General Equity and Non-Equity Auditions

Held by Forward Theater Company at Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State Street, Madison

Acceptiong videos: February 7-14, 2022

See below, or visit forwardtheater.com/learn/auditions for more information.

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Auditions

Auditions will be held on the following days:

2/7/2022
2/14/2022

2022 GENERAL AUDITION WEBSITE POSTING

for more information, see forwardtheater.com/learn/auditions

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Forward Theater Company in Madison will be holding virtual General Auditions for both Equity and Non-Equity actors. We will be accepting video auditions for adult actors (ages 16 and up) from Monday, February 7th through Monday, February 14th, 2022. Actors will be considered for roles in the Wisconsin Wrights New Play Development Festival staged readings (performances in May 2022), and for roles in upcoming seasons. Callbacks for Wisconsin Wrights and other FTC productions will be scheduled at a later date.

A link to an online form will be posted at this page on our website at 8:00am CST on Monday, February 7th, 2022. This form will allow you to attach a headshot and resume, and include a link to your audition video. Videos must be posted to an online platform (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). We cannot accept or download actual video files (and please, no links to Google or Dropbox files). Please note that your video will be viewed by more than one casting person.

Audition videos should consist of an introduction (your name, and the name of the piece(s) you will be performing), and one 2-minute contempororary (post-1950) monologue or two contrasting 1-minute contemporary monologues. Monologues that exceed the time limit will be accepted, but not viewed past the 2-minute mark.

Please check back on February 7th for the audition form, and we look forward to seeing your video!

We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all areas of our work, including the casting of our plays. Therefore, we encourage performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, body types, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities to submit an audition. In addition, we don’t want access to technology to be a barrier for artists. If you’re unable to submit a video according to the guidelines above, please email your headshot and resume to kmoeller@forwardtheater.com.

For any questions regarding auditions, please email Karen Moeller at kmoeller@forwardtheater.com.

2022 Virtual General Auditions FAQs
Who can participate in the Virtual General Auditions?
All actors (both Equity and non) ages 16 and up may submit a virtual audition. Please note that a large part of Forward Theater’s mission is to employ Wisconsin-based theater professionals. Therefore, casting priority is given to actors who live or primarily work in Wisconsin. Audition videos from non-Wisconsin-based actors will be viewed when and if time permits.
When are you accepting video auditions?
We will accept audition videos from 8am CST Monday, February 7th through 11:59pm CST Monday, February 14th, 2022.
How do I submit an audition?
Auditionees must complete the audition form, which also allows you to upload your materials and include a link to your audition video. You’ll need to fully answer each question, attach a headshot and resume, and include a link to a YouTube or Vimeo video of your audition. Auditions without a photo and resume will not be considered. Photos do not have to be professional headshots, but should be recent and allow us to see you clearly.
If posting to YouTube, we recommend making the video unlisted. Please note that on YouTube, choosing the “Private” setting requires you to provide the email addresses of all who need to see the video; the link cannot be shared. Therefore, this is not an option for submissions. Unlisted videos are still secure, and won’t appear in any searches.
If you post to Vimeo and choose to protect your video with a password, be sure to include your password in the space provided on the audition form!
We cannot accept actual video files or view files in Dropbox or Google folders. If you are unable to upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo, we will still accept a headshot and resume attached to the form, or sent via email to kmoeller@forwardtheater.com.
How much time do I have?
Your audition video can be up to 2 minutes, plus up to 30 seconds for slate/introduction (this applies to both non-AEA and AEA actors). Be sure to introduce yourself on tape. The audition form will provide space for you to list your auditions piece(s), but you are encouraged to include that information on tape as well.
Can I sign up after the application date?
Videos sent after the audition dates will be viewed only if time permits and may not be seen in time to be considered for current casting needs.
How do I record an audition video?
• You can record your audition directly onto your phone or laptop. If you decide to use a stand-alone camera you will probably need to transfer the footage to your phone or PC in order to upload it.
• Editing and on-screen captions or titles aren’t necessary, but if you do choose to edit your audition, programs and apps like InShot and iMovie are incredibly user-friendly.
• Quicktime is very useful for converting video files to a format accepted by online platforms (MP4 is best).
Other video audition tips (that you might already have, but just in case):
• Be sure you are well lit — we need to be able to see you do what you do best!
• Make sure we can hear you! Built-in microphones are good enough for our needs, but do check the sound quality to be sure.
• Test your equipment and set-up. Record a few seconds of your audition piece and then play it back, making sure everything works, looks, and sounds the way you want it to.
• Record horizontally or vertically, with approximately two-thirds of your body showing – in other words, you do not have to get a full-body shot. In fact, a two-thirds or waist-up shot will be better, since it allows your face to be more visible in the recording. And don’t shoot from below!
• Wear clothes that contrast against your background, but are not distracting from your audition.
• Find the best lighting available in your house — generally a combination of natural light from a window and lamps/lights. Avoid sitting in front of a bright window or light source so that you aren’t backlit.
• Your eyeline should be close to the camera so that we can see both sides of your face.
• Sit or stand depending on what feels comfortable/appropriate for the monologue(s).
• Don’t overthink it, and don’t do too many takes! We’re not looking for perfection. We’re more interested in getting to know you. After all, if you stumble during an audition in person, how you deal with that moment in the room tells us a lot, and certainly wouldn’t count against you! So relax, try not to do more than 3 takes (and if you do, consider taking a break to relax and re-set before trying again), and if you do have a small slip up, consider rolling with it and continuing on!

Helpful Resources and Tutorials
For 10 solid tips on choosing a monologue, be sure to check out this great article: www.theatrebayarea.org/news/185679
The tips about age appropriateness and avoiding accents are especially good suggestions. And be sure to time your piece before recording.

Tips for self-taping an audition:
www.backstage.com/magazine/article/guide-perfect-self-tape-1758/
getintotheatre.org/blog/top-10-tips-on-how-to-self-tape-and-audition-online

What if I have more questions?
Please email Karen Moeller at kmoeller@forwardtheater.com.