The Ultimate Survival Guide To The National Unified Auditions

You’ve been preparing for this week for what feels like a lifetime.

You found an outfit that makes you feel like an absolute boss human. You’ve picked audition pieces that are basically an extension of yourself. You’ve gone through so many packets of throat coat tea that you’re starting to wonder if you are single handedly keeping the throat coat industry afloat...And now, the big week is upon you — that late January/early February trip to one of three major US cities that many in the acting/musical theatre world consider a rite of passage…

UNIFIEDS. 

Congratulations, just making it to this moment is something you should feel so proud of! This is undoubtedly one of the most stressful years of your life thus far, and the fact that you have pushed through and given your all to get here speaks volumes on your work ethic, drive and passion for your art. With this in mind, know that you already have what it takes to succeed - these next few months are all about finding a team of trusted professionals who will welcome you with open arms and help you to fulfill your greatest potential. You may not know yet who those people might be. But trust that you will know soon enough, and whatever your path is, it will lead you on the most wonderful adventure - whether that be your dream school, somewhere you never fully considered until you walked into the audition room and fell in love, or even a gap year that leads you to the most incredible period of personal growth. There is no singular right path to success - there is only your right path!

So...what now? You’ve worked so hard for this week — how do you maximize your time and energy to make it one for the books? 

As an alumna of both New York and Chicago Unifieds in 2019, I’m here to give you my personal tips and words of wisdom to turn these crazy, stressful, unpredictable next few days into ones that are magical, productive, empowering and fun! I’ll be sharing how to stay healthy throughout the week, the things you should expect in the audition room, some tips that you might not know yet...and all with positivity sprinkled on top!

Take Care Of Yourself

First, let’s talk health. This week, your health (mental, physical and vocal) are of utmost importance (truthfully, they are always the most important thing!).

When you wake up the morning of your audition(s), check in with yourself - how are you feeling today? Do you feel tired? Nervous? Excited? Maybe (almost definitely) a combination of the three? Great! 

Now that you’ve taken that into account, throw on a killer playlist of upbeat, empowering songs that make you want to dance around the room and get your nerves out. Maybe that playlist is packed with Lizzo songs, or maybe it’s full of your favorite show tunes. For me, that playlist was (don’t laugh) mostly throwback 2000s/Disney Channel songs. Why? Because it psychologically brought me back to a time where I was carefree, felt minimal societal pressure, and was able to use my imagination however I wanted to! It was also the time that I first fell in love with theatre. While it sounds silly, listening to these songs every day took me back to the most grounded, unrestricted, curious and creative version of myself. It was a great way to wake up my artistic senses - think of it as caffeine for the soul! Just this playlist alone helped me to maintain a positive mental state throughout the whole experience.

Other things that I know have helped my peers get into a positive state of mind pre/post auditions is watching a favorite show on Netflix, meditating, doing some yoga... whatever makes you feel calm- do it!

Your physical health can make or break your ability to give your best performance. Because of this, it is so important to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Eating the right foods and drinking enough water are of the utmost importance. While you’re in a major US city and there are so many awesome places to eat, make sure that the food you are choosing to eat this week is not just tasty, but also gives you the fuel you need to get through your busy day ahead! Keep small, carbohydrate-packed snacks in your bag or hotel room so you can have a quick bite even when you don’t have enough time to get a full meal. 

Additionally, make sure you are doing proper stretches before your dance calls. You have so many auditions to get through this week, and by stretching your whole body thoroughly, you will be far less likely to have an injury. Exercises like planks and crunches are also a great way to get in touch with your core before your auditions. Your core is a tremendous physical and emotional center for all facets of your performance, so making sure that it is just as warmed up as the rest of your body will undoubtedly be to your benefit! 

Okay friends, we’re on to vocal health! So many people in the college audition Facebook group have asked me questions about how to stay vocally warm throughout the long day. Because of this, I’m going to share what I wrote in that group with you! 

“Make sure that you are taking care of yourself throughout the day! Don't over exert your voice when you don't have to, and try to rest your voice when you're not in your audition. You can do vocal exercises throughout the day if you feel like you need to. I always do some lip trills throughout the day, even after I’m warmed up. The name of the game is recognizing how your voice is feeling! Also, if you have a personal steamer, steaming throughout the day is incredible for your voice. Actually, it is the only way to immediately hydrate your vocal folds - the water that is sitting in your vocal folds is the water that you drank 24 to 48 hours ago, not the water that you drank five minutes ago. On that note, make sure that you are drinking consistently! For early morning auditions, give yourself adequate time in the morning to wake up, eat breakfast (do NOT skip breakfast!!), and get yourself ready! If you have a personal steamer, use it first thing when you wake up - before you even speak if possible. If you don’t have a steamer, turning your shower onto the highest heat and just sitting in the steamy room helps as well!”

Inside The Audition Room

Now that we have all our health bases covered, let’s talk about what the audition room will be like!

Unless you’re auditioning in New York, chances are your Unifieds auditions will be in small, carpeted conference rooms or large ballrooms. Unfortunately, these rooms normally do not have the most wonderful acoustics. If you have the chance to check out the spaces you’ll be auditioning in beforehand, definitely do it! It’ll help to give you a sense of how to adapt your vocal and physical energy to the space you’re working with. 

One of the few downsides of Unified auditions (aside from New York) is that your dance auditions will likely be on carpeted floors. This can be tricky, so make sure you are wearing shoes that will give you adequate traction not to slip. The core work I mentioned before will definitely come in handy for this as well! Again, if you have the opportunity to check out the room you’ll be auditioning in beforehand, you should absolutely go for it!

A lot of people in the Facebook group have also asked about the process of walk in auditions. I’m going to share the information I posted there on here as well:

You can visit any school’s table early in the morning to see if they're taking walk ins. Sometimes there will be a sign on the table that says they do not accept walk ins, but if it doesn't say anything, you can ask the person outside the room and they will let you know whether or not they can fit you in! After you do a walk in audition, they'll probably ask you to submit an application to the school pretty quickly - normally within the next 24 hours. Schools will often give you a fee waiver! 

Some Final Positive Reminders

Finally, I am going to leave you with some positive reminders:

• You are enough, you are worthy, you are talented, and you deserve to be here just as much as anyone else.

• There may be a thousand people here, but no one is exactly like you - you are one of a kind! Tap into the things that make you unique and let your personality shine through. 

• Taking time to rest does NOT make you lazy. Some people feel pressured to do walk-ins every single second that they don’t have a scheduled audition. However, you have to do what is best for you! Self care is, as I said before, SO important this week and always!

• Have faith in yourself and be kind to yourself! You are your own biggest cheerleader and best friend through this process. No matter what happens in the room, know that it does not change your ability, your worth, or your potential to succeed. Remind yourself of this at all times!

• Lastly, trust the process. I‘m sure countless people have said this to you, so please bear with me when I tell you that it is the key to getting through this season! Sometimes the end of the tunnel is so foggy that you can’t even tell whether it is there at all. But I promise you, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there is a path for you that you will find within the next few months. While this path might not be laid out just yet, trust that this wild process will set the proper foundation for your next steps in your personal and professional growth. And, most importantly, know that whatever your path ends up being, it is just as valid as anyone else’s!

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Jillian Michelle Smith is a multi-hyphenate artist based in New York. She is currently a sophomore at Marymount Manhattan College, where she is working towards her BFA in musical theatre with a double major or minor in digital journalism. Jillian is super passionate about demystifying performing arts secondary education and making the college audition process accessible for all. She is a proud graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, a vegetarian of 14+ years, and a guest member of the Broadway Princess Party posse! Keep up with Jillian on her website, http://jillianmichellesmith.com, or by checking out her instagram @jillianmichellesmith.

Thank you, Maggie, for inviting me to share my insight on such an awesome platform! If this is your first time hearing about Actor Aesthetic, definitely keep in the loop by following Maggie @actoraesthetic, listening to her incredible podcast, and reading this fantastic blog! 

Break all the legs, auditioners- every last one of them. You got this!

XOXO,

Jillian Michelle Smith