editing tools. The app, currently only available in the Apple Store, automates fade-in/fade-out, adds professional-looking title cards and provides smooth scene transitions. What’s more, you can record the other lines in your scene for playback while you are recording your take. Editing is made super easy, allowing you to record multiple takes and arrange them in any order you want, as well as cutting parts you don’t want to keep. It also allows you to export to files of industry standards after you are done recording. Free with a watermark, remove the watermark for $1.99, well worth the price for professional-looking, self-tape auditions.

7. Storyist is an amazing new full-featured text editor for the writer/actor on the go. Providing you with a screenplay template, the app (Apple Store only) takes your words and formats them automatically to work in both Final Draft and Fountain script formats. It also allows you several options to store your work in the cloud, including iCloud and Dropbox sync, as well as providing you with an index card format. This program may be one of the best text editors for mobile out there right now. At $14.99 it’s a bit on the pricey side, but with so many features and such connectivity, plus the ability to produce submission-ready screenplays using just your thumbs, it really is worth it.

8. Shakespeare Pro may be my new favorite app. This app, available in the Google Play Store as well as the Apple Store, the app contains all 41 of the Bard of Avon’s attributed plays, 154 sonnets, 6 poems, as well as a few “doubtful” pieces. The app puts all of his works in a tight little app that only takes up 40Mb or so of storage on Android phones. With a full integrated glossary, and the ability to do “relaxed” searches for words that are close to what you are looking for, you’ve never had so much information on Shakespeare available in such an easy-to-access format. Also contains detailed descriptions of every character in every play, and allows you to highlight a specific character’s lines in case you’re working a piece for an audition or a play. Free, also comes in a Pro version for $9.99.

The more you’re around this strange business of acting, the more you learn that far from being a unfathomable, inexplicable activity–a sort of alchemical event that takes place behind a curtain–there are actually nuts and bolts techniques to help us become better storytellers.

That said, however, there is still an element of mystery to acting, an element of ritual and magic that is vital to any good performance. And magic, being magic, is of course by definition inexplicable. But although we can’t necessarily define how we create magic for fear of ruining it, we can talk about how to create the right atmosphere to encourage the Muse to visit us and smile on our performances. And there’s no reason not to adapt some of these ideas when you’re preparing for an audition, which is, after all, a short performance.

As alchemists who are charged with generating magic on command, actors are by and large a superstitious lot. We all of course know not to say the name of The Scottish Play inside a theater for fear of bringing ruin down upon us. But beyond superstition there is value in having a systemic, ritualistic set of things you do before any habitual activity. Here are some rituals we can do for ourselves in order to put our heads and hearts in the right place prior to performing.

1. Every breath you take

Of course every actor is different, and your pre-show ritual may very well look entirely different from my own. But one thing that is universal to all of us is the necessity of breathing. And even before you hit the stage or step in front of the camera, deep breathing exercises are great for relaxing and grounding us. Find a quiet place shortly before going on and take a minute or two to close your eyes and breathe all the way down to the bottom of your lungs. Think only about the act of breathing, nothing more. This can be a wonderfully centering and meditative exercise on its own. But another technique for using breath to relax that helps to rid the body of tension and get you out of your head is to do a bit of exercise shortly before performing. Rocker Neil Young, even at 72 years old, swears by doing 20 or 30 pushups or sit-ups before going on stage. This is a great way to get your breath going deeper, pushing out any tension you may be holding in your diaphragm and core. While you’re at it, do some stretching and shake out your limbs to help get yourself loose, out of your head, and ready to be present on stage.

2. Soundtrack to your life

Music and sounds have a tremendous and little-understood impact on people’s moods, and actors are no exception. I’m in the habit of selecting a specific song during the rehearsal process that helps me get into the head of the character. As you listen to your chosen tune while you learn your lines, your mind will make connections between the work and the music that can help you go deeper into the character. And by creating this link, when you hear the music later on as you’re getting ready to perform, there is an almost Pavlovian effect that puts you in the frame of mind of the character. Some actors go so far as to have a complete playlist, which is great too, as you can listen to it while waiting for your call. But having at least one song that you associate with your character and his or her mindset is invaluable for putting yourself in the head space you need to be in to perform. A couple of examples: when I played violent and abusive white trash ex-con Jerry Goss in Tracy Letts’ harrowing play “Bug,” I would listen to Rob Zombie’s wonderfully trashy and aggressive “Dragula” just before my first entrance to get the old ticker pumping. To play Roy Cohn in “Angels in America” the tune of choice was of course “Sympathy for the Devil,” lol.

3. Practice gratitude

We really do have a great job, we actors, and it’s undeniable that we should count ourselves lucky to have the gifts we have, as well as the opportunity to share them. Taking a moment to create a mindset of gratitude helps to clear the mind of worry and tension. Shortly before every performance I like to recite a little mantra that I heavily borrowed from the ideas in Steven Pressfield’s excellent book “The War of Art.” I say, “I thank you for these gifts, gods of the theater, and I realize I only have them on loan. What I do comes to me from thousands of years of acting that has gone before me, and all those who have taught me, and I thank everyone who is and has ever been a part of this and a part of my life. I realize too that this performance is not about me. It is not about the words I say or what I do. It is about connecting my heart to the hearts of other people with whom I share this stage, and connecting all of us to the hearts of the people here to see us tonight. Please help me to open myself up and make this connection as best I can.” It may sound silly or hippie-dippie to some, but the mindset of gratitude really helps to take your focus off of yourself–which is where doubt and self-consciousness live, of course, in our self-focused thoughts. Just stating aloud that this thing is about something larger than yourself and that you are just a piece in a grand puzzle that spans millennia is a tremendously grounding, humbling exercise that can really help you focus on the work and let go of fears of failure.

4. Connect with your fellow performers

While group warm-ups are a little community-theaterish and anyway often out of the question when you’re working on a film or with Equity call times, it’s still useful to take the time to connect somehow with your fellow performers before taking the stage or stepping in front of the camera. Humans are emotional creatures and actors are tasked with connecting on an even more profound level with their emotions and those of their fellow actors. Even if it’s just a quick fist bump or a hug and a “See you out there” five minutes before curtain, making a connection of some sort helps us to open up and engage with our fellow actors. Emotional connections on stage stem from the genuine bonds we create off-stage–that’s what we call chemistry. So it’s a good idea to make sure those bonds remain strong.

The bottom line for creating a ritual is that it is yours, something that enhances your performance. And as it becomes habitual you will find that you can’t believe you ever performed without it!

The feeling is familiar to even the most successful actor: that one audition you were so stoked about, the one where you were so sure you had nailed the perfect audition for the perfect role for you–and you didn’t get the call.

Or rather, you got a call, it just wasn’t the one you wanted. Rejection is a big part of the business of being a working actor, and it’s something we all have to get used to. In fact, many industry pros say that a ratio of 30 auditions to one casting isn’t unusual, especially when you’re starting out. The thing to understand is that there are a myriad of possible reasons you might not get a role, many of which are completely out of your control. However, there are some things you can change to maximize your chances.

So first of all, buck up, little soldier! Every “no” brings you closer to a “yes,” and you shall live to fight another day! There’s not an actor out there who hasn’t been turned down repeatedly. Now the trick is to move forward in such a way as to maximize your odds next time out. And that process starts with an honest self-assessment: why didn’t I book the role? And what should I do differently next time?

First of all, let’s break this down into two sections: things you can control and things you can’t control, starting with the latter.

1. You can’t control: The director’s choices 

Obviously, you can’t change your look if it doesn’t fit that of the rest of the cast. If there is a fictional family you are auditioning to be a part of, and your look is wildly different from the rest, you’re just out of luck. Same goes for when a director decides to cast someone whose work they are familiar with. For some actors this leaves a bad taste, but there’s a lot to be said for personal relationships in this business. As we can see from the work of directors like Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson to name just two, the shared language of director and actor can lead to tremendous long-term collaborations, which lead to amazing performances and classic films. And there’s not a lot you can do about this, other than keep working at developing your network–and keep working in general!

2. You can control: whether you bring your day into the audition with you

This is a tough one, because it’s a big ask to leave your worries and your irritation outside the casting room door when you audition. But hey, we’re actors, right? So you spilled your coffee and burned your hand and the bus was late and anyway it splashed the hell of you when it finally rolled up. So what? Here’s your first acting gig of the day: act like none of that bothers you. To be more specific, use your training to overcome this stress before you even walk in to the reception area. Too many times we rush headlong into auditions, running late, already tense, worried about getting signed in and getting done quickly so we can get to our next appointment. In other words, we come in with exactly the wrong energy for a relaxed, engaged, fun performance. So before you even walk in, find a quiet spot nearby and take two to three minutes to do some deep breathing exercises and stretch a bit. You want to radiate the fact that you are a confident, calm, professional actor, even if you are a bit frazzled inside! The only thing on your mind must be the piece you are performing, your character’s objectives, and how to go about getting them. Bitching about your day? Whining about parking? That sort of thing is for civilians and 9-to-5ers. We’re actors! We’re the opposite of people!

3. You can control: being underprepared

This is one we can all relate to from time to time, as much as we might be loath to admit it. Between working, taking classes, and life in general, rushing from audition to audition sometimes means one of them falls through the cracks and we skimp out on the prep work. Keep in mind too that prep work means not only learning lines but also closely reading the piece and finding every nuance and hidden opportunity to take a different angle on your approach to the character. Every script has moments where there are opportunities for a fresh take. Remember that casting teams are seeing dozens or maybe even hundreds of other actors read the same piece you’re reading. Wake them up! Do the prep work to bring them something challenging and unique.

4. You can control: being open to adjustments 

Oftentimes the make or break moment in an audition is how the actor deals when the director asks him or her to make an adjustment. The relationship between director and actor is vital to the success of any piece, and as with any relationship, communication is the key. When a director suggests an actor make an adjustment, he or she isn’t just testing your acting ability. They’re also trying to see if you are responsive to their language and manner of communicating, to give them a snapshot of what it might be like to be on set or in rehearsals with you for an extended period. The actor who is most readily able and eager to make shifts in what they’re doing is going to score higher when it comes to making a casting decision. Set yourself up for success by taking an improv class or two, and approach the audition not as a thing to be feared or even simply endured, but as an opportunity to bring your unique imagination and gifts to the fore. Play!

5. You can and also cannot control: the reader

This is a hybrid because there are aspects of working with a reader that you can control and aspects you can’t. Obviously, you are just going to have to deal with whomever they use as a reader for you. Stewing about how the reader “isn’t doing it right,” that is, not reading the way your roommate read the sides with you the night before does you no good, and takes your focus away from where it belongs: on your character’s objectives. This is another chance to use your listening and improv skills, and take what you’re given and work with it. Even if the reader misses some lines or seems checked out, this is still your opportunity to shine. You aren’t counting on the reader to pull you up; it’s up to you to pull them up to your level. Even if that’s impossible, this is a chance to show what you bring to the table and how you are the right actor to help buoy the ship of the piece you are auditioning for. Have fun no matter what, and realize too that the casting team is well aware of whatever challenges their readers present. Show them you can work with anyone and still bring home a solid performance!

“And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover,

To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.”

–William Shakespeare, “Richard III”

For a certain breed of actor, one of the greatest joys in life is playing the bad guy. They relish it. Think actors like Anthony Hopkins or Michael Shannon: although they are of course talented actors who can show nuance, depth and complexity in conflicted characters, the truth is you can see that they take a certain feral joy in being bad.

It’s like when you were a playing as a kid: who wants to be the good guy? How boring to wear the white hat and save the girl tied to the tracks from the oncoming train. Where’s the fun in that?

Better to ride into town on a mighty black steed to rob a bank and wreak havoc on the villagers, and then take off to your secret hideout in the hills to count your loot.

And when it comes to the grown-up version of this kind of playing–“the craft of acting,” we call it, a pretentious term for “playing”–putting on the black hat is a particularly delicious kind of joy. That’s not to say it’s easy, however. But here are a few ways to help you be good when you set out to be bad!

1. No one thinks they are the “bad guy”

With the exception of Shakespeare’s Richard III, who gleefully announces to the audience that he has decided to be as downright evil as possible, no one actually thinks they’re the bad guy. Genghis Khan, Joseph Stalin and Adolph Hitler all thought they were doing the right thing. However mad their plans and monstrous their actions, they sought to succeed just like anyone else: for themselves, for their families, for their people and for history–the fact that they were self-delusional to the point where they could justify their horrific actions notwithstanding. Keep this in mind when digging into roles of more pedestrian bad guys: from their perspective they’re the good guys. Of course they’re fooling themselves, which is part of the fun. But to put your character in an “evil” box is to render him or her flat and two-dimensional. You can’t play “bad;” you can only play actions and objectives. When Stanley Kowalski hits his wife Stella in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” he doesn’t do so out of a desire to be “a bad guy.” He doesn’t think, “Hey I’m evil, I’m going to evil it up and smack my lady around because that’s how evil mofos like me roll.” No, he does so out of fear of losing Stella and losing control of his home now that his sister-in-law Blanche has moved in, and out of fear of losing face in front of his friends. He is a small, scared man attempting to reassert his power via violence. This is a deeply troubled human being, of course. But that’s the key: he is a human being, flawed like the rest of us. To write him off as “evil” is facile and reductive. As actors our job is to empathize with the characters we play and tell their stories with truthfulness to their situation, not our own. Realize too this is in no way meant to justify the actions of characters like Kowalski–nor those of murderous dictators for that matter. It’s just that if you want to play a character who has particularly dark demons, you have to make every effort to view the world from their point of view, however disturbing it may be.

2. Keep them separate from yourself 

That said, if you are going to play a “bad guy,” take care of yourself first. It is vital not only to you the actor but also to the character you are portraying that you keep the role in a separate box from yourself. The best analogy I’ve ever heard for what it’s like to play a less-than-charming character–or for playing any character, really–is to think of it as putting on and taking off a light jacket. A jacket isn’t you, even if it conforms to your contours and covers you for a time. It’s merely something draped over your shoulders, and something which you have the power at any moment to discard. And you must discard the character at the end of the night, or you will run into trouble. Sometimes less experienced actors think that in order to play the role of an asshole or a psychopath in a genuine manner they must live and breathe it, 24/7. This is not only bad for you psychologically, and bad for your relationships and everything else in your life apart from when you are on camera or on stage, it’s bad acting. In fact it’s not acting at all; if you’ve decided to be a character who is an asshole, that just makes you an asshole, not an actor playing one. Better to learn how to adopt the objectives and goals of the characters you play, play them when the time comes, then set them aside afterward as you would a costume or prop. It’s not yours–why hang onto it after you’ve left the stage or the set?

3. Research

Perhaps more so than with any other, research is the key to playing the type of characters you would never invite home for Thanksgiving dinner. As mentioned above, having empathy and even love for the characters you portray–even “bad guys”–is vital to forming a real connection and thus bringing them to life in a genuine manner. This is your chance to play armchair detective: what was it like in the era you are portraying? What was this person’s background and experience leading up to the moment when we meet them in the script? Even if there’s not a lot to go on and you’re forced to extrapolate backwards in time from the script, this can be a very beneficial exercise for bringing a character to life. Back to the “Streetcar” example: Stanley is solidly blue collar, a truck driver who served in World War Two and is now living in a rough working-class neighborhood in late 1940s – early 1950s New Orleans. Obviously, the way he thought of and treated women–and the way women were thought of and treated by society as a whole–were very different than they are today. No matter how much we may disagree with those long-ago values, they are the reality we are being asked to portray, and it’s our job to do so with the utmost truthfulness and adherence to the character and the playwright’s intent. To soften him up because we don’t like the values he represents–or, for that matter to remake Stella into a modern feminist–may give you a warm fuzzy self-righteous feeling inside, but it is dishonest and a bit ridiculous, and it does a disservice to the piece and to the audience alike.

Portraying any character is all about love, finding a way to love this person no matter their flaws, and to empathize with their choices, or at least understand why they made them. The challenge increases exponentially when you are asked to portray a “bad guy,” but the work remains the same.

“I knew that if I wanted to be all I could be, I would have to go to the U.S. It took three years to get the accent right.” –Idris Elba

If you’re like me, tuning in to watch “The Wire” was your introduction to the great talent of Idris Elba, the actor who played Stringer Bell on that modern classic series. And the last thing anyone unfamiliar with his work to that point might have thought is that he wasn’t from the U.S., such was his command of that gnarly Ballmer dialect (Baltimore, to the uninitiated.)

So seeing him in an interview and realizing he’s from East London was a bit of a shock–surely I wasn’t the only Yank to feel that way!

But having read the above quote regarding the amount of time and work he put in to develop and perfect his American accent, suddenly it all made sense: you don’t get the command, natural delivery and ease of language he had as Bell without a ton of work.

So what about the poor actor who is up for a part requiring a dialect? I don’t know about you, but if I waited three years between auditions to develop a dialect with the care that Elba invested, I would have long since found myself starving in the streets.

So let’s look at some ways to approach the dialect audition in such a way as to minimize your stress and maximize your chances of booking the role!

1. Acting is still action

The first thing to do is to approach the audition as you would any other: look at the piece as a whole, the scene, and the character you’re reading for as well as the other characters in the scene and your relationship with them. Then, identify your objectives and some potential tactics to achieve the goals your character wants to achieve with those characters. The accent is and must be secondary to the acting at this point. As anyone knows who has ever worked on a show or film requiring a dialect, there will be plenty of time, practice and coaching involved in getting it just right. Yes, it will benefit you in the audition to have some rudimentary grasp on the contours of the language. But let’s face it, casting directors are looking for actors, not talking heads. The prettiest dialect in the world will be worth nothing at an audition if it isn’t backed up by acting. And if all you’re thinking about is the dialect, you won’t even be acting, not at your best anyway. Don’t let the dialect aspect distract you from the actual work at hand.

2. Be specific 

Specificity is a very important word when it comes to playing an action, as we all know, but it’s no less important when it comes to a dialect. There’s nothing more jarring than to hear a dialect that is wrong for the specific place or the character. Having spent a lot of years in the South, hearing an actor using a generic Foghorn Leghorn dialect in a film or play set in the South causes the emotional equivalent of fingernails scratching a chalkboard. It’s surely the same for people from the U.K. who hear a Dick Van Dyke chimneysweep dialect being employed to represent Anyplace, England. Research the character, where they are from, and how people really sound from there. It’s vital to think specificity: there’s a difference between dialects of Texas and North Carolina, sure, but there’s also a difference between Alabama and Georgia. And then there are differences in dialects based on education and income level, among a myriad of other factors. With YouTube and the ubiquity of media these days there is no excuse for not taking some time to listen to real people from the place you are being asked to represent. A genuine portrayal requires nothing less–even in the short, horribly telescoped time in which we are usually asked to prepare for an audition. You have an internet connection: use it!

3. Get help

That said, some of us have a better ear for dialects and imitating them than others. So don’t trust yourself–find someone who can help. Whether it be a dialect coach, an actual human from that place, or even an experienced actor who has been called on to play parts featuring such a dialect, it’s incumbent on you to run it by someone once you have worked on it a bit. Granted, this is easier said than done if you get the call to audition the night before. Still, surely in this day and age we all have a friend or a friend of a friend–or barring that, a barista or office mate–who knows someone who can help.

4. But there is other help

However, there are other options if a real live human specimen from Galway or Minsk or Montgomery should prove unobtainable the night before a big audition. There are tons of CDs and books out there, many of which are available for download. Robert Blumenfeld is an excellent resource for a ridiculous number of dialects, as is Edda Sharpe and Paul Meir. Also, you might look up videos posted by IDEA Dialects, the International Dialects of English Archive which features tons of real people of various ages, genders and backgrounds speaking in their native dialects. You can search by continent, country and region, and it’s a great resource, especially if you’re pressed for time.

5. Do some advance work

We keep talking about being under the gun for an imminent audition, and the potential difficulty of finding resources to help you with a dialect in those circumstances. But the truth of it is that, if you are or wish to become a working actor, dialects should and must be a part of your arsenal. To that end, investing in a book that comes with CDs featuring exercises to help you master a variety of dialects and having it on hand as needed is well worth it. To go a step further, there are a few broad dialects that come up pretty regularly and which we should all at least have a rudimentary grasp on: Standard British, London, Irish, Southern U.S., and New York for example. Yes, of course there are dozens of New York dialects, and probably hundreds of British ones, and so this contradicts the “specificity” tip above. But if you have at least the broad outlines of a region, when you are asked to home in on one specific place within it, it becomes a much easier task, especially if you’re pressed for time. To go from zero to sixty on, say, an Irish dialect is much more difficult than massaging a general Irish accent into an Ulster dialect.

The bottom line in dialect work is, like every other aspect of top-notch acting, work! As Idris Elba pointed out, this is one area in which you can’t afford to slack off or simply hope for the best on the day.

Acting is of course performing in such a way as to mimic genuine human emotional life, and one of those emotions is sadness. But despite the huge, diverse and rich tapestry of human emotions, many actors are hung up on performing one specific physical manifestation of this one emotion: they are determined to cry on stage or on camera.

No on-camera dribbles of Visine or saline solution for them! These actors are super proud when they bust out the old waterworks at just the right moment in a scene or audition. But the ability to cry on cue is a contentious issue, and for good reason. So let’s clear up a few things about this bugbear of the acting community.

1. Crying on cue is a misnomer

Crying is of course the act of tears coming from your eyes. But more than that, and much more importantly in terms of acting, crying is a genuine emotional response to emotional or physical pain. Therefore to say someone can cry “on cue” may technically be correct–there may be tears coming from their eyes. But to do so on command is just as likely to betray a lack of genuine emotional connection as it is to appear to be a real human response. That’s not to say that certain words and sights and smells and sounds can’t be the trigger that sets off our emotional response of crying–I played Louis in a production of “Angels in America” and at the end of my huge, self-flagellating, self-exculpatory monologue with Belize, when he berates Louis and describes the smell of the coming snow: “softness, compliance, forgiveness, grace,” the word “forgiveness” almost always set me off and the floodgates opened. That’s what you could describe as a genuine emotional response from the perspective of the character, because of course Louis felt he was beyond forgiveness. Conversely, I had a very green assistant director working on another show once tell me, “I think you should start crying right around here, in the middle of page 23.” Just…no. That’s not the way it works, in real life or in acting. Not if what you want to see is something approaching a genuine reaction. An organic response is vital.

2. Crying in performance is overemphasized

The ability to cry in a performance is often something actors take great pride in. But as related to the above point, the actual squeezing of tears out of your face is really a symptom of emotional response, it isn’t the emotion itself. Thus many actors are so focused on making themselves cry they neglect the actual acting of the scene. The objectives of the character and his or her efforts to achieve them are pushed aside in favor of the actor’s objective of crying, and that can be deadly to a performance. I worked with an actor in the Scottish play once who, in preparation for her scene as Lady MacDuff when murderers come to kill her child would sit out in the theater lobby for 30 minutes or more working up her tears. How is this possibly in any way “being in the moment?” How in any way can the actor react naturally to the surprise arrival of murderers and the shock and fear and terror of the threat if she walks out on stage at the start of the scene already emotionally worked up to the brink of shrieking and tears? As the cliché goes, acting is reacting, and if you already have your emotion locked and loaded before the event occurs to which you are supposed to be reacting, then what you are doing is something else. It may be a type of acting, but it isn’t good acting, not in the sense of being emotionally present and connected to the scene. At that point it’s more about the actor’s ego more than anything else, and that takes them even further out of the character. Better to work on being present and thus bringing out a real and genuine reaction to the threat of murderers entering the house and threatening to kill your son. If that involves tears, great. But plenty of people experience terror and sadness and fear without great gushing gobs of saltwater rolling down their faces.

3. Crying becomes the journey

The other problem touched on briefly in the previous section is that the tears become the entire point of the scene to the actor who is fixated on crying. This is why many casting directors hate it when actors cry at auditions. The wet-faced actor is proud, happy and thinks they nailed it as they walk out; meanwhile the casting director is rolling their eyes in frustration. Why? Because the actor was so hellbent on making the tears happen they forgot to be in the scene. This means the casting director didn’t get to see their best work. The actor’s ability to be present in the moment and act out the objectives of their character were shoved aside in order to make room for the actor to think exclusively about crying. A corollary to this is that when you’re trying to cry, people can see that. You can think of it like playing drunk: a drunk person is not trying to show you how drunk they are. This is a rookie mistake many young actors make: they wildly flail around and stumble in a ridiculously exaggerated manner. But what actual drunk people do is just the opposite: they’re trying to pretend they are completely sober and in control–and probably failing. Same with crying. Our instinct is to protect ourselves and suppress tears, not seek them out. Have you ever seen a little kid try to cry in a play for sympathy? It’s painfully, often hilariously obvious that that’s what they’re trying to do. Most of the time actors who are working hard on getting themselves to cry have a similar appearance. Better to go back to the roots of acting: objective and tactics to achieve that objective. Better to be genuinely grounded in the scene, listening to your scene partner and letting yourself react honestly to whatever is given to you.

Of course it’s possible to do good work and also cry on camera or on stage. Crying and other overt displays of sadness, pain or despair are something we are conditioned to avoid, and that avoidance begins with shutting down our emotions. By allowing ourselves to be open and fully accepting of all the myriad emotions that might come our way while we are in character during a performance, we are making ourselves available for tears to come. If that’s what happens, great. If not, there’s nothing wrong with showing your feelings in other ways.

Focusing exclusively on the crying part of the equation is a distraction at best. And at worst it will deter the actor from reaching a real connection with their character and the other actors in the scene.

If you go out to see theater on a regular basis–and you really should, not only to support theater in general as well as your friends’ shows, but also to contribute to your ongoing education as an actor–you’ve probably seen an improvisation show.

And yes, there is of course some really incredible and well-done improv out there. Amazing talents like Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and Amy Sedaris along with countless others have a background in improv.

However let’s be brutally honest: there is also some absolutely terrible improv out there. While of course every improv show is going to have hits and misses, even improv lovers would have to admit that there are shows where the ratio of well-thought out and well-performed pieces to the unwatchable, embarrassing pieces skews heavily to the latter.

For some of us, this traumatic exposure to bad improv can turn us off from it altogether, causing us to cringe inwardly anytime a friend invites us to see their oh-so kooky improv group “Salted Nuts” put on a show. But even if we aren’t interested in performing improv, as actors we all owe it to ourselves and our careers to take an improv class. Here’s why:

1. You’re going to need it

Here’s the thing about scripted performance: something will go off the rails at some point. The script should of course be considered by the actor to be a holy document and we should do our utmost to adhere to the wishes of the writer, and to the director, and producer and countless others who approved the script. That said, no matter if you’re performing in theater or on camera, at some point somewhere along the line something is going to come up that is not on the page. Whether it be a forgotten line, a missed entrance, or a huge crashing sound coming from backstage, at some point you are going to be called upon to improvise a reaction that is unrehearsed. And like anything, the more practice you have doing so, the easier it becomes. Not only that, many auditions these days, especially for comedic pieces, call for the actor to do a little bit of improv as part of the process. Imagine how much more comfortable you’ll be when this comes up having taken an improv class or trained with an improv group!

2. Improv builds confidence

Related to the above point, the more you do improv, the more confident you become as an actor. After all, if you’ve been out in front of a class or on stage performing a piece based on random audience suggestions, you are bound to be more confident about rolling with the punches when something random and unexpected comes up in a scripted performance. Seasoned improv actors have endured multiple baptisms by fire that render them nigh-impervious to freezing up like a deer in the headlights when something comes at them like this. Not only that, this confidence in your ability to react to whatever comes along translates directly to real-life situations too. It can be invaluable to your networking and ability to connect to other people, both in the field and outside it.

3. Sharpens your wits

Like any tool, the brain grows dull and rusty with lack of use. To continue with the metaphor, people who do improv on a regular basis are among the sharpest knives in the drawer, simply because they have to continually and consistently access those parts of the mind that allow them to respond on the fly. “Yes, and…” is the well-known rule of improv–agree and add something to whatever has been said–and you need to have your wits about you in order to be able to do this effectively. You have to mentally move quickly in improv, and learning how to do this better will lend itself to those moments on stage or in front of the camera when the unexpected occurs.

4. Being present

We talk a lot bout being present in acting, and there’s nothing like improv for making you really focus on the here and now. When you’re performing improv, you can’t check out for half a page while another actor chews the scenery in the same tired monologue you hear them recite night after night. You must constantly be listening, watching, aware and awake to whatever might transpire, because you have no idea what that might be! Honing these skills in improv can really amp up your ability to be present in scripted performances too. Also, by making ourselves accessible to whatever comes along as one must do in improv, we sharpen our actor’s toolkit in another way. The answer “yes, and” requires openness, and as actors the ability to accept and move forward with whatever is happening around us is invaluable, lending a whole other level of depth to our ability to be present.

5. Making strong choices

We’ve all heard numerous and conflicting statements along the lines of “acting is all about x.” But among the many things “they say” acting is, it is undeniable that our acting hinges on choices. And there’s nothing like improv for driving you to make quick, strong choices–excellent training for auditioning when you will often be called upon to perform material you are unfamiliar with. Indeed, how many times have you heard a casting director or other member of a casting team ask you to “try it again, but give us something different this time.” Many less-experienced actors might react with something like, “Uhhhh…shit.” Conversely, the seasoned improv actor’s first thought will be–say it with me now: “Yes, and!” What’s more, growing more comfortable with the heightened risks inherent to performing improv engenders within us more comfort with making riskier choice in our auditions and performances. Try to imagine yourself as a casting director and think about what it would be like to see 50 or 100 actors all reading for the same part over the course of a day or two. How many of those actors–working completely legitimately by letting the text inform them–are bound to make the same or similar choices in approaching the character? The improv actor’s ability to think way out of the box also gives him or her a leg up when it comes to preparing scripted characters.

You don’t have to join or form a group named something like Salted Nuts or Cerebral Ballsy in order to benefit from improv. Look for a class, or just get together with some actor friends at home or even during your down time at the theater and look up a few improv games. There are certainly worse ways to use your time–and next time something goes wonky you’ll thank me!

The term body language is one that gets thrown around a lot in the context of acting. And while we all probably have a pretty good general idea of what the phrase means, perhaps it’s a good idea to take a closer look at it and think more carefully about how we can use our bodies to convey what we’re trying to communicate as performers.

First of all it’s important to understand that the way we move and carry ourselves and our facial expressions all taken together really is a language unto itself. One widely quoted study suggests that 93 percent of human communication actually takes place non-verbally.

Gives you a whole different perspective on misinterpreted text messages, no? And if you’re one of those people who hates talking on the phone, this might have something to do with it. When we’re on the phone, the fact that we’re speaking to one another gives us the illusion that we are communicating with as much accuracy as is ever possible between two people. But the fact of the matter is, the lack of facial cues and visible body language massively undercuts our ability to understand each other.

But back to acting. There are a few ways we can use body language to amplify the message we are trying to convey–and there’s some non-verbal language to avoid too.

1. Before you read 

We’ve all probably heard the old saw about how if you act confidently, it can transfer actual confidence to you. And if you haven’t heard this, give it a try sometime and you will likely be amazed. Decide you’re just going to be that guy or girl who walks into the room with chest open and shoulders back, the one who smiles and says hi to everyone, making eye contact and moving deliberately with authority. It really works! You may be nervous at first and have to act through it, but you will likely find that the feedback you get, both verbal and non-verbal boosts your actual confidence.

But beyond that, think about this: why weren’t you confident last time you felt overly nervous at an audition? Because there’s actually no logical reason for it. If you’ve done the work, prepared a solid character with clear objectives and you’ve learned the lines as best you can in the time allotted, your focus shouldn’t be on whether you the actor is going to fall on your face; it shouldn’t be on you at all. You should be fully and completely focused on the character and his or her desires, and the tactics he or she is going to pursue to achieve them.

Let’s also dispense with the more obvious suggestions for what to do before you read. Do more than walk into the room as if you were that confident guy or girl, smiling, shaking hands firmly, and making eye contact: BE that person. Lack of confidence comes from uncertainty, from not knowing what is expected or what the right thing to do is.

That’s not you. You know what you’re doing. If you’ve done your homework there is no reason to think you are not that confident person.

When we walk into an audition we are asking the casting director to place a tremendous amount of trust in us. A scuttling, fearful actor who can’t make eye contact and looks like he might poop himself at any given moment does not inspire confidence. Walk deliberately with head held high and shoulders back, plant yourself and engage with the people behind the table with a smile, solid eye contact, and a firm handshake if they offer.

You’ve probably heard it said that acting confident is the first acting job of the day when you audition. True, but I’d take this one step further: it’s not up to the casting team to help you relax, it’s your job to make THEM feel relaxed. Conveying confidence in your ability and preparation with your body language is the first step toward achieving this.

2. “Okay, whenever you’re ready.”  

So, hellos have been said, you’ve shown yourself to be a confident actor who is comfortable in his or her own skin. Now it’s time to get down to the actual work. The temptation is to launch into your audition piece immediately, perhaps trying to grasp onto your lines before they escape from your brain like the traitors they are. But this is a rookie mistake. Here too it’s important to be deliberate and take your time.

Imagine you’re slipping on a jacket that represents your character. Done right, this can be a tremendously impactful piece of acting before you say a single word: is the character a victim? Powerful? Frightened? Arrogant? Broken-hearted? What does that do to his or her posture? Make a solid, clear physical shift from your own confident, relaxed stance to that of the character before you speak.

This is your time. Don’t drag it out, but on the other hand take a deep breath and fully engage with the pre-beat and envision your character before launching into your piece. Close your eyes and picture the world where the scene is taking place and let that wash through your body and inform your movements and posture. And begin only when you’re truly ready.

3. After

This is pretty much the reverse of the entrance. You want to shift back to yourself and out of the character, and say a confident “thank you.” And there’s a trick to hanging around just long enough to give the casting team a chance to ask you anything they might have on their minds or suggest an adjustment–without seeming like you are begging for it.

If nothing like that is forthcoming, head toward the door with your same confident, slow, deliberate walk, shoulders back and head held high. Even though the relief of being done with a read often leads us to want nothing more than to rush the door in a near-sprint, this is a mistake. You are on stage every moment you are at the audition, and even more so when you are in the room with the casting team.

Just remember above all that you are a professional offering your services to other professionals, should the pairing work for all parties. Don’t give away your power by rushing around or cowering, and be that professional by taking the time to fully put on the cloak of your character before you read and take it off afterward. And break a leg!