Should I audition on the first or second day?

[RainbowUnicorn123]

I know this question is different from the ones I usually ask and that it's different from what is usually asked on this website, but I thought I asked on here for some advice. My area community theatre is having auditions for two days for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and I was going to audition for the part of Esmeralda. I have been doing musicals and plays since I was seven and took a break my third year in high school and have just returned to doing it this year. I've been trying to perfect my acting by reading tips, articles, and videos from other actors and casting directors. I recently read something were it talked about being one of the first to audition is good because according to psychology casting directors will remember you better and you will set a bar for other actors to reach. In my area there are many theatre companies and they all run on favoritism and familiarity. The theatre I'm auditioning for only has familiarity I think. For those who don't know what familiarity is it's when a casting director hires a person they know or have worked with in the past because they are more comfortable with working with them instead of hiring a new person. To put it into context think of it like hiring a pet sitter, you wouldn't hire someone you know over a friend or family member. That is the analogy I heard an actress give from one of the videos I watched and although I think it is a good example I think when it comes to acting there is more to consider such as skills. I consider myself a talented actress at times and hope the company hires based on skills. I've never had a big role when it comes to musical theatre, but have skills and have had a lead in a small play and have won state and nationals on my monologue before where the judge told me I am very talented. My question is if its based on familiarity should I still audition on the first day or not?

[FunkyMonkee]

I would think that, if it's based on familiarity, the day you do it wouldn't really matter.
Being the lat to audition might also work in your favour because your audition would be the freshest in their minds.
There's always the chance that you'll get cast just for showing up! I was auditioning for local short movie a few years back just as a voice actor. I THINK I was the first in at the audition, I'm not sure but probably so and, after I got to the set, they told me that, as soon as they saw me they knew I was their guy!! Not only did they want me to do the voice for the character, they also wanted me to play the part!!
The other movie I did was in Hollywood, I seem to recall contacting the guy maybe a year before for another part (just voice acting, again) and never heard back from him until at least a year later when HE asked ME to do the voice work for some other movie he was doing! I ended up doing 16 different voices in just the one movie and it was only about an hour long! I don''t think I even sent him a recording of my voice for the first movie I tried out for, it was just, him asking for actors and I said I could do it.
So, just being yourself might even get you the part.

[RainbowUnicorn123]

Wow! That's so cool you got to experience that. I hope to be able to do voice acting one day! As for auditioning last because it would be the freshest in their mind I thought of that too. According to psychology though if you're first they are also more likely to remember you and if you do a good job then in their mind they probably already cast you. With going first and doing a good job you set a bar and every time someone comes in and do better that bar is raised. I was thinking that if I came in last I would have to beat the bar that has already been placed. However, if I come in first and its based on familiarity I was thinking it doesn't matter how well I do if they already have someone they know in mind for the part they probably won't cast me.

[RainbowUnicorn123]

I've also heard the father auditions progress the more the casting directors and everybody in the room get tired and everything muddles together.

[FunkyMonkee]

Yeah, that, too! I'm putting together a massive compilation of psychedelic music, at least 1000 songs, maybe 2000, by now. I prefer to have a quick whip through of the demos to see which one's fit best, next and, if it takes too long, I start to get a bit blaze about it and have picked the wrong song to follow and then, months later,, while listening to the finished section, I suddenly realize this other song (or two) would've worked better and I can only imagine that the reason I picked the one I ended up using is because it was becoming too laborious and, the one I should've used was at the end on the demos and, by that time, I just wanted to get it over with and wasn't listening the way I should've been. Or, the last one I chose as a possible got used just so I wouldn't have to go through the other possibles, again.

[RainbowUnicorn123]

Wow 2000, that's a lot! Even I would zone out! I know from Facebook about 75 are interested in auditioning. I believe that I would be cast and if not as Esmeralda, then as part of the congregation. The director says it calls for a large ensemble so he's going to try to put as many people in the ensemble as he can. The thing is I'm looking to expand my acting career and am tired of just small parts. I know they say no part is too small for a play, but it gets tiresome being part of the ensemble all the time.

[FunkyMonkee]

A lot of them I know pretty well and don't even have to listen to them and the rest, I mostly just listen to the first few seconds to see if that's a good fit with where I left off. So, until I whittle it down a good bit by using about half of them, ii only takes a couple hours to whip through them.

Well, I guess you gotta take scraps until a steak comes along. I was just thinking of Pam Dawber the other day and how she went from just some girl selling Neet to girls on t. v. and saying, "Razor stubble!", to, a couple years later, being the co-star on a massive hit t. v. show, "Mork & Mindy".
https://youtu.be/KAw8qH708gU
And selling shampoo.
https://youtu.be/J7hEbUOqnf4

[RainbowUnicorn123]

Yeah, that's a good example. I know a lot of people say that. I'm just ready for my steak now lol.

[FunkyMonkee]

Good luck, er, ah, break a leg, hun! Just don't get greedy about it. It'll come, eventually, if you work at it.

[RainbowUnicorn123]

Thanks hun! Thanks for the advice too! I will be sure to think it over!

[FunkyMonkee]

No problem and, remember not to forget us little people when you make it big!

[Wise4myage]

I say go with the day that makes you feel the most comfortable.