Audition Prep and Material Selection
Every actor faces the same challenge:
“What do I perform?”
Whether you’re preparing for an audition, a BFA program, a class, or simply expanding your prepertoire, it’s not always easy to find material that feels authentic and showcases your stregnths.
You might ask yourself:
- What do they want?
- What shows of “me” the best?
- Where do I even start?
The truth is, finding the right monologue or song takes time, thought, and care. Reading plays and listening to scores is a great way to discover material, but sifting through hundreds of scripts and albums can feel overwhelming. Online databases are often outdated, uninspired, or too dense to navigate. That’s where I come in.
Questions to ask when looking for material
- What do I want to showcase?
- What are the requirements of the audition?
- What style of piece should I be looking for?
- What pieces feel most natural to me?
- What kind of pieces do I love doing?
What I can do
I can help you find material that you really connect with, sort of like a matchmaker! Whether it’s classical, contemporary, ballad, or up-tempo, I can help you find pieces that work for you. Through video sessions, I can talk with you about your experience, your goals, your interests, and help steer you to pieces that tailored to you.
As an MFA Acting student, I have experience working with all types of students and parameters. There are a lot of factors in finding material and acting approaches for each person, and I can tailor my work to best fit you. Ultimately, this is one of the only aspects of casting that actors have the agency, so choosing something that you feel passionate about is essential.
Package Options
| Package | Meeting | What you get | Price |
| Starter Pack | Online consultation | 3 pieces (Monologues/songs) | $30 |
| Full Set | Online consultation | 6 pieces (Monologues/songs) | $50 |
| Coaching Sessions | Online workshop | 1-2 piece(s) (monologue or song) | $30/45 minute session |
How it Works
Once you book with me, I will schedule a time for us to chat about goals, expectations, and how I can help you. In this session, we’ll talk about what kind of material you want (monologues/songs, classical, contemporary…), and you can select any combination. I’ll talk you through some possibilities, and we can figure out what it is you’re looking for. Then, depending on the package, I will send you a complete set of pieces.
I have been helping people with material selection for years, and I love being able to find perfect matches for all types of audition scenarios and actor repertoire. I am an avid reader and play collector, and I love using my “databases” to help spread exciting and inspiring work with my fellow actors.
Questions
What kind of material can you help me with?
Any and all! As a huge musical theatre nerd and play reader, I am equipped to help you on most/all of your upcoming projects!
What if I don’t connect with the material?
That’s totally fine! Sometimes, material just isn’t for us. If the pieces I select aren’t quite right for you, let me know, and I can find replacements. I can only replace the material once per piece.
How long do I have to review the material and see if it’s right for me?
You have one week from the delivery of the materials to review and see how you connect with the pieces. I am more than willing to be part of the conversation if you need help deciding or have any questions during that time!
How should I prepare for the session?
If you have anything specific that you want to prepare for, bringing audition information is always helpful. Also, if you have any rep that you want to build on, it would be great to see where you’re coming from as an actor.
What can we work on in coaching sessions?
Whatever you need! Whether it’s acting coaching, audition prep, or anything else, we can work together to help refine and polish your material. I have been working with students one-on-one for years, and I try to work with the student to get the piece to the best it can possibly be. Great option for college auditions, or just to tighten up some material.
Helpful Tips
- Reading aloud is your best friend when it comes to finding something that clicks for you.
- Looking into shows that actors you like/see yourself in is another great way to find titles/songs.
- Look at the theaters you like and find out what their past seasons were.
- Find composers or playwrights that you connect with and look at their work.
- Find “DO NOT SING”/”DO NOT PERFORM” lists and try to figure out alternates or what makes each piece so popular.
These questions can lead to some interesting discoveries for yourself!
For more information about how I can best help you, please email me at mgnidula@gmail.com
Marty Gnidula 