Why I'm Keeping My Audition Pianist
Against the Grain Theatre
Bekah Harbison
This morning, I saw an article published on this site that I felt argued against the use of live accompanists during auditions. Needless to say, I disagree. I wanted a chance to respond to how important, at least to our local community theatre, having such a musician working with us. Also, I want to try to dispel some stigmas when it comes to the cost and accessibility of working with an accompanist.
Not only is having an accompanist, or audition pianist, beneficial to the audition process but in my experience, it’s often vital. I’ve directed in a variety of situations but nowhere is an audition pianist more important than in adult or all-ages community theatre. I feel so strongly about it that I’ve spent my own money on audition pianists when my company wasn’t in a position to do so.
I hate auditions, probably more than most actors. I recognize how vulnerable auditions ask performers to be and appreciate that people may not put their best foot forward. While I try to keep things exceptionally warm and organized in order to help actors feel comfortable, we’re there to cast a show. It’s not about your ego. My goal in making decisions isn’t “what’s going to make the most people happy today”, it’s “how am I going to find the best performers for this show”. I owe that much to everyone involved. While I think some performers may be more comfortable with a backing track, it’s not the best way to cast a show.
Tracks slow down the audition day, no doubt. In the few times I’ve been in audition rooms where tracks were required, there was much more time spent on that than would ever be spent talking with a pianist. Between connecting to a speaker, finding the right spot in the track, listening through unskippable YouTube ads, staff reminding auditioners not to use tracks with vocals and kids having to go back into the hallway to have their mom unlock her phone before they sing, it’s added at least a full minute on average to each audition.
Theatre is all about collaboration. I often say “If you want to make art by yourself, go paint a picture.” Having a pianist in the room allows the casting panel to see how you’ll interact with another artist. Are you kind to me, the director, but you roll your eyes when they ask for your tempo? Do you snatch the book out of their hands before you leave, or do you give them a genuine “thanks so much, have a good one!” Are you able to get into a groove with another performer? What do you sound like with another musician? If the pianist struggles, will you keep your composure? That’s all valuable information for me.
As a community theatre director, I have nothing but your role to hang over your head. You won’t be fined if you’re late like you would in an Equity show. You aren’t depending on this show to pay your bills and in fact, may be paying the company or the building to be a part of it. I need people in a show who are passionate about being there. I need people who aren’t going to need their arms twisted into doing what they’re asked. If going online, finding a good cut of sheet music, printing it out, learning a song and giving a pianist a tempo is too much to ask of you, how are you possibly going to be able to keep up with the demands of a show? I have no judgment of someone who struggles to get sheet music for whatever reason, but if that’s something that’s impossible or “gatekeeping” for you to achieve, the production you’re auditioning for probably isn’t a fit for you.
You don’t have to have a lot of money to make this happen as there is an abundance of resources out there, many of them free. It’s not 1990; There are so many places online to find sheet music, to find out how to pick a cut or to learn what mistakes to avoid. Just Google it. Libraries are a great resource for those who don’t have a computer. You can’t expect to be a part of shows that don’t cast everyone, even at a recreational level, if other people are willing to put in that work and you are not. I’ve worked on shows with wide economic diversity and worked tirelessly to not let that be a gatekeeper. No matter where someone is coming from, they’re expected to carry their weight artistically and logistically.
And to be clear: Bring music 3 hole punched in a binder. If your audition pianist is really awesome, they may bring their own 3 hole punch and binder for loose-leaf sheets, but don’t depend on that. If you’re going to bring a music book make sure you’ve really broken the binding so the book doesn’t close on the pianist while they’re trying to play. When an accompanist asks for your tempo, I recommend quietly singing a few bars by the piano so they can get an idea of what you’re going for. “As fast as you can” should never, EVER, be your response.
Theatre, more than any other art form, is a team sport. Asking performers to complete a reasonable amount of preparation before auditioning only helps us see who can rise to the occasion. We all have bad days and bad auditions but that doesn’t mean that accompanists are the problem. Once we can be back in an audition room together, I’ll hire a pianist every time.