With the play all said and done, it’s the musical’s turn to take the spotlight on the Prairie Ridge stage! This year, Mr. Jensen will be putting on the dramatic and riveting musical adapted from the classic by Charles Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities. For students who have always thought about auditioning but weren’t sure how it works, I interviewed Mr. Jensen.

Q: What do students need to do for a PR audition?

A: “Sign up on the bulletin board outside of the choir room and plan to sing a 30 second segment from a song from any musical of your choice. Complete the online audition form on the Musical Activities webpage. A sample video of the dance is posted on the Musical Activities page so that you can learn the dance prior to the audition date.”

Q: If a student is going for a certain character, what kind of monologue should he/she use?

A: “Dramatic monologue, and it may be wise to look for something from the time period and nation of the author of this musical (Charles Dickens…..1800’s England.)” This can also be applied for other shows as well. For example, Hamilton takes place a long time ago so a monologue with an older character would work.

Q: What is the best strategy for finding a good music piece to perform during an audition?

A: “Pick something that you are familiar and comfortable with, memorize it, and make sure that it shows off the most beautiful and powerful area of your voice. We want to hear you at your best.”

Q: During this year’s musical, was there anything specific you are looking for?

A: “Our initial auditions give the directors a read on the generalized ability of our students, relative to everyone else who is auditioning. As we watch students sing, act, dance we take notes and then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each student, and how those might translate to the different characters in the show. Be sure to perform as a character. We know that you can play an American teenager. We want to see you create a new character and tell us a story with you face, hands, and body while you sing and perform your monologue.”

Q: How does the dance audition work?

A: “The audition segment is posted online for the students to watch and learn at home. We will review with all students for 20 minutes on Wednesday, and then we will begin watching students perform the dance in groups of 3, until every student has had at least two chances to dance for the judges.”

Q: Any last tips for our readers?

A: “Have fun, be confident, and remember that the audition process is an important learning opportunity. Memorize your song and monologue if possible, and enjoy the process of “diving into the skin” of an imaginary character. Analyze how the character in your monologue and song might stand, walk, talk, think, gesture, etc.  We learn so much about ourselves through the process of auditioning that the most valuable outcome of these auditions is not the resulting cast list, but the personal self-reflection and increased awareness of strengths and weaknesses that a student comes away with.”

So there you have it! Everything you need to know to have a successful audition here at PR (or anywhere else for that matter). While the auditions may be over for this year’s musical, you can always keep these helpful tips and tricks in mind for any time you have to try out for something! Special thanks to Mr. Jensen for taking the time to answer these questions, and good luck to all of the people auditioning for any PR fine arts event!