4. Show up early and be ready to wait

Universal officially requests that auditionees arrive 10 minutes before auditions begin. In reality, however, arriving that late virtually guarantees that you will have a long wait. If you signed up on the website for a specific audition time, you can reasonably arrive around 20-30 minutes before your audition. If you are attending a completely open call, plan to arrive at least an hour early.

Universal Orlando lists guidelines for how long each type of audition should take, including the time spent checking in and waiting to be called. This range varies from 1 hour for actors, musicians, singer/dancers and some other categories to 4 hours for stunt performers. Animated character auditions could take as long as 6 hours with costume fittings.

In addition, Murphy’s Law is in full effect at most auditions. Weird things can and do go wrong, leaving you waiting for much longer than planned. Bring a book, a tablet, a smartphone, a music player with headphones, or whatever helps you relax during long waits. Also use some of your time to hydrate, stretch, and make sure you are in peak performance condition at the moment your name is called.

5. Be honest

The casting panel might ask you questions about your previous experience and additional skills. Never, ever claim to have experience you don’t have or to be able to do things you don’t know how to do. The performing arts community is relatively small, and the casting director might be good friends with the director of the show you claimed to star in last fall. If you claim to have a particular skill, you might be asked to demonstrate it right then, on the spot. Auditions are very busy and emotionally tense for everyone involved, and there is no quicker way to infuriate the casting panel than to waste their time.

What makes lying even more ridiculous is that a lack of experience or specific skills is not usually a barrier to being hired. The Entertainment department at Universal Orlando is well-known for its ability to turn raw talent into tremendous performance skills. Once hired, you can take internal classes in stilt-walking or other skills. You can attend internal auditions and move up the ladder to your preferred roles. Get your foot in the door with whatever you are best at, and then work on improving your repertoire from within the company.

6. Show your stuff

Of course, your moment on stage is the key to the entire audition experience. Check your nerves at the door and lay it all out there. No matter what you are auditioning for, make your physical movements big, clear and intentional. Singers, belt out your song. Skaters, show off your hardest tricks. Actors and dancers, use your face to communicate deeper emotions rather than plastering on a smile. Hold nothing back and leave it all on the floor. They can always ask you to tone down, but they have no way of knowing if you can bring up the energy level unless you show them.

There’s an old adage in the acting profession: casting directors think they know what they want, until you show them what they actually want. Give an audition that is so brilliant and so perfect for the role that they can’t help but give you the job!