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Mastering the Shakespeare Audition: A Quick Guide to Performance Success
Mastering the Shakespeare Audition is a handbook for actors of all ages and experience, whether auditioning for a professional role or a place in drama school.
Many actors have no idea where to start in preparing a Shakespeare audition speech. Yet many auditions – professional or drama school – require a well-delivered classical monologue.
Mastering the Shakespeare Audition shows performers how to focus rehearsal time and spend it well. Starting with how to choose a piece that plays to each actor's particular strength, casting director Donna Soto-Morettini provides a series of timed exercises and rehearsal techniques that will allow any actor to feel confident and truly prepared for performance – in sessions totalling just 35 hours.
Offering progressive and clearly marked exercises detailing the time necessary both to read and complete the work, Mastering the Shakespeare Audition also features extended exercises for those with more time to spare, allowing a deeper understanding of the ideas and skills involved.
Many actors have no idea where to start in preparing a Shakespeare audition speech. Yet many auditions – professional or drama school – require a well-delivered classical monologue.
Mastering the Shakespeare Audition shows performers how to focus rehearsal time and spend it well. Starting with how to choose a piece that plays to each actor's particular strength, casting director Donna Soto-Morettini provides a series of timed exercises and rehearsal techniques that will allow any actor to feel confident and truly prepared for performance – in sessions totalling just 35 hours.
Offering progressive and clearly marked exercises detailing the time necessary both to read and complete the work, Mastering the Shakespeare Audition also features extended exercises for those with more time to spare, allowing a deeper understanding of the ideas and skills involved.
- GenresNonfiction
232 pages, Paperback
Published August 25, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 6, 2023
It’s hard to find a book which you can actually use to give yourself lessons. This book does is fantastically, even giving you a set amount of time in which you should do each exercise and when you should take a break.
Admittedly, I did not do each exercise religiously and for as long as I should have. In total, the book says it should take you 35 hours to do all the exercises. This is because I have already learnt and been rehearsing both of my Shakespeare monologues for auditions this year. The book is best when you go in without having stared work on a monologue or even chosen one.
It did, however, help me affirm a lot of ideas that I have already been playing with. It made me confidence that I am doing the right thing with my speeches. My favourite quote in particular from this book is “Well-imagined detail is the greatest help of the auditioning actor”.
My main criticism of the book is how is teaches you to learn the script. Personally I don’t think “drawing” a monologue would be helpful for everyone. I can’t say if it is because I haven’t tried it. It seems to argue against rote learning, but many great actors such an Anthony Hopkins and Bill Nighy have expressed their desire to rote learn their lines.
Overall, if you are auditioning for drama school, you need to read this!
Admittedly, I did not do each exercise religiously and for as long as I should have. In total, the book says it should take you 35 hours to do all the exercises. This is because I have already learnt and been rehearsing both of my Shakespeare monologues for auditions this year. The book is best when you go in without having stared work on a monologue or even chosen one.
It did, however, help me affirm a lot of ideas that I have already been playing with. It made me confidence that I am doing the right thing with my speeches. My favourite quote in particular from this book is “Well-imagined detail is the greatest help of the auditioning actor”.
My main criticism of the book is how is teaches you to learn the script. Personally I don’t think “drawing” a monologue would be helpful for everyone. I can’t say if it is because I haven’t tried it. It seems to argue against rote learning, but many great actors such an Anthony Hopkins and Bill Nighy have expressed their desire to rote learn their lines.
Overall, if you are auditioning for drama school, you need to read this!
January 30, 2019
Overall pretty solid. Not every single thing in the book will work for me, but a lot of the advice was really good and I will be sure to refer to this.
February 7, 2017
"Mastering the Shakespeare Audition" is an immensely helpful book! It's really rare that an acting book contains such easily accessible exercises to improve your (Shakespearian) acting.
I've benefitted from it loads (especially the part about speech analyzers, what a godsend!), but also rejected quite many of the exercises as it intellectualized the acting process too much for me. That's personal preference though - someone else will definitely appreciate every single one. I highly recommend it.
I've benefitted from it loads (especially the part about speech analyzers, what a godsend!), but also rejected quite many of the exercises as it intellectualized the acting process too much for me. That's personal preference though - someone else will definitely appreciate every single one. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews