An acting audition is a process where actors perform a piece of work to showcase their talent and suitability for a specific role in a play, film, television show, or other production. The audition allows casting directors, producers, or other decision-makers to evaluate an actor’s abilities, such as their range, technique, and how well they fit the character or project.

Auditions can take various forms:

Cold Read: Actors are given a script or sides (short excerpts from the script) on the spot and asked to perform them without prior preparation.

Monologue: Actors perform a prepared monologue (a speech from a play or film) to demonstrate their skills and emotional range.

Readings: Actors perform scenes from the script, often with other actors who are also auditioning, to see how they interact and fit with other characters.

Improvisation: Actors may be asked to improvise scenes or dialogue to assess their creativity and ability to think on their feet.

Auditions can be in person, where actors perform in front of casting directors, or via self-taped submissions, where actors record their performance and send it in for review.