Why Do Directors Make Auditions So Awkward?

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog

Auditions are weird. We all know it. The actors know it. The directors know it. The person at the front table who has to smile and check people in definitely knows it. So, my question is: Why do so many directors insist on making the whole process even more awkward?

If you’ve ever been in an audition room, you know the scene. You walk in, heart pounding, trying to make a strong first impression. You slate your name, and then—silence. Dead silence. The director and their team stare at you like you’re a lab specimen. You finish your monologue or your 16 bars, and—more silence. Maybe a scribble on a notepad. A barely audible “Thank you.”

That’s it? That’s all I get? No reaction? No nod of approval? Not even an “Okay, interesting choice” (which, yes, we all know, is usually code for “What was that?” but still)?

Why is it that auditions so often feel like a test of endurance rather than a collaborative process? Shouldn’t directors be rooting for every actor who walks in? Shouldn’t the room feel like a space where people can do their best work instead of some kind of theatrical Hunger Games?

Now, I’m not saying every director is guilty of this. There are some who get it—who understand that an audition is not just about looking at talent but about creating an environment where an actor can actually succeed. They greet you when you walk in. They acknowledge the courage it takes to stand in front of a table of strangers and bare your artistic soul. They engage. They collaborate. They at least smile.

And to those directors, I say: Thank you.

To the others? The ones who lean back in their chairs, arms crossed, making the audition feel like some bizarre experiment? I ask you, with love and curiosity: Why? What’s the goal? Does the tension help you cast better? Are you secretly testing how well actors perform under pressure? Or is this just how it’s always been done, and no one has stopped to ask whether we could make it better?

Because—hot take—we could.

Imagine an audition where actors felt encouraged to take risks. Where they walked out of the room feeling like they had a real shot, rather than like they just survived an interrogation. Imagine an audition process that actually reflected the kind of collaborative, creative work we all hope to do in rehearsal.

It’s possible. It just takes a little more effort, a little more humanity, and maybe—just maybe—one less awkward silence.

So, directors, next time you’re in an audition room, take a second to check the vibe. Are you creating a space where actors feel like they can shine? Or are you just making them sweat?

Let’s do better.