DanceLife Blog

By Tia Jordan

Last month a young aspiring triple threat actress asked me this question at
a NIDA Musical Theatre intensive: "If I go for a role in a film, TV show, or musical, and hundreds of others are going for the same role, how do I make the casting team remember me?"

Wanna know what I said? I said exactly what all experienced teachers would say - I go "That's a very good question". (We say that to buy time while we figure out the answer.) But in all seriousness, it was a golden question. And her success, and your success is dependant on being able to answer it.

Here's what I told her next ...

The answer is presence. Most people are worried about WHO, when they go into an audition? Yes! They are focussed on themselves, worrying about what they look like, how their hair is holding up, what they sound like, and whether or not they are doing a good job. People actually stand in self - judgement like an observer. How present can you be to other people (i.e. the audition panel) when you are virtually watching YOURSELF?

In order to cultivate your x factor, shine your star quality, or be THE ONE, you must have complete presence ... always. That's, kind of, the point of presence. To be present in the NOW... ALWAYS. Because NOW is ALWAYS here.

Presence means noticing what's going on in any moment, from your perspective, looking out to the world. So instead of thinking about the past, or the future, or how others perceive you, you notice what is going on for others, and what is being said - without necessarily judging what any of it means.

Presence also describes the effect of noticing how you feel in each moment and being OK with it, even if that feeling is debilitating nerves...argh! This presence is one of the greatest skills we can have as performers. This skill is also known by the term ‘Confidence'.

Presence doesn't run away from its nerves, or it's insecurities. Presence sits with whatever is going on inside. Choreographers are infamous for saying ‘no...not that way'. (I know this because I do it almost every day.) The most wonderful people to work with are the ones who respond with "OK then, how about this, this, or THIS?" as they demonstrate some new ways of executing the movement. This kind of presence and resilience is what our industry, and it's employers ache for.

You already know the names of hundreds of experts at this because guess what? - many of them are famous! Being expert at this means people want you in their projects, and are willing to pay top dollar.

But being present isn't always easy. In every day life there are TV, mobile phones, email, Twitter, Facebook, homework, rehearsals, meetings, and literally hundreds of other distractions competing for your attention all day, every day of your life.

In an audition you've got a room full of strangers watching you. There are new lines to deliver, new lyrics to sing, and perhaps even an actor with whom you're expected to do a love scene (even though you've never met each other before but whose face is familiar because they happen to be a national household name). No pressure there!

The antidote? It's SIMPLE. Be interested in the people you are with...yep, even the strangers on the audition panel, who are freaking you out. Do your audition preparation research and work, and then forget YOU when YOU walk into the audition room.

Instead of thinking "How can I hide my nerves from these people?" Ask yourself "How can I feel happy about being exactly as I am?" And "I wonder how THEY are feeling right now?"

Hurry to register for the Audition Workshop - Hairspray Focus for an opportunity to get more star quality, more presence, more x factor, more WORK!!! This workshop is being repeated following the recent success of the last ones in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Central Coast. If you missed out before, please don't miss out again.

Click Here for workshop details!

Hairspray 2 has been given the green light and should be on our screens in 2010 but will the cast from the original film return and what will the story be about? The amazing creative team behind the first film is on board including Adam Shankman and songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

What would you like to see happen in Hairspray 2? Will Edna lose weight and be a guest on the Oprah show? Velma may open up a cosmetic surgery for unattractive young girls, Link may fall in love with Seaweed... We still have to wait 2 years to find out!

It is being strongly rumoured that a production of the hit Broadway musical Hairspray will land in Australia in 2010, potentially ending years of speculation. Could this be the big dance musical that John Frost was talking about in oDanceLife's Exclusive interview with him?

The show premiered on Broadway six years ago and since then, rumours have always swirled about an Australian version, particularly given local producer John Frost has an interest in the musical.

A film version of the musical hit last year and a sequel is currently being planned, it is understood.

What is not clear is whether the rumoured Australian venture would be an arena production, which has been spoken about in the past. If so, it may cash in on using star names and be sold as an 'event' as opposed to a traditional theatre production.

No official announcement has been made.

Source: Aussie Theatre

Hairspray auditions are coming, and sooner than soon. This news is like many industry bites, unofficial. But we can officially state the following: Aussie performers have been cracking their wigs back in preparation for this audition for yonks. So if YOU want to be remembered by the audition panel, get cracking NOW.

The show is set in Baltimore, USA, in the early 1960s. There are roles for all types of people so if you'd like to shine in the audition, follow these foundational steps...

There are great coaches offering this kind of training all over Australia. Consider signing up for a workshop or lessons to get an edge, and sharpen up your skills before stepping into your audition. Right now you can:

1. Train for stamina. This show go go goes! You'll need to be physically fit to keep in the game.
2. Choose your songs NOW, and get your 16 bar, 32 bar and full length versions rehearsed with intro and outro. For details of singing teachers check the www.dancelife.com.au directory or email me on tia@auditionguru.com for teacher suggestions.
3. Work to a higher standard. Professional experience is not compulsory (everybody has their first job sometime). But showing you have worked harder to prepare than your competition is a must.

Statistics show less than 1% of auditionees will attend a specific preparation workshop. That's still more people than there are roles. But of those that attend workshops, approximately 5% *will be successful in being offered a role in the show. * Based on statistics from recent Audition Guru preparation workshops for West Side Story.

Be Prepared... SIGN UP FOR THE WORKSHOP!

AUDITION SPECIFIC PREPARATION WORKSHOP - HAIRSPRAY FOCUS
This independent one day workshop is designed to help you be more successful in the audition process for this and other shows. Your coach Tia Jordan who has been to Broadway to research HAIRSPRAY, will be your coach. Whether you intend to audition for HAIRSPRAY or not, this opportunity should not be missed by singer dancer actors.

Read all the workshop details HERE.

The hit stage musical Hairspray is coming to Australia - with choreographer Jason Coleman planning to apply his magic touch to the show.

The multiple Tony Award-winning dance musical about an overweight teenager growing up in 1960s Baltimore will start at Melbourne's Princess Theatre from October, with Coleman to choreograph and David Atkins to direct.

Coleman, a judge of television's So You Think You Can Dance, says he plans to take the musical to a higher level.

The show ran on Broadway in New York for six-and-a-half years and will finish its run in London's West End later this month.

"I think we are going to do a recreation of the show that is definitely due now," Coleman told AAP.

"We're doing a cutting-edge, technologically advanced version of it, and certainly have the intention of taking the choreography to a whole other level than what's currently being shown on the West End."

Hairspray is based on the 1998 film written and directed by John Waters.

Set in 1962, it is centred around young Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size dancer who wins a spot on a local TV dance program and is transformed into a teenage celebrity.

In 2007, the movie starring John Travolta, Zac Efron and Nikki Blonsky attracted huge audiences.

Just as Blonsky, a former ice-cream shop worker, was picked from obscurity to play the role of Turnblad, Coleman says they will be casting the net far and wide for the Australian stage production.

"We're about to go into one of the most gruelling audition processes that Australia and New Zealand has ever seen," Coleman said.

"We're literally going right back to the basics of it.

"We're giving everyone the opportunity to come and audition.

"Open call auditions are something that David I and very much believe in."

Auditions will start next month.

SOURCE: NINE MSN

OPEN AUDITION INFORMATION

Finally we have the OPEN AUDITION information for Hairspray the musical!

Open auditions will be held for the characters of Tracy Turnblad, Link Larkin, Motormouth Maybelle, Seaweed, Little Inez and The Dynamites.

They will be travelling around to Perth, Adelaide, Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne to find these characters.

Please click HERE for all the details.

GOOD LUCK and make sure you study the film of Hairspray to get an understanding of the characters!

Important Dates:
Rehearsals begin August 2010
Production to open October 2010 - Melbourne

We have just posted the audition information for Hairspray!!

Click on Classifieds - Auditions - Musical Theatre. You must be a member of DanceLife to see the details.

Please don't follow up. You will be contacted by the casting agents if they are interested in seeing you.

GOOD LUCK!

DanceLife was lucky enough last week to be able to put forward our members for roles in Hairspray. Thanks to the casting agents of the new musical hitting our shores this year for allowing us to do this. We received a whopping response receiving over 200 submissions. Submissions to the casting agents has nearly hit 2000, a record for them!

Submissions have now closed for the show. There is no word yet on whether the open auditions will happen so please sit tight and stayed glued to DanceLife!

Finally we have the OPEN AUDITION information for Hairspray the musical!

Open auditions will be held for the characters of Tracy Turnblad, Link Larkin, Motormouth Maybelle, Seaweed, Little Inez and The Dynamites.

They will be travelling around to Perth, Adelaide, Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne to find these characters.

Please click HERE for all the details.

GOOD LUCK and make sure you study the film of Hairspray to get an understanding of the characters!

Sorry, Musical Fans: Hairspray 2 has been pronounced dead. Choreographer Adam Shankman - who directed the 2007 revival of John Waters' campy movie musical - has confirmed that plans for a sequel to the warmly-received flick have been dropped by executives at New Line studios.

"I'm going to kill that rumor now, that got killed," Shankman says. "It's ok, I was so happy with the first one, let's leave well enough alone. It's all good."

Shankman offered no reason for the scrapped sequel plans, which come just months on the heels of Waters' revelation that he had completed a raved-about script for the follow-up after being hired to pen the treatment by the studio.

"They liked it. They paid me. That's the last I've heard of it... They asked me to write the treatment but I'm so obsessive I wrote every single thing that could happen to every character. It's different. You can't tell the same Hairspray story again, it's been told three times."

Hairspray 2 would have reunited much of the cast of its 2007 predecessor, which included Nikki Blonsky, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, and John Travolta.

Paul Dainty has announced the cast for the Australian production of Hairspray The Musical.

Newcomer Jaz Flowers will play the role of Tracy Turnblad, the big-haired star of the show. This is the first lead role for Jaz, after previously performing in Shane Warne the Musical and Fame the Musical.

When she heard about the role she said, "This is the role of a lifetime, I have been dreaming of playing a role like this all my life. Tracy Turnblad is an inspiration to young women all over the world and I will do her justice in the role. It's such an honour to play Tracy in Hairspray, dreams really do come true!"

Her mother Edna will be played by Trevor Ashley who will frock up for the role.

2008 So You Think You Can Dance winner Jack Chambers has scored the role of Link Larkin, the role Zac Afron played in the 2007 movie.

Grant Piro will be Wilbur Turnblad; Marney McQueen will be Velma Von Tussle; Scott Irwin is Corny Collins; Motormouth Maybelle will be played by Cle Morgan and Tracy's best friend Penny Pingleton will be played by Ester Hannaford.

Hairspray The Musical opened on Broadway in 2002 and played for 6 ½ years. The Australian production will open at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne on October 2nd, 2010.

Hairspray has began rehearsals and here is your first look at the cast doing their thing!

You can also check out a video from rehearsals HERE.