Auditioning (ages 12-17)

This intensive, one-day course is designed for young people who are interested in training or working in theatre, film or television and want to know how to prepare for an acting audition.

The course leader will introduce you to the process of auditioning, aiming to build your skills and confidence. You will examine your own acting, voice and movement techniques, as well as learn techniques to best cope with audition nerves.

You will also explore how to select audition pieces that are best suited to your strengths as a performer and how to identify original and contrasting material. In addition to developing technical performance skills, you will be led through the process of monologue preparation including experimentation and rehearsal.

By the end of the course you should have:

• a thorough understanding of what to expect in an acting audition
• learned how to select the best audition material suited for you
• been introduced to the interview process and how to deal with a direction from the panel
• performed a monologue and received feedback on your performance
• grown in confidence and feel prepared for future audition experiences

This course is relevant for both students with some performing experience and for those with little or no previous experience. The course leader will ensure all course content is accessible for you in the rehearsal room so you can get as much out of the course as possible.

This course may be of particular interest to those considering applying to the BA Acting degree programme or  Junior Conservatoire of Acting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Courses you may be interested in
We run a variety of different courses throughout the year, and update our programme regularly – you can find all courses by clicking here.

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Contact us
If you have any questions about this course before you book it, please get in touch with us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk.

FAQs
Please see our FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course.

This is an open-access course is for those who wish to learn more about the process of auditioning. Now specific previous experience is required to take part, though some acting experience will be useful.

This course is suitable for anyone aged 12 — 17 who wants to keep developing their skills and stay creative at home.

We ask that participants are self-motivated and willing to undertake work at home through the days of the course, as well as contribute to sharings of the work achieved and group discussions.

In advance of the course you should prepare at least one monologues (no longer than 2 minutes) which could be contemporary or classical. You should be familiar with the play the monologue comes from and have learned the text by heart.

You will need access to a device such as a desktop computer, laptop or tablet which allows you to access the internet with a screen large enough to see the group members during online sessions.

You will need internet connection which is fast enough to take part in video sessions (for example, like you would using Skype or Zoom).

You may need to have a device available to record videos of some of your work — for example, a mobile phone or tablet. This will just be required for some sections, not all day.

As you will be working on various texts throughout the day, it would be useful to have access to a printer. You will need pen/pencil and paper/notebook.

You will need space in your house to do some movement work including lying down on the floor for breathing exercises.

You may also want to consider whether you have a space you can use where you can work without interruption. Please keep in mind that the other students taking part in the course will be able to see what’s behind you when you are online.

We will ask that you wear comfortable clothes which are suitable for doing movement work — for example joggers/leggings and a t-shirt are ideal. Please also have access to a glass/bottle of water throughout the day.

If you have any questions in advance of booking, please contact us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk.

Promotional Offers

We offer a selection of promotional offers for our Short Courses, take a look!

To receive the promotional offer code, contact shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk before booking a course.

Agnes Allan Bursary

Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.

The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.

Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.

More information about the Agnes Allan Bursary.

James McAvoy Drama Scholarships

Bafta-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.

James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.

The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.

More information about the James McAvoy Drama Scholarship.