Debunking Broadway Audition Myths

there's a lot of misinformation circulating about  auditioning for Broadway musicals and much of   it is outdated now especially with the shift to  online auditions and submissions I went as far as   searching on Google checking out forums and even  looking up videos on platforms like YouTube right   here only to be surprised at the inaccuracies that  people are sharing so let's finally set the record   straight in this video I'll address all of your  questions about auditioning for musicals on the   Broadway and Broad National tours and by the end  of the session you'll have accurate up-to-date   insights ensuring that you know the current ways  to audition for Broadway musicals we're going to   start out with debunking all of the myths that  people tell you about auditioning for Broadway   musicals and Broadway National tours can you  audition for a Broadway musical if you have   never been on Broadway yes we all have to start  somewhere right we all have our first this or   our first Broadway audition or or our first  Broadway show or our first regional theater   show yes you can audition for a Broadway musical  if you haven't been in a Broadway musical before   absolutely and same thing for Broadway National  tours can you audition for a Broadway musical or   a Broadway national tour if you are nonunion yes  this is one of the biggest myths and I have so   many people clients that I work with in my program  the empowered actor and people that I work with   oneon-one or people like you that just find me on  the YouTube here and ask these types of questions   these are not silly questions these are really  great questions to ask and nobody's giving you   the truth so here's the truth yes you can audition  for a Broadway musical or a Broadway national tour   if you are nonunion I mean if if you couldn't  then how would you even start to like it doesn't   even make sense to me it's just so ridiculous do  you have to have a BFA or some type of college   degree to audition for a Broadway musical no you  do not have to have any type of degree to audition   for a Broadway musical there is no requirement on  that no do you have to have a lot of training to   audition for a Broadway musical I know some of you  may not want to hear this or you may not really   truly agree with me but if we sit down and really  think about this question the answer is no there   is no requirement of other than you auditioning or  submitting for that musical I mean like should you   have some training like I mean yeah probably  but how many stories and how many times have   have we heard if you haven't I sharing them with  you right now that I have heard people booking   Broadway musicals Broadway National tours that  have no experience in musical theater they just   happen to be the right person for the that role  at that time and that's okay it happens do you   have to have an agent to audition for a Broadway  musical or a Broadway national tour no no no no   I know people all the time that don't have agents  that book Broadway shows all the time all the time   I know people that leave you know college because  they book a Broadway show or they just happen to   book it and they're young or they're more older  and farther along in their career like their   50s and they book their first Broadway musical  because they workshopped the production and came   along with it like no you don't know so many myths  that we're just going to going to hear me on this   okay hear me on this can anyone audition for the  Broadway yeah any of course anyone can audition   for the Broadway now there are a lot of other  elements that I need to get to in this video so   stand by but yes it it is open to anybody there  are certain ways that you can audition that are   different Union versus non-union submission versus  open call yeah there are other levels to this but   like yes anybody can audition yes do you get paid  to be on Broadway and is it a lot of money yes you   get paid is it a lot of money I mean that depends  on how you look at it because it depends on what   Broadway Equity minimum is at that time and living  in New York New York City and that life is very   expensive so it may look like a lot of money to  you because you know it's like a couple thousand   a week or whatever it may be for the minimum  amount but you have to keep in mind that living   in New York City is very very expensive so but  yes do you make a lot of money I mean depending   on what your thought process is but yeah you get  paid of course it's a job can you get on Broadway   without any experience yes absolutely 100% I know  know people all the time that book Broadway shows   and I'm keeping their stories private because  I do believe that there is is there is a very   there's a lot of social media out there and a lot  of people are public but a lot of people that I   have conversations with behind like confidential  closed doors I don't think it's my story to share   at all so if someone shares it publicly great but  there are people that book Broadway shows that I   know that I've heard of that have either told  me or told me through other F friends that and   colleagues that you know they booked it because  someone saw them on Tik Tok and they were singing   in this style and some intern found it and then  they contacted their their casting director and   then it got bummed up to the director or somehow  it just filtered through the wide open Internet   space and then they got seen and they happened  to be the right person at the right time for that   show so and they don't have any they'd never done  Musical before in their entire life I know a lot   of people that get the book Broadway shows that  they just happen to have a unique talent like for   example let's say you are an Irish clogger and  they need that type of person for that show or   you do some type of acrobatics or some type of um  um gymnastics and they need somebody to do those   type of stunts it happens all the time so yeah  can you book a br show with no actual musical   theater experience like sure anything's possible  let's get into now the few options that you have   for actually auditioning for musicals on Broadway  and Broadway National tours because it looks very   different than people tell you and it also looks  very different than pre-2020 the best way you can   get information for this is to go on the equity  website the Actors Equity Association which is the   union for musical theater and theater onstage work  and you can get a lot of information and answer a   lot of these questions that you have right there  on the website which is really your key key to   debunking all of these myths and getting answers  is to start there let's start out with open calls   whether you are union cuz a I know a lot of you  watch my contact content that are Union that just   don't know this information right now and so I'm  hope this this video helps if it does help you   know let me know in the comments so I can create  more type of videos around this information but   if you are union then you would go on to now  the equity website and you would sign up for   an audition slot or you can sign up if they are  available for that show you can sign up to submit   a video selftape audition kind of like an open  call but you can submit a tape they only take so   many of them but you have to do that through the  equity website if you are not Union you do not   have access to the equity website so you won't  have access to submit for an appointment nor   will you have access to submit a video so we have  what's called open calls epa's Equity principal   audition and EC Equity chorus call Auditions  principles obviously lead in supporting roles   chorus obviously Ensemble or some type of featured  roles so your first option is to find out what the   musicals are auditioning for Broadway or Broadway  National tours and to go to that open call whether   you are union or non-union okay here's the here's  the trick thing though if you are Union sign up   for an appointment or you'll be the first one on  the list to get seen because you are a member of   the Union you can get seen second is if you are  non-un even if you're EMC because we we know that   EMC is like a Gone Gone thing right if you don't  know go to the echo website look at it it will   explain it MC is no more okay even if you're AMC  so non-union okay you don't have your card then   you can show up to the open calls the epas or the  ecc's and try to get seen it's not guaranteed but   you can wait and get on the wait list to be seen  for the open call and just you know hope that   there's an opening there there might not be they  may not see you there's no guarantee for that but   you can show up and try absolutely where do you  find those auditions if you're Equity of course   go to the equity website if you are not Union  then you can go to either play bill or you can   go to Backstage sometimes they will post them in  there or you can I think that's probably about it   or no they don't even post them on actor's access  I'll get to actor's access but if you just want   to know where those are and you're not Union you  can see those on Play Bill they post them or you   can see those on um backstage a lot of times now  they're posting them also let me just put this in   here I'll put the videos down below I talk a lot  about backstage do not snooze on that if you're   non-union because there's a lot of work to be  had over there and um I just think it's such an   unders underserved platform now I have a lot of  clients that literally book all of their work in   musical theater and modeling and ugc work I book  a lot of ugc work on Backstage don't snooze on it   but I'll put some videos down below if you want  to Lear learn more about that so you can show up   for the open call that's like open to anybody if  you are non-union though I wouldn't like fly to   New York City show up for the open call hope to  get seen and then don't get seen and you wasted   your time and money just you know just know that  going in there's no requirement you don't they   don't have to see you cuz you're not Union second  option and something I feel like nobody knows and   there's this big myth and people are missing out  on opportunities is to submit online whether you   are union or non now I haven't gotten to agents  yet I'm going to get to that here in a second so   stand by for that but let's just say you don't  have an agent or you have an agent but you're   still wanting to selfs submit whatever it may be  if you are union go onto actor's access and submit   for these shows Broadway Broadway National tours  submit on actors's access I know you may think   I'm crazy but if you know you know right when you  start doing this you're like oh I didn't know I   know actress access looks old as you know what  trust me when I get to agents here in a second   you're going to believe me but trust me you want  to be submitting on actor's access go on there   you can look at it for free you can set up a free  account and prove my point right here but go on   there make a count start with a free one and you  can submit for most all of Broadway and National   tours now not all of them again is the Wild Wild  West I'm going to talk to about wild cards here in   a second but you need to know that information  go online use actor's access make it a habit   please just trust me on this one okay I have a  lot of videos down below if you want to learn   more about Actors Access but trust me Broadway  Broadway National tours submit on Actors Access   if you're submitting online whether you're a union  or non-union the next steps again will be very   much a wild card either you're going to get an  in-person appointment where they want to see you   or number two they might you might get an Eco cast  and they may ask you for like some type of self-   tape music from the show as either a pre-screening  or a call back however you would like to think of   it they'll ask you for music from the show and  they will ask you to film it and submit a self   tape that's majority of what happens to me a lot  of the times now I have an agent so that's a bit   different but let me let me get to that here in a  second but here on this idea let me continue this   thought which is submitting whether you're Union  or non-union submit on actor's access you may get   an inperson appointment you may get a request  for tapes you may get a request for a virtual   call back it's the Wild Wild West okay I've seen  everything under the sun personally and my clients   app and from other people I know in this industry  but like submit online on actor's access and here   is why if you want an agent you need to be on  Actors Access because our agents use the sister   side of Actors Access which is breakdown Express  we don't have access to that only agents and   managers have access to submit their clients on  breakdown Express are there going to be Broadway   shows and Broadway National tours That You Don't  See auditions for that are not required auditions   yes all the time there will be something that I  get a call back for and I'm like or a pre-screen   for or a quest for tapes for and I'm like oh no  one else I didn't see that posted anywhere there   are elements of that that you're not going to see  are there required auditions for Broadway National   tours yes they happen regularly again refer back  to the equity website to get all the facts and   figures on that um but you can submit for those  online especially Broadway National tours and then   you'll start to see who the casting directors are  and you will have more information and information   is knowledge and knowledge is power and power  is confidence in this industry so if you want   to have an agent having Actors Access your profile  on that platform is like 100% you have to so you   might as well start getting used to using it I'm  telling you once you start using it you're going   to be like oh I didn't even know I could access  those here I've just been looking on playbill.com   you don't know what you don't know right if you  don't have this information you just don't know   and that's okay now you know let me throw out some  wild cards here now I have clients all the time   that say tell me exactly what to do well first  off is to show up to open calls if you have if   you can if you have the time and the energy and  emotional bandwidth okay submit online if you're   non-union okay keep training keep understanding  the platforms check out backstage because they are   posted there as well a lot of the Broadway open  calls the epas and the ecc's and if you're Union   start submitting online use the equity website  use actor's access absolutely do all of those   things because it is the Wild Wild West here are  your wild cards can you get seen and picked up and   and be asked to come in for a Broadway audition  because they see you on social media yeah I know   it's happened lots of times but is it your only  Gateway no because you can't control who sees   your content so if you're someone that's like I  like posting me singing I'm playing maybe with an   in instrument or I just like posting some song  clips of me doing something you know unique or   different with a song yeah post it if it serves  you absolutely 100% Tik Tok Instagram Facebook   yeah absolutely do Clips do reals sure if that  is taking up a lot of your time and emotional   bandwidth it's not the end all Beall but is it  helpful I mean yeah I know people all the time   that they are seeing on Instagram or social media  or Tik Tok or Facebook or their website site and   their name is just passed on or their video is  passed on it happens all the time casting casting   directors directors creatives people that are on  the team whatever interns whatever it may be so   sure the internet is a wild beautiful amazing  thing you have to try all of the ways to see   what way is going to work for you because there  is no one way I get so frustrated when I see all   everybody posting these videos right about like  oh my Roundup for last year and it's like how   many auditions they did how many call backs they  got and how many they booked and how w w it wasn't   as many do I want you to record and and analyze  and track your data as an actor yes I think it   is the key to learning and and uncovering a lot  of your career and there's a specific way that   I do it and there's a specific way that I teach  my clients to do it and to explore but you can't   just look at the numbers and say you know like  if I looked at my numbers for last year I would   have like I don't know if my agent submitted me  my agent I look at my agent submissions that I   don't know half the time the what I requested  to be submitted for like if I looked at all   those numbers it's like hundreds just for a  theater and musical theater right we're not   even talking film and television and commercials  hundreds of auditions because we're in the world   of submissions now okay very similar to open calls  just very different but it's the way that we're   going so if I looked at all those numbers and then  I was like and I only booked one thing like that I   can't control those numbers I can't control that  you know I got more from this platform and none   from that like I can't control that but we have  to keep putting it out into the world so if you   have an agent you have a somewhat of a leg up  because your agent is submitting you okay it's   just natural but you don't have to have an agent  I have a couple of clients that book all of their   work on Backstage as a non-union performer I have  clients that that only use Actors Access I have   clients that book workk because they're in one  area and they just go to Every open call because   that's how it functions in that area so it is the  Wild Wild West in musical theater in general but   for Broadway and Broadway National tours you need  to be focusing on submissions please hear me when   I say this if you're a non-union person and you're  like I'm just showing up for the epas and eccc's   hoping to be seen along with everybody else sub  online I know that you feel like no one's watch   it's just putting a video out into the black hole  and no one's watching it I hear you but when you   submit an actor access here's the best part you  don't know who's watched your video who cares you   put it out there you did the work you clicked  submit that's what we can control okay that's   what we can control so for Broadways Broadway  musicals and for Broadway National tours please   start with Actors Access yeah try all the other  ways yeah test them out is something Rando going   to happen and you're going to go that worked  for that person maybe that was one person at   one time and one thing right in the world happened  so stick to what you know Works which is going to   open calls submitting online getting appointments  if you're a union using the self tape submissions   if you are union and you can get seen for one  of those tapes because maybe you can't be in   the city that day for whatever reason okay start  working towards getting an agent your agent will   then submit you for those Broadway and Broadway  national tour auditions on the breakdown Express   side the Sister Sister side of actor access that  you're going to create account in right right   right and then also if you have an agent they're  going to get agent only appointments agent only   calls and requests because a lot of that does  come down through an agent I know and I hear you   we are going more towards film and television  but think about it like this there are so many   people now that can submit for musicals all over  the world if a film was going to be led by some   famous star and then they said open call everybody  come that wants to be seen I mean there's no way   you can do that and people from anywhere with  any training and any experience could be seen   for it Broadway is like that for us it's like you  know it's kind of like the top of the top if you   want to think of it that way I think of musical  theater in a very different way Broadway is not   the end all be all but we all do want that right  even me of course I would love that but the way   that we navigate it is filtering down now from  submissions if you want to show up for the open   call and try to be seen But if you're Equity  getting a an appointment and then having our   agents start to filter through everything because  they can't see everybody and casting directors are   doing their absolute best that they can with  watching tapes with trying to do open calls   especially when they're required open calls and  and trying to make it accessible to everybody on   a level that is going to be more Humane for not  just us as actresses actors performers whatever   noun you you use but also for them on the casting  side is it perfect no do people fall through the   cracks absolutely but that is our industry right  so the best thing we can control if you'd like   to audition for a Broadway musical or a Broadway  National T is to start using the platforms that   you know work for you and to saying I'm just  going to try and I'm going to test out what   is going to work for me and see what happens I  hope this video solved a couple problems in your   mind and answered some of your questions if you  do have any more questions I'll do my very best   to answer them and you can put them down in the  comments below but again click submit show up for   yourself and keep auditioning even if no one else  believes you you in the entire world you never   know who's going to see you and believe in you  all right I'll see you in the next video cheers

Channel: Ashlee Espinosa

Views: 279

Keywords: Debunking Myths of Auditioning for Broadway, musical theatre, how to audition for a musical, how to audition for broadway, audition advice, musical theatre audition tips, audition tips, musical audition tips, broadway, audition advice musical theatre, broadway audition, musical theater, broadway audition tips, broadway auditions, broadway audition tapes, audition tips for musicals, how to audition for broadway musicals, ashlee espinosa

Id: DFHR8QJYnh4

Length: 22min 5sec (1325 seconds)

Published: Thu Jan 11 2024