Sides for Auditions

Tonight I've been preparing sides for auditions for my new play. What are sides, you ask?

'Sides' is a common term for small sections of scripts that actors read at auditions.

Instead of the actors coming in and reciting a prepared monologue, they come in, read something you hand them, rehearse it a bit, and then perform it, script in hand, for the auditors.

The main challenge in preparing sides, for me, was that several of my characters only appeal in big multi-character scenes. You see, for practical purposes, for making sure every actor gets a chance to audition in a reasonable time slot, it's best if the sides only involve 2 characters. So you look for a scene that is mainly a conversation between Ann and Bob, and you try to yank out remarks that come in from Carol or Dennis. Sometimes you transplant a little, maybe giving Ann a line that really belongs to Carol.

The success of a play audition rides

on having an ample supply of sides.