Advice To Young Actors on How To Get a Better Role

Unless you’re already in a lead role, you are probably wondering how you might get a better role in the next show. First, each show is different. Sometimes the lead role calls for a short young boy, and sometimes it calls for a tall older girl or some other specific characteristics. However, second leads (meaning speaking roles that don’t have as many lines or songs) are just as important. That’s why they award Oscars to Supporting Actors. It’s important to take every role seriously — it can lead to stardom!

Here are some tips on how to get a good role in your next show:

DO A GREAT JOB IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE!

If you have a speaking role, make certain you can say all your lines without even thinking about it. You have to run lines every day to get to that point. Say your lines loudly and slowly, otherwise the audience will not hear or understand what you said.

“Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show”

REACT!

Whether you have a speaking role or not, react! Don’t just stand there. Look like you are interested in what’s going on in your scene. And they should be big reactions. How everyone on stage reacts is what makes a show good or bad.

SING OUT!

Even if you are just in the chorus, you should always sing loudly and on key. Remember to act while singing. Dance, move your arms, use big facial expressions.

BE RELIABLE!

If you miss rehearsals without a good reason, such as illness, the director will consider you unreliable and may not want to put you in a large role. And if you don’t know your lines at rehearsal, why would the director want to give you more lines? Always pay attention during rehearsals. Follow directions and don’t be disruptive. Talent is important, but cooperation, enthusiasm and a desire to do a good performance is just as important.

BE PREPARED!

Learn the lines and songs for your current show as quickly as possible. To improve your singing, you should sing in the school or church choir and sing at home as often as possible. Practice makes perfect. Consider voice lessons. If you have an opportunity to speak in class or do some other type of verbal presentation, do it.

AUDITIONS

The director always remembers how well you performed in your last show, but you also need to have a good audition. A bad or lackluster audition will affect how they cast you. Read over your audition script so that you have an idea of how you will say your lines. React to other actors’ lines, and use gestures to express your lines and reactions. Use emotion and facial expression in your singing.