Written by Jaron Lewis

Auditioning is tough. You must prepare physically and emotionally to go into the room where your dreams could come true or your heart could be broken. The more prepared you are to walk into an audition and sing, the better your chances that your dreams will come true.

Knowing the music is the first step to a great audition. If you’re preparing for a musical audition you’re going want to make sure you know the script and understand the story. You’ll want to know as much as you can about the project you’re hoping to work on for two reasons.

First, knowing as much as possible helps you to add context to your audition, you’ll know if there’s a deeper meaning to a song or how to approach a piece of music. Second, you’ll be more confident when you know what’s going on and can intelligently answer any questions the casting director or producer ask.

Confidence is an important part of any audition. Walking into an audition with your head held high, good posture, and a big smile will go a long way to winning over the director. Wear clothes that are comfortable, appropriate for the role and that fit well. You don’t want to go in a full costume, but dress for the part. You wouldn’t wear a suit to audition for Rent or jeans to audition for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The better your look the more confident you’ll feel.

Another way to build confidence is to prepare your voice for a singing performance. Start by finding a great warm-up. Make sure you begin with breathing exercises to get air moving and loosen everything up. Just like preparing for a marathon, you need to work on your voice daily. Singing every day is the best way to keep your voice strong and healthy, so practice, practice, practice.

Drinking lots of water will keep you whole body in tip-top shape. Watch what you eat and drink – stay away from things like dairy, pasta, and chocolate, because they can leave your voice dry. Go with things like fruits (apples are a great choice) to lubricate your vocal cords. Soup is always a great option because it helps keep you hydrated and your voice.

Always eat before you perform – an empty stomach can have impact your performance and leave you feeling weak. When you’re preparing for an audition avoid spicy foods, those high in citric acid that can dry out your vocal chords, fizzy drinks that can put air in your stomach, and anything cold that will constrict your vocal chords. Instead, drink something warm (but stay away from caffeine) that will help warm up your voice and help you relax.

Auditioning is a stressful, nerve wracking, and exhilarating experience. Fortunately, the more you audition the easier it gets. No matter how hard auditioning is, the pay off when you get the part is worth effort of preparing.