Be Prepared - It is more than a Boy Scout Rule!

        BE PREPARED – IT IS MORE THAN A BOY SCOUT RULE!

                     When a big opportunity comes are you prepared?

                     Can you perform at your best at any time?

               Are you at your top form when you don’t audition every day? 

                                    Here’s how you can be prepared.

So many times actors call me in a panic.  They have just been called for a big, important audition in a few hours or even the next day.  That actor is someone who has not gone out on an audition for weeks or even months and now they have to be in top form in a few hours.  As a coach I tell actors that they need to have some kind of workout that they do to keep in shape just like an athlete would do.  A runner cannot run a successful marathon when he hasn’t been running on a regular basis in months.  So why do you as an actor think you can perform at your best, your top form if you only do it every few months. 

Okay, so I have told you that you must be prepared.  Now I should offer some ideas of how to do that.   How to do that when maybe you can’t afford to be in a class every week or work out with a coach every week because of time or finances.  Well there are many ways you can do that but you have to take action before you get the call for that big important audition.  

One way that I have found for many actors to get up to speed when you need to do so is to have 2 monologues that you have prepared to performance level.  Monologues that you could pull out of your hip pocket and perform at your best level with very little or no preparation.  But this will take some work on your part now.  Here is how to prepare and why this works. 

I want you to pick two pieces you absolutely love.  Two pieces that you think are in your areas of strength.  Now once you have chosen those pieces you must take time to really prepare them.  This means taking them to a coach so that you can get some outside direction and help.  I want you to prepare these two monologues as if you are going to perform them on a Broadway stage or in front of a camera for a feature film or a major television show.   Work on these monologues and then go and coach them.  I even think it is good for you to perform them in front of an audience even if it is just in front of some friends. 

Once you have prepared these monologues to this level, now make a commitment to perform these monologues at least once a week even if it is just in your living room or bathroom.  That’s why they should be pieces you love!

Once you have these two pieces prepared to a level where you can confidently say that when you perform you are in your top form you now have a way to remind yourself what it feels like to perform at your top level.  You can pull out one of these monologues and you can remind yourself what is your best. 

There is something else you need to do before you can be ready at any time.  You also need to learn how to prepare for an audition in a short amount of time.  If you have never learned how to do that, find a coach or a teacher who can really train you in audition technique. 

Once you have learned the craft of auditioning and you have your monologues at performance level you can get yourself up to speed whenever an opportunity presents itself. 

“Be prepared” is not just the motto of a Boy Scout, it is also a good motto for a professional actor.   Once you are prepared, you can enjoy each opportunity that you find.  Instead of panicking you can be excited about the upcoming audition. 

So prepare for those moments that can change your life and your career. 

If you have any questions about the way you prepare, you can comment here or contact me at www.JeanneHartmanActorsDetective.com

Once you know how to prepare you can enjoy when that phone call comes and sends you out to an audition in a few hours. 

And I would love to hear from all of you about other questions you would like me to write about in upcoming blogs.