PART ONE
The Application Process
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Find out what each school does. |
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Find out how they work. |
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Find out what they are looking for. |
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Find out how their application process works. |
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Discover what you want. |
Ideally, you want to study at the establishment that provides the kind of training you are looking for. But whatever your vision is, don’t narrow your options. Find the sort of place where you feel you might flourish in terms of the working and social environments. All the various institutions have their own ways and individual merits. Naturally, people will have their favourites, but try not to be too singular about where you want to be. There is a sort of unspoken ratings list, where everyone has an opinion and where schools slide in and out of fashion. Personally, I’m currently very excited about what they do at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. They are terribly good, friendly and really interested in people. But that’s just me… The fact is, drama schools are all very good at doing what they do. Competition will be very stiff and it is extremely difficult to get into any of them.
Each school also has its own training ethos. Therefore, whilst they are aiming for similar goals, they all have subtle differences in the way they go about things. The only way to arm yourself with knowledge of all these elements is to do the research. It’s also worth noting that all drama schools differ in their requirements for application, entry, audition and recall.
Researching the schools will inform and help to firm your ideas about why you want to train and what to concentrate on. The panel may well ask about these things at interview or even on their application forms. If the spadework has been done, you will be able to accommodate them with a knowledgeable and pithy response.
Where and how to find things out
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Get a prospectus. |
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Use the internet. |
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Visit the websites. |
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Visit the schools on open days. |
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Go to the shows. |
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Talk to students: ask questions. |
Phone, email or visit the places that interest you online, so that you can order a prospectus and get details of upcoming student performances or showcases. Go and see the shows. Talk to students – they won’t bite. Maybe get along to the schools’ open days in order to get a feel for the atmosphere and the work at each establishment. These are really useful and very important research experiences. Visiting the schools is a great way to gain an edge for when you come to audition, because the building and its aura will be less alien and less daunting on the day.
The internet is the fastest and easiest way to start things off. You can see blogs, check out alumni and find out loads more. There are also plenty of independent forums and sites that will be of great use in helping you to gel your ideas and form your opinions.
You’ll need the following for your application:
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Application forms or online application account on the school site. |
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Passport-style and/or digital photos – full-length for certain places. Increasingly, applications are being made online, so raid your Facebook… Or maybe don’t! |
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Contact details of your referee(s) These are the people who are going to confirm things like your trainability, reliability, affability and your possibilities. |
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Payment for the relevant amounts. To apply and/or pay online, you’ll need access to a debit or credit card. |
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Your personal statement. |
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An up-to-date CV (optional). |
As I said, each school will have a slightly different agenda, but generally it goes something like this.
If you are applying on paper:
If you are applying electronically:
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Go to the school website, click ‘apply online’ and then select your course. |
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Create your user account. You may need to make sure your email spam filters are set so as not to reject correspondence from the school. |
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Take care to fill in the application pages as they ask you to. |
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At some point in this procedure, the school may ask for a photo to be uploaded. |
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When you are ready, submit the application. |
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Usually, they prompt you to pay the audition fee as you submit. |
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They will then contact you with an audition date or a choice of dates and more info. |
The forms – your first point of contact
It’s best to man/girl up and do the documentation early. Then it is in place, ready for sending off as soon you think you are good to go. Application forms are made available at slightly different times in the year, according to each institution’s timings. Generally, they can be obtained around October.
The ‘paperwork’ is the first point of contact between you and your goal, so start off by making a good impression. If it’s easy to read and looks orderly, then you are already making a positive impression in the mind of the reader. It’s important, too, to make a copy of your completed forms before sending them. That way you can be aware of what was written, and remind yourself of things before your audition. The schools often ask questions based on what you put down on your application.
UCAS and CUKAS
Just in case you didn’t know, UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry into higher education. Drama schools affiliated to universities, such as Central School of Speech and Drama and The Drama Centre, are currently hooked into UCAS for the first part of their application processing. Conservatories such as: The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama now use CUKAS, which is the conservatory version of UCAS.
If you are applying to a UCAS or CUKAS institution, there is a requirement to register and apply through these bodies. They will process and forward the application(s). After this, the school in question will contact you with the next stages – usually an audition date, more info and a request for the audition fee. Applications start in September and run through to the deadline date of January 15th. You can apply later than this through the ‘late application system’, but they cannot guarantee you will be successful at this time.
NB: do not send any forms or press ‘submit’ until you are ready!
This is really, really important, and it’s also where so many people go so very, very wrong. Send nothing until you have chosen your pieces for audition and worked them.
Simple. When you have chosen your speeches and done some decent work on them. But there are deadlines.
UCAS and CUKAS application deadlines are mentioned above.
Other schools range between the end of January and around about mid-March. Check online at each institution. Make a note. Don’t forget.
Be ready Way, way too many people apply for drama school with only a minimum of preparation and, as a result, they are very quickly disappointed and out of the running.
After you send the forms off, it’s possible that the audition date(s) can come back at you within a week or so. If you submit before you’re ready, you will be seriously under-prepared, both mentally and with regard to your performance. If you are not properly prepared – you could blow them all.
It could take a good deal longer than anticipated, if you engage in a serious quest, to find the right pieces. To maximise your chances, you must be psychologically ready for battle, armed with strong, confident and worked-on speeches. This book will help you achieve all that. So get going on your monologues, as soon as! Now, in fact.
Is it a bad thing to apply late? I am often asked if late application jeopardises one’s chances. All institutions are after the best people they can possibly get. Therefore, it would be plain daft for them to snap up the first candidates they see. They can’t know what amazing talent could turn up later. I am reliably informed that there are places available throughout the audition season. That said, schools will urge you to apply early, and you might well want to – just have a think about things. What is going to work best for you?
That said, there is little room for complacency. Form-filling is tedious and writing a personal statement can be an onerous task, but nail these as soon as possible and the whole start-up ‘stuff’, form-thing and writing hoo-ha is done and dusted. You get more time and space to hunt down the perfect speech repertoire and then to explore your choices.
These kinds of things have a tendency to be self-postponing, even without your own procrastinations. If you are anything like the typical first-time applicant, this is usually how it will go:
Around August, maybe September, you will think about getting yourself together, to start getting it together… At this point you may feel the urge to take a break, put things off and do something else; to do something altogether more pressing for a while. Pretty soon, what with being busy cataloguing your collection of unpaired socks, then a bit sidetracked by Christmas shopping and stuffing turkeys, you’ll be staring down both ‘February barrels’ of a serious lack of attention – with time running out!
The bravest course of action is to take a deep breath and attack the situation. Start the whole campaign with a positive thrust. Do this to prove to yourself that you are on the case and not doing anything by half-measures. Forge and strengthen your resolve, from the very start, in the furnace of your will. Start well!
You should do whatever suits your strategy. You may not want a lengthy process but if it’s their first time around, I usually send people up for their first audition at the beginning of January, once they’ve done all the office work and they have at least started the ball rolling on speech preparation; usually they have been choosing and working, since September or earlier. They then continue to audition through the spring without any seemingly adverse effect on success rates.
Stagger the send-off The strategic submission of your applications is the most sensible and significant action you can take towards boosting the success and quality of your campaign. Meter the dispatch of the forms so that the audition dates spread out. Then you don’t get all your auditions in the same week or so.
I hear many tragic tales of people who have ended up with three or four auditions on consecutive days! This is no good at all. There’s no time to reflect, or even catch your breath. Use your planned time between dates to mull over, for example, how you really blew the interview by not fully listening to what was being asked – and slouching.
Check your availability This is quite a significant factor, since there could be holidays abroad, exam dates or other serious commitments that could prevent you from being available. If you know of these, you could put them on your application and you could save yourself a lot of time and hassle later.
What if I can’t make the audition date that I’m offered? Stay calm and contact them, or email a nice note in which you apologise and state the reason for your absence. In all probability they will come back with an alternative time. But only do this if you truly cannot get there for big reasons. Don’t think about changing things and messing them about because it’s a mate’s birthday, or you want to go to a weekender. Also, some won’t let you change dates more than once.
Save your fave In the light of the sobering fact that most applicants are lucky to get an offer from any school, don’t get narrow vision about who’s ‘the best’. It should be about the best school for you, anyway. But you might want to plan to get your least-hot destination first, so that the inevitable shock-of-the-first-audition is cushioned by the knowledge that it was not your absolute fave and top choice. You’ll then have battle experience to take forward into the next encounter. You’ll be smarter, leaner and meaner.
Take it slowly I feel that a slower, more deliberate campaign is the most effective, particularly so if this is a first attempt. This way, you make the space to reflect upon your progress and to change things (especially pieces) if necessary. To maximise your chances, you should have a few more than the bare minimum of required speeches up your sleeve – or in any other location. A friend of mine, who has a great deal of experience in this field, fervently believes in ten as that bare minimum. There are many reports of people who have not fully learned their speeches by the time they are called upon to audition. Or they stall mid-flow, because they don’t know them well enough. Sometimes, if asked to do one of them differently, they dry or just about manage to stagger through – because they don’t truly know them. Don’t be like this. Get a schedule and a system together, approach things in a rational, calm manner. This could be one of the few times in your life when you can enjoy the advantage of being able to influence a small part of your destiny. Over the page is an audition/application timeline:
June/July |
Research your schools. Read. Surf the net. Visit. Look for speeches. |
August |
Read all your research and look through speeches – on the beach. |
September |
Start some kind of work on some kind of speech. Just so you can train. |
October |
Get the forms or register online. Make some speech choices and get going. Start sending forms, if you are ready. If not – wait! |
November |
Serious speech work. Think about when you can feasibly send that first form. |
December |
Don’t go off-duty over Christmas – but chill out and have fun too. |
January |
Application deadlines approaching (UCAS/CUKAS 15th January). Review your speeches. Send the last of your forms through January and February for March deadlines. |
February |
Change speeches if you need to. It’s no big deal. |
March |
Most schools have closed applications by 31st March. |
April |
Keep things lively, confident and fresh. Don’t let your speeches go soggy! Don’t get weary. |
May |
Most schools are well into recall stages. A few are still seeing first auditions. |
June |
Almost done. But if you are still going, KEEP IT GOING! Don’t lose impetus or faith. |
Usually, you will need a single, passport-sized shot. It’s quite easy in these digital days to take a digital photo and then upload or print it yourself. There’s also the good old photo booth.
Don’t get caught up in a professional photo-shoot situation and, therefore, in spending lots of dosh unnecessarily. The admissions person and the panel just want to see what you look like and then remember you after the audition. So don’t get crazy with lights, hair and make-up (and that includes the girls). Inspect, in detail, the list of things they ask you to send. Some institutions will want a full-length photo, especially for musical-theatre courses. If you’re required to upload a digital photo to an online form, ensure that it is a decent but manageably sized JPEG.
Check out your costs. With travel and accommodation, they can easily mount up. Depending on how many applications you make, there could be significant expenditure. The audition fees alone can set you back up to £60 a pop and they are increasing every year. If you live outside London (some auditions do take place in several additional cities), there may be a need for accommodation. If recalled somewhere like Bristol Old Vic, you may be required to attend a weekend of classes and workshops.
An audition can easily take up whole a day of your time, or more. If you are travelling to another city, you should budget at the very least £100 per audition (including audition fee). This is cash that you’ll need to earn or that someone has to provide. All the more reason to be prepared.
So, at the risk of dull repetition, let me repeat myself – dully:
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Be prepared. Do your research. |
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Have your speeches chosen and learned, and do some work on them before you send off the applications. |
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Post your applications in a staggered pattern. |
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Save your fave. |
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Work out your costs. |
This will go onto your UCAS/CUKAS applications and, if required, it will be submitted with other applications.
Everyone seems to dread this bit and gets into a regular state over it. Selling yourself can seem false and awkward – this is why actors employ agents to do it for them. If you are feeling false while writing, it’s because you are being false. Use the truth.
Personal statements are simple – really – but dead hard to write, because ‘you’ have to write about ‘you’, which becomes quite difficult. This is also why the perfectly simple exercise of expressing why you want to go to drama school and why you want to be an actor can turn into a nightmare of soggy sentences and generalised expressions, rapidly making all your determination and sincerity seem very insincere. For instance, here is an extract from an early and confused draft of a real personal statement:
For some people theatre is about being in front of thousands, showing off and professing of the many talents that they possess. Conversely, for me, theatre is my muse and my destiny, which I can ruminate and deliberate on, thus making the most of every theatrical experience I encounter.
While the sentiment may be admirable, the tone and wording undermine the statement and turn it into gibberish. Reading something like this, one gets the wrong impression of the writer. Bad start. Apart from it not making sense and sounding pompous, the writer seems to think he/she is an eighteenth-century poet. Just write, more or less, as you usually write or speak. There is no requirement to get into the mode of professional essayist or to treat it like an A-level assignment. Talk straight.
If you are on a second or subsequent application… you will have more experience of this task. Use the fact that you are coming back for more to your advantage. Use it as proof of your tenacity and determination. Resist any temptation to use the same statement as you did the previous year, since your newly evolved stance and your increased maturity may well change what you want to say. Anyway, with luck, your year will have been busy and eventful enough to warrant interesting new info.
You don’t have to include the points that are coming up. They are for guidance only, to enable you to make your own, thoughtful and truthful statement.
What can you offer them?
Generally, this would include:
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An ability to take criticism. |
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Objectivity and vision. |
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Honesty and truth. |
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Courage and determination. |
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Time management and punctuality. |
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Focus and stamina. |
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Creativity and fun. |
It is good to show that you are committed and serious, but without going over the top. Let them know that this is the only thing you want to do. They also want to see that you are a decent sort who can take the pressure and get on well as a member of a cast or community.
They will be wondering if you are a good, reliable, affable person to have around.
Dos and don’ts for writing your statement
Here are some pointers that will help to produce a succinct, punchy and credible personal statement, avoiding the usual clichés that others will be falling for.
Do…
Avoid ‘weakened’ words and sentences Seek to avoid phrases such as: ‘It is my passion’, ‘I have a passion for the stage’, ‘my great desire’, ‘I love to become my character.’ These sentiments may well be true for you, but many other people will be trotting out these and similar expressions. The idea is to convince the reader that you are committed, focused and determined to train, to grow and to learn. ‘Passion’ may seem a strong word, but it weakens if you use it thoughtlessly or untruthfully. Other overused words and phrases:
Thrive. Strive. Wish. Push myself. Challenge. Comfort zone. Character. Creating a character. Immerse myself [in a character]. Dream. [My] skills. Passionate. Escape. Desire. Greatly.
I’m not saying don’t ever use these, it’s just that so many people use them in personal-statement-land and, consequently, the words have become weakened.
Write well Make sure that what you have written makes sense. Keep sentences short and simple. Don’t sound too rigid or formal. The most digestible personal statements are in an easy, relaxed style that conveys exactly what the writer wants to say. Keep things tight. Get someone else to read back to you what you have written, so that your clarity and style choices can be assessed.
Use spellcheck, but check what check gives you Care and attention to detail can only make the right impression. So double-check for sense and errors. For example:
I recognise that hardships come along with the career I want to peruse.
I want to train as an actor because I love the change of starching myself.
Know what you want to write about This could, if pertinent to what you think and feel, embrace:
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What this art means to you. |
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What attracts you to the theatre. |
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What theatre does for the wider public. |
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Why you want to train as an actor. |
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What you need to improve upon as a performer. |
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What you have to offer. |
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An awareness of how exacting drama school will be, with regard to work, energy, commitment, dedication and focus. |
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An awareness of how difficult and tough the career of an actor might be. |
Take the ego out What does theatre do for you? Rather than what you like to do in the theatre. A good statement should be about you, but not all about you. So steer clear of comments that make your statement read as if it’s all about your ego:
I love acting because I love the challenge of creating interesting characters. I am also the centre of attention and I love the applause and the adoration.
Okay, that was a bit blunt, but you get the picture…
Ask questions If you ask yourself (and think about the answers to) the following questions, you will know what to write about in your statement. Considering these questions now will also inform your answers at the interview stage:
1. Why do I want to act?
The way to find your true response to this question is to react honestly to it. Go on! Just try right now to answer that question for yourself. Be clear. Be honest. Don’t think about writing it for a potential reader; do it just for you at this point – but do it before reading the next paragraph. Then, later, have a crack at telling a real person why you want to act – without them laughing. This is a great kick-start for your statement.
2. What do I want from a drama school?
Presumably, you want to hone your vocal and physical potential while developing your creativity and imagination, in an environment populated by talented, dedicated people who will inspire and motivate you both mentally and physically. There are plenty of other reasons too.
3. What does theatre do for you?
As a performer and/or an audience member? Does it provoke, transport, comment, rant or rage? Does it attack, clarify, confuse, laugh at, weep for, parallel, diversify, or even scare?
Is it not part of an urge in all of us to get together and communicate? To watch things? To hear stuff? To share ideas? To experience the needs and actions of others? To take in information?
4. What’s the job of the actor?
In this book, it is to speak the lines audibly and connectedly in your own voice, moving naturally, or being still. It is all about how you can serve the work and the words truthfully, believably and with some degree of taste. They are the interface between the writer and the audience. The job of the actor is very much about how the characters they play, make others on the stage understand what they mean and want. It is not so much about displaying what emotions your character might be feeling or, worse still, displaying.
Don’t…
Waffle Be precise. Be concise. The person reading your statement will have read very many of them. Give them a break. The ideal personal statement does not waffle or use too many words. Don’t replicate stuff that is already on your application forms and CV (if you have one). Stand out from the crowd with crisp economy and precision. Personally, I think that around fifteen to twenty succinct lines would do the trick. You don’t need to write reams.
Repeat Watch out for repetition. It is really easy to repeat these kinds of words: performer, acting, actor, experience, challenge, performer, shows, stage, drama school, work, greatly and passion.
Repeat Did I just say that?
Be foolish If your opening statement reads something like: ‘Ever since I was little, I have always been star-struck,’ or ‘As far back as I can remember…’ ‘When I was six…’ Worse still: ‘TV presenters have always fascinated me.’ Or: ‘I have always wanted to be in the movies.’ – then you are on the wrong track.
All schools want to read about someone who is interested in and articulate about theatre, someone who is talking seriously about training for and learning about the craft. They are not that turned on by candidates who are primarily motivated by fame or fortune. But they do want motivated performers.
Get overexcited Avoid excitable claims and foolish statements that don’t really make sense:
The thought of not going to drama school is unthinkable.
Think about it!
… can’t think of anything more incredible than performing all day in front of an audience.
What, as opposed to performing to no audience? And all day, too?
He not only performs but sings himself.
He sings himself?
Embellish or expand the truth Telling porkies is likely to backfire at a later date, when the interviewers ask questions based on a CV or personal statement that was not strictly accurate and is now probably something you have forgotten all about. The truth holds power and integrity. These things are impressive. Give an honest account of who you are and what you want. The same applies when talking about your achievements and experiences. Tell the truth, don’t stretch it!
Be cheesy A really good way of taking the parmesan out of your prose is to keep words simple and not florid or extravagant. Instead of:
‘This is something that greatly enthrals me and I have always had a huge desire to make this dream come true,’ or: ‘This has been my greatest and most passionate goal in life…’ What about: ‘This is what I really want to do with my life.’
This last statement is precise, concise and cheeseless.
Something like:
The idea of studying in an area that I feel extremely passionate about gives me a massive sense of enthusiasm and is something I strive for with every fibre.
– might be better as:
I believe that if you love something and are truly inspired by it, then you should work towards doing it – whatever that entails!
Again, reread things or say them out loud, maybe to a mate. Are you real? Are you true?
Examples taken from real personal statements that kind of work:
‘I think the theatre is a platform for the storytellers and the actors. At the theatre, we get to see the story come to life, with all the sound, music and lights to enhance it.’
‘People have often asked why anyone would ever want to go into the acting profession, because it is so random and difficult. I know exactly why I do. I love the idea of studying and understanding a text and often, another world culture or period in history.’
‘The notion that the theatre can comment on the world and its people is fantastic to me. I have always taken part in as many productions as possible and tried to see as much as I can. I have also attempted to gather as much experience as possible, to learn more about acting and how to tackle any style of performance. I hope to continue to learn more skills…’
‘…this has also helped me to be able to get along well with a diversity of people and their methods. I believe that these qualities have aided me in performing and rehearsing shows, as they enable me to operate smoothly within a company and adapt to different ways of thinking and doing things.’
‘If I was given the opportunity to study at drama school, I would commit myself entirely to the training. I am determined to offer hard work, an open mind and dedication to learning…’
‘I have a terrible fear of performing. This is a true statement. But this has never stopped me from seeking the fear at every possible opportunity by being in shows as often as I can.
I think somehow that this must be a major urge behind wanting to perform in the first place – the fear and the adrenaline of being on stage.’
‘…either way, theatre is a great way of looking at the world, especially through the minds of geniuses.’
‘The kind of experience I am looking for is one where creativity and boldness will be instilled and encouraged, in a place where I can keep learning and experiencing.’
‘Last year’s auditions gave me a taste of possibility and I really think I am ready to take this on. I know there will be a price for all the things I want to achieve at drama school and in life, but I also know that nothing’s free and that there is no easy ride.’
These work because they are truthful. So don’t nick them, cos that won’t be your truth – unless the statement really is true for you as well.
A CV is not totally essential, especially if your applications are online. But it can make a difference. A decent CV should contain personal details and history of your education and theatrical work, together with any employment and/or other learning experiences, such as workshops and classes. It should also be readable. When they hold your CV, the reader(s) will be holding you in their hands.
Don’t bulk out your CV for the sake of it. Better to be concise but honest if there isn’t much acting or work experience to put down here. If you have lots of experience, still be pithy. People will want to see all about you at a glance and probably on one sheet of paper. So make it simple for folks to warm to you; be easy to read, concise and clear. Cos that’s what they like. Tiny points, but all adding to the overall impression you ought to put across.
Start with name and contact address, then date of birth and age, height, etc. Next, list your education details and qualifications. Just do the last two schools and set out the qualifications along a line, don’t use up space by listing them down the page. Then give your performance experience. Start with the most recent and follow a format of: Part. Production. Place. Director. You don’t need to say ‘played the part of… at… directed by…’, etc. Be easy on the eye.
Follow all this up with other skills you may have, plus workshops, courses and classes you have done. Finally, any other jobs or experiences you want to include. Here is a reasonable specimen of the kind of thing to aim for:
Name
Personal Details
Address
Telephone
DOB
Height
Schools/Education
Names of schools and dates attended
GCSEs
English Literature B, English Language A, Physical Education A, Maths C, French C, Drama A, Combined Science C, History A, Religious Studies B
AS Levels
Theatre Studies A, History B, English Literature A, Philosophy C
Ongoing A-Level [with results if you have them] Theatre Studies, History, English Literature
Performance Experience
2013 – Assistant Director. Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Face Theatre Co. Dir. John Smith
2013 – The Inspector. Mario the Magnificent Marionette. Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Directed and adapted by John Smith
2012 – Alex. A Clockwork Orange. The Studio. Dir. John Smith
2012 – Run Around Sue. Music Concert. Lockwood Theatre. Music by John Smith
2012 – Big Macca. We Will Rock You. Bates Theatre. Dir. Sally Jones. Choreography Sally Jones
2011 – The Falling Man. Secret for a Show. Lockwood Theatre. Devised
2011 – Theseus. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Kingswood Theatre. Dir. John Smith
Other Skills
Guitar |
Grade 4 |
Singing |
Grade 5 |
Acting |
Grade 4 Guildhall |
Workshops (etc.)
Summer workshop at _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Dance and movement workshop with _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Mask weekend at _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ with _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Other Work/Experience
2011 – Worked in a shoe shop (Saturday job la la la…)
The main thing I need to say at this point is: Just because it is your second time, don’t double the deal. By which I mean don’t get into: ‘OMG, OMG, I didn’t get in the first time. I have got to get in this time; otherwise I am crap, a failure – a nobody!’ This kind of negative thinking will not get you where you want to be. This is focus wasted on panic and anxiety. Concentrate on how you can do your best work every day instead of ‘I have to get into drama school this time!’
It’s all about the work, not about getting in, not about you. Make the stakes exactly the same as you did the first time round. Have nothing to lose. Besides, now you know more, especially if, like many first-timers, you were totally unprepared for your first attempt. Knowledge empowers. You now know how and where you screwed up. You know what’s going to happen, the kinds of people you’ll meet and even where to go and how to get there;)
If this isn’t a first attempt, then you have three courses of action:
1. Go early Get stuck in early in the season. If you did quite well the year before, the people at the school may well remember you. If so, this could be an edge to work on. The experiences of the previous year will also be fresher in your mind.
2. Do half early, half later Although I’ve just advocated going early if you are on a second campaign, it is also a good idea to consider doing half of your auditions early and then save the rest for maybe after Christmas. Doing this could help you to reassess and/or adjust your approach or allow time to change pieces, if necessary.
3. Do it all slowly Take your time; get your auditions lined up with space between them.
The advantages to choosing new pieces for a second campaign are obvious: you are using new ideas and fresh energy, plus you’ll be on your toes. If you stick to your old choices, there is a risk of fatigue and complacency because you’ll be presenting something you know well and have worked on a lot – to no discernible profit. If you hunt down and work on fresh, sizzlingly new stuff, you will spice up your work and impress the panel with the fact that you are truly a seeker of new experience. You are not trotting out old material but putting time, care and effort into looking elsewhere.