OPEN CALLS - Open calls are auditions that are advertised in a trade paper, website or by word of mouth that do not require an appointment or any prior experience (although some experience would be helpful). Some open calls are for union (AEA) members only, and are only open to non-union actors if time allows and as long as all interested union actors have auditioned. If there is a union open call that you'd like to attend, and you are non-union, I would go to that audition at the earliest time possible and ask the monitor if they will be auditioning non-union actors later. Sometimes the monitor knows the answer and can advise you, and sometimes the monitor doesn't know and asks you to return at a certain time. Open calls sometimes only have casting assistants sit in on the audition, and the casting director will never have a chance to see your work. This is a great training ground to gain practice at auditioning. Generally, if mistakes are made during your audition at an open call, they are forgotten over time. You could waste a lot of time going to several open calls in a week, so I recommend going ONLY to the ones you are absolutely right for.

THEATRE AUDITIONS - Generally speaking, when we talk about theatre, we talk about actions being BIG, LARGER than LIFE....remember you are in a theatre so your voice has to project to the last seat in the house. Even physically, your gestures need to be large in order for the audience to see and understand what you are trying to emote, all the while being as realistic and honest as possible. Even if you are doing slapstick or commedia dell' arte where the actions are incredibly large, the basis is still in the TRUTH of the moment.

MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITIONS - You always want to bring your book of songs you have rehearsed with a coach and that are appropriate for you. Separate your songs by genre, i.e. Standards (Porter, Gershwin, etc.), legit, comic, pop, rock, jazz, etc. It is only necessary for you to have music in the genres you perform best. You must have your sheet music ready for a pianist to play; it is inappropriate and unprofessional to ask the pianist at an audition to play your song in a different key. If you need to sing it in a different key, find someone to transpose it to a suitable key for you (you will probably have to hire someone to do this). If the pianist messes up and it is apparent to all at the audition, you could stop and politely ask to start again; if you do this, make sure the pianist knows what you want him/her to do. CLASSES/Voice Coaches

TV AND FILM AUDITIONS - Generally speaking the cameras allow for less movement than theatre, and the style tends to be more intimate. The audition process is similar to theatre, except that you are put on tape, usually with only the casting director. If you are called back, you are put on tape again with the casting director, producer and the director. These auditions come with sides or scenes from the script that you get in advance.

Television tends to have harsher lighting than film and the sound may be different due to shooting in the studio atmosphere. It is important to have classes in both TV and film styles of on-camera training. Obviously your makeup and hair are more important here. I don't recommend you making hair and makeup judgments on your own; you should really take a class to find out what is good for you.
CLASSES/On Camera

COMMERCIAL AUDITIONS - At commercial auditions, the only general difference from the television auditions described above is that this too requires a specific technique. They are less focused on your acting ability, and more based on your personality, commercial technique and your look and type. If there are sides, memorize them. You may have to audition in pairs or groups. Don't let that throw you. Stick to your rehearsed plan. You are usually in and out in seconds. CLASSES/On Camera