How to Prepare for Audition Day

Travel

 1.     BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE

This might sound like an obvious one, but make sure to buy your train ticket in advance if you can. If you’re travelling into London, you’ll save a fortune simply buy purchasing one month early. 

2.     CHECK THE DAY BEFORE FOR ANY SCHEDULED DELAYS AND HAVE A BACKUP JOURNEY

Make sure to check out the latest travel news and keep an eye in the lead up to your audition. You could check a week prior, a day prior and on the morning of. Sometimes delays happen last minute too, so be aware of any backup journeys you can take, to avoid any unnecessary stress. 

3.     GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME

Don’t be that person running late into the audition – it doesn’t look great and sets the tone for your audition. You’ll also be flustered and more likely to be anxious. Give yourself plenty of time to get there – and if you have a long journey, consider travelling up the day before if you can. This will guarantee that you’re not late or stressed at your audition.

Food & Drink

1.     WATER. WATER. WATER

Make sure to take lots of water for the audition itself and also for prior. You want to turn up feeling hydrated and energised. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these have the opposite effect. You’ll also wait to avoid dairy, soft drinks and refined sugars as these have the potential to increase mucous production which could impact your voice. 

 2.     BRING FOOD!

If you’re like me and you’re always a little peckish, you’ll probably want to have some food on you. You don’t know how long you’ll be awaiting prior to your audition, or between different stages, so make sure to bring snacks and keep energised. As with fluids, make sure to avoid dairy and refined sugars if you can – but do ensure you’ve got snacks that will give you enough energy to be your best self on the day. Nuts and energy bars are a great shout as they’re easily portable! 

Clothing & Appearance

1.     WEAR SOMETHING COMFORTABLE OR TAKES SPARES

Especially if you’re dancing. No stylish, stand-out outfit is good for audition day if you’re sweating, it restricts your movement/voice or if you simply don’t feel as comfortable as you’d like. Alternatively, make sure to pack some spare clothes for those dance auditions or to travel in, etc.  

2.     REMEMBER A HAIRBRUSH, HAIRBAND AND CONSIDER HAIRSPRAY

If you’ve got long hair, this is a must. You’ll want to tie it back at points, whether in the audition or on your way, so be prepared with everything you need to style those locks. 

3.     BRING SOME SPARES SHOES OR WEAR ONES THAT ARE COMFORTABLE

If you have to walk a lot to and from your audition, make sure to pack spare shoes for travel. You don’t want to be limping into your audition. Keep any snazzy shoes for the audition itself! 

4.     PACK LIGHTLY ON MAKE-UP

Not a requirement, but if you feel more confident or more ‘in-the-role’ with some make-up, then don’t forget to pack enough to top up after your journey.

Avoid ‘nervous blusher’ - we’ve all done it and it’s not necessary! Stop right now thank you very much!

Mindset and Lifestyle

 1.    TRY TO GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP

If you’re anything like me, the night before an audition I struggle to sleep. I’ve found that trying to unwind earlier than normal really helps. Yoga, meditation, sleep meditation, a bubble bath, a nice book will help you relax and get your headspace into a good place to sleep deep!

2.     PRACTICE YOUR AFFIRMATIONS 

Get into the right headspace by practicing some of your affirmations prior to the audition. At PYR LDN, we like to provide specific take-homes to our members as part of our Motivational Mornings. These can be used pre-audition to have you feeling calm, condiment and ready to bring your best self. 

3.     LISTEN TO PODCASTS 

Take onboard inspiring and motivational thoughts from leaders in the industry. Our PYR LDN podcast is a good place to start (coming soon! keep your eyes peeled), with hosts and guest speakers straight from the West End stage. 

Organisation 

1.     DOUBLE-CHECK THE AUDITION SPECIFICS – HEADSHOTS, CV, APPLICATION FORM? 

We recommend double-checking specifically the audition information. Some auditions will require a full application form, while others you’ll only need your headshot. Make sure to get prepared for this in advance, as you don’t want to be rushing around London looking for a public printer – trust me on that.

2.     TAKE A SMALL NOTEBOOK & PEN

This one always surprises me, as I always wonder why would I ever need a notebook and pen at an audition? But funnily enough, every time I haven’t taken one, I’ve always found myself wanting to write down little points. Even if just to write down some affirmations on the journey. Always useful. 

3.     DON’T FORGET YOUR PHONE CHARGER! 

Again – a must have if you’re travelling and less so if you’re not, but the likelihood is, whether you travel or not, you’ll be waiting around a fair amount and phones can be a good distraction from any pre-audition nerves. 

4.     MIGHT BE WORTH TAKING YOUR REPERTOIRE FOLDER (JUST IN CASE)

Even though you may have the perfect song planned, it might be worth taking your repertoire folder, if you can. I do suggest only bringing in the songs you’re really comfortable with though! 

The bits & bobs

Though you probably keep these things in your bag all the time anyway, don’t forget to pack the below list of essential bits & bobs to have you feeling fresh and ready to perform on the day. 

• Tissues

• Hand Sanitiser

• Mask 

• Mints 

• Floss

• Tampons if needed

We hope you find the Audition Day checklist useful!

Got a must-have you think we should share and add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!