How do auditions work?

At CYT, auditions are an open casting call; nothing is precast.  Any student 8-18 enrolled in classes is eligible to audition.  Students have “2 minutes to shine”.  All students must prepare a 1-minute song highlighting your vocals and acting through song.  Students will also to prepare a 1 minute memorized monologue of their choice.  A karaoke/backing track is required for your song.  iTunes sells many options.

If you plan to audition for our Spring production of "Matilda Jr." (Production week: June 18h through 24th) you will need to complete and upload the Audition Forms prior to live auditions on Saturday, April 1st at Bethany United Methodist Church, located at 10010 Anderson Mill Rd, Austin, TX 78750.  Auditions will be held from 9am to 12pm.  Callbacks will be held the same day from 12:30pm-3pm.  Students will need to bring a lunch. 

You can download the Audition Forms and instructions HERE.  Audition Forms and Audition music should be uploaded to this link: https://bit.ly/CYTSpring2023AuditionFiles by the end of day Thursday March 30, 2023.  Music should be a 1 minute vocal track, no sheet music.  Bring a copy of your Audition form with your photo to the live auditions.

What do I have to do for my audition? What do I need for my audition?

Students have “2 minutes to shine”.  All students must prepare a 1-minute song highlighting your vocals and acting through song.  Students will also to prepare a 1 minute memorized monologue of their choice. 

Younger students are encouraged to choose a high-energy song. 

The audition form is where you will upload all of your information. You will also need to upload a close-up photo and note all of your rehearsal conflicts on the conflict form. All of the information required is on the audition form, please look over in advance and do not submit until you have all of the information.

Do I have to dance/sing for my audition?

All students act, sing and dance for CYT auditions. 

How do absences play into casting?

The directing team needs to know what rehearsals you will be missing.  It is imperative that they have this information on the audition form.  Absences that come up after casting will not be excused.  There is no “magic number” of excused absences that will make or break getting cast, however, the more absences you have the more difficult chances of getting cast become. CYT understands 2 absences during a rehearsal process. 

What is "Experience Only"?

"Experience only" is an option for students who wish to work on their audition skills and gain valuable insight into the process of auditioning, but who don’t wish to be considered for the production.  This is a great learning experience, and they will receive a personal note from the Artistic Director with suggestions for improvements. Please note that students are only allowed ONE audition per session. An audition for "experience only" prevents them from auditioning in another area in that same session.

Can I watch/videotape auditions?

We encourage parents to attend Auditions and you may videotape your child's audition.   You may not record other children's auditions.

What if my child is out of town on audition weekend?

If you are unable to attend auditions, we do accept video audition submissions through a private Dropbox Link. Please work this out in advance with your Show Coordinator. All video submissions must be submitted before the first night of auditions.

How should I help my child with the audition process?

Be a support. Help them find music. Let them practice in front of you. Obviously, the younger the child, the more you may want to help steer them towards a successful audition yourself.

What if I am unsure about my rehearsal conflicts?

Any information is helpful. Please list any dates that are potentiall "conflicts" and then give us more information in any of the "notes" fields on the form. 

Rehearsal schedules may vary by show, but typically CYT AUSTIN rehearses on Saturdays from 9am-3pm.

What if my child is almost 8 or almost 19? Does it affect show eligibility?

Our shows are for ages 8-18. A child must be no older than 18 at the time of auditions in order to participate & audition for the show, but can turn 19 during the session. A student age 7, must turn 8 before the last performance of the show in order to participate in the production. 

How many students usually audition for the production?

It varies greatly by production and session, though most shows see numbers between 35 and 70.

Have You Ever Wanted to Understand the Casting Process?

The Casting Process where Dr. Heather LaForge discusses the CYT casting process.