Cattle Calls. Mooooooo!

What to expect at a cattle call!

I got a request from Lisa in Arkansas, to talk about what an actor should expect at a cattle call / open call audition and some techniques for handling the situation.

Let's just say it: Cattle calls are tough.

I often think about this verse from the musical The Last Five Years:

"I’m up ev’ry morning at six
And standing in linem With two hundred girls
Who are younger and thinner than me, Who have already been to the gym.

I’m waiting five hours in line,
And watching the girls, Just coming and going
In dresses that look just like this, ‘Til my number is finally called.

When I walk in the room,
There’s a table of men – Always men, usually gay –
Who’ve been sitting, like I have, And listening all day
To two hundred girls belting as high as they can!

I am a good person
I’m an attractive person.
I am a talented person
Grant me Grace!"

The 6 am part is right. The line of identical actors is right.

The 200 girls is wrong... try 600 girls!

There are two types of open call auditions, EPAs and Non-Equity open calls.

•EPAs, or Equity Principal Auditions are required for most Equity productions. AEA members line up at 7 or so, and when they sign in (9:30ish) they get an appointment to come back. Your audition time is roughly 2 minutes. If you're singing, they suggest 32 bars.

•Non-Eq open calls work similarly, but much less efficiently. You basically get in line, get a number, and have to wait all day. If you leave, you risk your number getting called while you're absent.

Often, the audition listing in Backstage or on Equity's website will tell you what to prepare (e.g. 32 bars uptempo, or a short comedic monologue). Of course stick to what they request. But, if it's a judgment call - go with the material you love. For example, if they ask for a contemporary/pop musical theatre song, and you have a rock song you love to perform - do the rock song. If it's at all possible: always do what you love, over the piece that is dead-on appropriate.

There are mixed opinions about performing songs from the show for which you are auditioning. My gut tells me to avoid this. If you have a callback, you'll get the chance to sing from the show. I think singing from the show in the initial audition is a missed opportunity to show your stuff. (But, I do see the logic either way.)

Of course, there is the general wardrobe rule of repetition. Always wear your audition outfit to all callbacks. (The exception is if they request you change into dance clothes.) It's just too easy to get lost. It's best to be "the girl in orange" the entire time, than risk getting lost in the shuffle. It sounds gross, but get some fabreeze. Everyone will be doing the same.

Socially, these things can be very hard. Let's face it: sitting in line for a short-short audition can be really frustrating. It can seem like a waste of time. And people are MEAN and MANIPULATIVE. You will always see actors showing off, and mentally trying to throw other actors off their games. They may not even realize they're doing it - but they are: bragging about recent bookings, name dropping the casting director, stretching their leg up to their head... You have to stay focused. Books help. Ipods help. An audition buddy to chat with is a huge help too. Just... expect people to be obnoxious.

My final piece of advice is to think of open calls as networking, rather than auditioning. There's a chance you'll get the role, of course, but the chance that you won't is much greater. But, hey, you just got to perform material you love for a casting director, who know knows your work!

There are so many factors you can't control - but this, you can. Get the Casting Directors name; add it to your mailing list. Be polite. Be charming. Look for this casting director again, and go to his/her next audition. Build a relationship. Build a career.

I'm happy to field any questions!!! ActorsWhoMakeMoney@gmail.com