Supporting Your Child Through the Audition Journey: A Parent’s Guide
Watching your child take the stage for the first time is a milestone filled with excitement. But before the curtain rises, there’s a long journey that begins with the audition process—an experience that can be a roller coaster of nerves, excitement, and hope.
Supporting your child through an audition isn't about making everything perfect and easy for them; it’s about providing, helping them be prepared and connecting them to a place where they can shine Christ’s light while learning that their identity is rooted in Him, not a cast list.
Physical and Practical Preparation
Excellence is a form of worship, and helping your child prepare practically is a great way to encourage and grow their talent.
Encourage them to go over their audition many times. Listen to them practice their 16-bar cut in the living room and help them feel ready and confident.
Selecting a song is very important. If a song choice is too challenging (like Wicked or Hamilton) or doesn't showcase their range well, be real with them. It is better to tell them the truth up front so they can perform with excellence later.
Help them pack the night before. Laying out a comfortable and appropriate outfit and everything they need for the next day.
What to bring to an audition:
Water bottle
Resume (preferably one page)
Headshot (preferably stapled to the back of the resume)
Sheet music (if accompanist is provided; for youth shows auditions are acapella, for community shows, it will be clearly listed on the website if an accompanist will be provided)
Now, if you don’t have a resume or professional headshots for your child don’t stress. Simply create a list of any production they have been in, and bring a nice photo that clearly looks like them. It’s more important that our team can see what their experience is and have a reference of what they look like for later in the casting process.
What do I need to do at an audition?
Arrive at the location and sign in (We recommend arriving at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time)
Fill out the audition forms with your child
At (or near) the scheduled time, your child will be called into the audition room
Wait in outside the room for your child (don’t worry, they’re in good hands)
The actual audition is usually over in less than three minutes
Check with your child to see if they were offered a call back, and if so what time that will be
But what happens in the audition room?
Your will introduce themselves
The audition board might ask them some questions about themself
They will then sing their 16-bar (about 30 second) cut
If the audition board feels they need to see them in callbacks they will let the child know what time they will be
Then they come back out to you
What happens next?
If your child is not needed at call backs, then that simply means the audition board saw all they needed to see (it does not mean your child is not being considered for a role). You will be notified within a week whether your child is offered a role or not.
If your child is requested to come to a call back, it is best to feed them a good meal or snack (depending on time of day) before bringing them back to the same location at the time of call backs
Make sure your child has a water bottle and is dressed in appropriate clothing for dancing and heavy movement
Your child will be called into the room with other performers, and you will wait outside the room. We recommend bringing a book or activity and not dropping performers off, as there is no guarantee of how long your child will be needed.
It will be clearly communicated when your child is free to go (many are done at different times, leaving earlier doesn’t mean they did a bad job, simply the audition board has seen all they need to)
You will be notified whether your child is offered a role or not.
Support After Auditions
The audition wait can be a nerve-wracking season. You can help your child to see their worth is not defined by an audition, there’s so much more to the picture.
Pray Through the Nerves: Waiting to hear can be incredibly nerve wracking, pray with your child and remind them that they are an amazing child of the King, regardless of the outcome.
Root Their Identity in Christ: Remind them that their role does not define them. Their identity is found in Christ alone, not in a spot on a cast list.
Encourage the Effort, Not Just the Result: Help them measure success in things that are achievable, such as doing their best at the audition or showing Christ’s light to others.
Navigating Disappointment and Failure
Not every audition ends in a lead role, and it’s okay for them to feel upset. In fact, not landing the desired part is a vital part of growing as a performer.
It’s Okay to Be Upset: If they are unhappy about a result, let them feel that for a little while—it’s only human. Then help them walk through what they are feeling and give it to Christ.
The Big Picture Perspective: Help them see that there is so much more to a casting process than just how well they performed. Remind them that God put each of us right where we are for a specific reason.
The Power of the Ensemble: If they are offered an ensemble role, help them decide to enjoy it (if they decide to accept the role). Remind them that the ensemble builds the world of a show and completes the picture so God’s message can be shared even more powerfully.
DGPA is a safe place where we have your child's best interest at heart. We are looking for the best place to help them grow in confidence as both a performer and a believer.
By supporting them through the highs and lows of the audition process, you are helping them find joy in the craft and serve God through what they love. You are teaching them that while the applause is nice, their gifts have purpose that lasts far beyond the final curtain.
Check out what our upcoming shows, and sign up to audition!