After the Audition: What to Do in the Parking Lot

There’s nothing more stressful than the audition room. Scratch that. There is one place: the inside of your car as you pull out of the parking lot. Tell me if this sounds familiar. “That felt okay. Pretty good. My heart’s still going. Did they see the stain on my shirt? I tried too hard. Did I try too hard? I looked desperate. The girl after me booked that Sony spot instead of me last time. Why did I wear these shoes?” Head on the steering wheel.

Hear this, and believe it: you are your own worst enemy after the audition is over. Not the casting director. You. I’ve sat on both sides of that table for twenty years and I have done every one of those thoughts myself. So here are three rules for the drive home.

1) Don’t apologize. Don’t explain.

Not in the room, not on the way out, not by email that night. Nobody gets sympathy, or a callback, by telling the casting director their good pants were at the cleaner and there was traffic and the dog is sick. Say thank you and leave. If you’re right for it, they will call. If you’re not, no explanation on earth changes that, and the explanation is the only thing they’ll remember.

2) Drop it at the door

When you get home, go online and look for the next audition. Order a play you’ve been meaning to read and read it out loud. Throw yourself at a new challenge right away, so the energy that wants to replay the last hour has somewhere better to go. Put your attention on getting stronger.

And don’t call. Not the casting director, and not your agent. “Did they cast it yet? Have we heard?” Your agent will tell you the moment there’s anything to tell; calling before that only tells them you’re nervous. Are there exceptions? Sure, there are exceptions to every rule; if there’s a genuine problem with the audition, use your judgment. But if you’re asking me, don’t.

3) Take the one lesson

Booked it or didn’t, every audition hands you exactly one thing to work on. So on the drive home, instead of the replay, ask one question: what was it? Maybe the cold read was shaky. Maybe the improv caught you flat. Maybe you rushed the slate. That’s not a verdict; that’s a gift, because it’s the one piece of information the room can give you that you can’t get anywhere else. Write it down. Bring it to class. Next time, the drive home is different.

That’s it. Three rules, and the third is the only one that gets you anywhere. If you have a question about any of this, about agents, auditions, super-objectives or subtext, call us. It’s what we’re here for.