There are some moments in his plays that make your jaw drop, and I've made a countdown of what I think are The Top 5 Most SHOCKING Moments in Shakespeare - check it out!
Did you agree with my choices, or do you have your own picks? Let me know in the comments!
You're a hardworking actor; pounding the pavement, rocking a survival job, and being an all-around BOSS. You're talented, you want it, and you take your craft seriously. Despite all that, you might be making some disastrous choices ITR (that's "in the room", for anyone getting the hang of the Audition Update acronyms).
It's not entirely your fault! Casting Directors are busy people. They're not at the EPA to teach you - they just need to cast a show. So when someone comes in and makes a boo-boo, they just assume they're new or underprepared, say "thank you", and move on. But that actor that makes a classic newbie blunder will just keep doing it over and over again at every audition, and probably keep not getting cast.
If you were wondering how to pronounce the names of the characters in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, I've updated my video from a few months ago to include ALL of the characters!
With names like Paulina, Cleomines, Polixenes, and Perdita, Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale has some of the most complicated character names in the canon! Before you go into that audition or performance, make sure you're saying them right.
Were you surprised by any of these pronunciations? Let me know in the comments!
When you introduce your piece for an audition, that's called a "slate" - and as part of your first impression in an audition, it needs to be on point!
Here are my Top 6 Dos and Don'ts of Slating for Shakespeare Auditions, explained in this quick video:
DO tell the casting personnel which character you're going to be portraying before you begin your piece.
DON'T give them the character's backstory, or explain what's happening in the scene.
DO tell them which play your character is in - but only ifthere is more than one character with that name in the canon (for example, Helena of A Midsummer Night's Dream vs Helena of All's Well That Ends Well), or if the character appears in more than one play (Marc Antony in Julius Caesar or Antony & Cleopatra).
DON'T give the act and the scene number. The casting directors have probably heard your piece before - maybe even today.
DO make sure you're pronouncing things correctly. Shakespeare has some tricky names for his characters, so be sure you've done your research! This is a simple thing that is overlooked surprisingly often.
DO remember to practice your slate, just like you would practice your monologue. It's part of your audition, and deserves attention!
Did any of these Dos and Don'ts surprise you? Let me know in the comments!
Before you head into that audition, are you SURE you're saying those characters' names right?
I can't tell you how many times I've seen otherwise fantastic actors ruin their first impression at an audition by mispronouncing the character's name. Don't let it happen to you!
This 45 second video will take all the guesswork out of how to say these tricky names from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night!
