BWW Blog: Christopher Panella - The Beginning of Show Season and the Auditions that Come with It

Hello, readers! After taking a short break from blogging to enjoy family time, I come back with a blog about the most stressful time of the year: audition time. As show season begins and drama clubs start long rehearsals, line learning, and vocal lessons, we theatre kids jump back into what we do best. However, starting the long process towards show day that we enjoy so much starts with one agonizing event: auditioning. Yes, I know, I've previously written about how much I love and enjoy auditions because of the creative opportunities and exploration they offer, but no person can deny that audition week is the most nerve racking experience (show week is a close second). Thus, I present a guide to handling this time of year with, as Meryl Streep said at the Democratic National Convention, "grit and grace."

As I enter my senior year, I feel no more or less nervous than I have felt in my previous high school years. After returning from a spectacular year of The Cat in the Hat and being in an American Musical Theatre class, both of which brought new and exciting journeys and lessons, I constantly worry about living up to the expectations I and others have of me. I don't want to be defined by my work from last year or the year before. I don't want that to be my peak. I want my senior year to show that I continue to grow as a performer and artist and that my peak is far ahead of me. That, my readers, is my first piece of advice: don't let your work in your previous year define you. Work harder than you did the year before, push yourself further. You have to want success every year in order to reach that success. Regardless of your past performances, go into the year wanting to do well. If you had an amazing time last year, let that be the benchmark you need to surpass. If you had a less than successful time last year, let that inspire you to be better. Never be content with what you've done and how far you've come because you still have so much more to do and so much further to go. As you enter this school year, remember that regardless of the past, the present counts more than anything.

I previously said it: I am nervous every year during this time, regardless if I'm a senior or a freshman. I'm going to be honest and say that the worst part about nerves is that they can either help you or hurt you. Either your nerves are going to push you to do superb in your audition or your nerves are going to cause you to forget lines and lyrics. That's just the way nerves are. The bottom line is: this is an audition and there are thousands in your future. Now, I'm not suggesting you take auditions lightly. On the contrary, take every audition as serious as the previous one. Auditions in high school and college prepare you for auditions in your career and the real world. As much as you can't do anything about your nerves, please remember that being prepared is the most important thing in the world. Work hard, NEVER WING IT. NO ONE WINGS IT, THAT IS NOT A THING PEOPLE SHOULD DO. It is so important to feel prepared and to go into an audition with only your audition piece in your mind. Don't think about what you're eating for dinner later or last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy, just think about that moment you're in.

Auditions are always going to be scary. That is just the way things are. That doesn't mean you should run away from them. Embrace them, embrace the rush they give you. Embrace the tears after, embrace the relief after. Whatever feeling you feel after you walk out of that room, just let yourself feel it because in the end, the most important thing is that you grow. When you have a range of auditions and learn more about your feelings, you become a better actor because you teach yourself how to audition better and how to feel confident after an audition. Auditions are essentially the best growth pills for actors. They give us experiences unlike any others. Thus, I give my final piece of advice: enjoy this hectic, crazy time of the year. Enjoy every moment because these auditions are the reactants producing your upcoming year and every year is a new learning experience.