This classic audition conundrum comes from reader Laura:
"So here is a question that came up again this week regarding auditions - props/no props? (for example, cell phone, stethoscope). Wardrobe/no wardrobe?
Some casting directors say "no, no, no." Yet others say just "dress the essence of the character." What are your thoughts?"
Excellent question. There are times when your audition material is such that a prop or specific wardrobe piece makes sense, yet we hear again and again that we should not bring props to auditions — except when we should, which is... when exactly?
So let's make sense of it once and for all. We'll do it in two parts. First, wardrobe.
Here's what one of my favorite casting directors says when an actor asks him about what to wear to an audition; "We have an excellent wardrobe department. You worry about the acting."
Easy for him to say, he can wear whatever he wants. But the point is important; there is no 'right' thing to wear to an audition, because the audition is not about the wardrobe, it's about the acting.
That said, there are plenty of WRONG things to wear to an audition, and they usually have to do with being too specific.
For example, if you're reading to play a nurse, and you show up in scrubs and a stethoscope, there's a good chance the decision-makers will see you and think "that's not what it looks like in my head." There are so many different kinds of nurses and different design aesthetics, the odds of you picking exactly the right one are miniscule. Maybe they want pink scrubs and you wore blue, maybe they've decided the nurse is in street clothes in this scene, etc. There's no way to know, and by guessing, you run the risk of starting your audition with a "no" in the decision makers' heads.
Here's where some actors say, "Don't they have any imagination?" Yes they do, you just have to know how to get them to use it — and that's where that "dress the essence of the character" idea comes in.
Sticking with the nurse example, what do you think of when you think about what nurses wear? I think of pastels, loose fitting clothing, comfortable shoes, hair back, not a lot of jewelry or makeup. Your ideas may vary, and that's totally ok. The idea is that you want to suggest what you would look like as a nurse, without hitting them over the head. This does a few things; it gets them to engage their imaginations, it lets you show them your version of the role rather than what you think they want, and most importantly, it allows them to focus on the acting.
The other big benefit of this approach is that it serves your performance. When you wear something based on what you think they want, it can be distracting. You don't feel like yourself. But when you build a wardrobe based on your approach to the character, you make choices that support the choices you've made in the scene, and that leads to a better performance.
Now, none of that means your wardrobe should be bland or general. You can and should make choices that enrich your interpretation of the character. Those choices might be script-driven, like if the role is described as 'a nurse with a punk rock attitude' or something, or you might have a gut feeling that she likes to put a little personality into her work. A splash of color or unique detail can help you nail down the character and make you stand out in the right way. The important thing is that those choices are rooted in serving your performance, rather than a desire to guess what they want.
Of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes casting asks for specific wardrobe, and in that case, you should do your best to comply. (Commercial auditions tend to do this more often than tv/film/theater auditions.) If you're reading to play a fire fighter and you happen to have a real fire fighter uniform, you might call and ask them if they want to see you in it. But generally, this idea of avoiding too much specificity and making wardrobe choices based on what serves the work you've done on the scene is the way to go.
Next week, we'll tackle the even trickier question of props. In the meantime, keep the questions coming — and thanks again Laura!