BackStage Utah

As most of us have done, we have shown up to an audition feeling confident with the song we picked, gave the song to the pianist went to do our thing......and then dissaster. The accompanist can't play the song, plays the song like a ballad, or just stops playing in the middle of the song.

A couple of questions.

1. Is it up to the theatre to provide someone that is versatile enoungh to play whatever?

2. Do you as an actor follow the pianist or just keep doing your thing even if you are not with the piano?

3. Directors out there. Is it possible to tell if a person can sing well even if the accompanist is horrid?

It seems like, even if you pick out an easy song (and not something like Jason Robert Brown) accompanists these days just can't play things, or read what tempo/pick their own tempo, so what do you do?

I think the trick is that there's a difference between being an accompanist and just being a good piano player (a difference accompanists know, but most good piano players don't).  From what I've seen of a theatre I frequently work for, they'll advertise for an accompanist, and all of these good piano players apply with their well-rehearsed little piece.  So they get hired, only to be discovered that they don't know how to follow and can't sight read. 

My high school drama teacher told me that it doesn't matter how bad the accompanist is, the director is still expecting you to perform.  Maybe a way around that is to alter the piano part of complicated audition pieces so the accompaniment is simple.  And is it bad form to request the accompanist only play the melody?

From a Director's view:

1) Never sing Defying Gravity for an audition. Yes, even if you think you sound amazing.

2) Your question is posed as if you have no control over what is happening on your stage. When you are auditioning, the stage is yours and you need to take control of it.� Often, actors equate 'control' with 'diva' and they are definitely not the same. Here is an example of the difference:
Situation: Accompanist starts playing a character song as a ballad
Diva says: (nothing and continues singing, cursing her bad 'luck' and losing focus in the process, causing a bad audition, and then goes off to blame the theater, the accompanist, and fate.)
Actor-in-control says: (in a very respectful tone) "Oh no, I miscommunicated the tempo, could we start again? I apologize, kind accompanist, the tempo I intended was ____."
The difference here is how the Actor took responsibility for the miscommunication and changed what happened as a result. You aren't a victim of whatever happens in the audition (and oh, how I tire of that attitude from actors), you are a good actor, who can roll with the punches!

3) Also, just because you say to the Accompanist "Play this fast" doesn't mean you communicated fully. All communication is two way and if you take 100% responsibility for that, you are taking control of your stage.

4) My accompanist friends often complain to me that actors don't have a clear understanding of how to help the accompanist follow. If the actor is focused solely on singing the song (or nerves, or the director looking at papers, etc.), he/she won't be giving the accompanist the cues needed to follow. Either note them in the music and review them before you sing with the accompanist, or include the accompanist in the 'audience' of your audition so you are giving them good follow signals. One accompanist friend of mine said "It's like a car blinker. Turn it on, I see it. Think about it in your head without turning it on, I'm not going to see it and won't be able to follow you."

4) Yes, I can tell you're a good singer even with a bad accompanist. No, not every director will be able to do that. No, that's not the accompanist's fault. Yes, this puts you in a difficult spot. Yes, everything that makes you good at a difficult audition will make you good at rehearsal (and usually performing, too.) No, I'm not trying to test you on purpose with these sorts of things. Yes, how you react to them tells me whether or not I want to work with you.

The Punchline?
Your accompanist may be good or not. The director may or may not be able to tell if you're a good singer. You have control over yourself and your stage and your ability to communicate in audition situations where you can't change either the director or accompanist.
It's better to focus on enjoying the audition anyway.

Hope that helps�

Rosie Poppins wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2010 at 4:10pm:


See, and now I really really REALLY want to sing Defying Gravity as a ballad at my next audition.