Don't worry so much, Kargo, you're psyching yourself out
You'll have fun, and you'll stretch your horizons, and what you discover will be priceless! I started doing theatre stuff when I was 6. By the time I was 9 I was doing summer stock in Chicago and by the time I was 15 I discovered that my main talent wasn't in acting (as an 18 year old a well-known director told me quite bluntly that I would never make it because I'm not commercially beautiful and suggested I try character work instead . . . at least YOUR teachers are telling you a happy truth!) and I discovered the world of technical theatre.
I've been a stage manager (that's the person you'll meet who's kind of like the assistant to the whole show, and when the play is actually going on, they're the ones who know when to call for cues and when to tell the stagehands to change sets and so on) for 18 years.
There's nothing else on this earth like the feeling you get after a performance. Being able to move the audience to tears or laughter or any one of a zillion emotions, there's just nothing like it.
And speaking of shy, the only thing I can tell you is that you are not alone. There are plenty of professional actors who are shy and who also have loads of self esteem issues.
Johnny Depp cannot watch himself on screen. He says it makes him "deeply uncomfortable". It's G-d's truth! Think about that the next time you feel like you can't do it. If somebody like him has issues, that must mean that it's perfectly ok to have issues and yet go for it.
Oh, Mr Depp also admitted in an Irish interview regarding Sweeney Todd that he was "terrified" (that's a direct quote) throughout most of the filming of Sweeney Todd. Before that, he had never sung on-stage, he didn't know if he could sing or not, he was dreadfully worried that he was going to let Tim Burton down, and, well, to put it briefly, he sounded a lot like you do.
Johnny also said that he felt like his singing (or lack thereof) was THE thing on which the success of Sweeney stood -- if his singing was crap, the movie would fail.
No pressure, huh?
Now, if somebody who is as famous and talented and intelligent and experienced as Johnny Depp has issues . . .
Just go and do it anyway, in spite of your doubts and fears and worries. Every journey starts with a small step.
And here's some practical advice regarding auditions:
1) Be on time. Directors figure if you're late for an audition, that you're not taking it seriously, and you won't take your role seriously.
2) Dress in a way that they ask for. If they say 'Dress for movement' they want you to wear something you can run, dance, jump, etc in, so high heels and a tight skirt aren't appropriate. Otherwise, wear something that will show off who you are without turning people off, in other words, no skimpy attire or wild hair dye or something.
3) Pick a monologue (or whatever it is they ask for, a song or whatnot) that shows you off to your best ability. Pick something you know like the back of your hand, so you can concentrate on acting rather than remembering your lines.
4) Be polite. It doesn't matter if you're auditioning in front of people you see every day, or your friends, or whoever. An audition is a formal affair, without the long dresses and tuxedos. Manners count.
5) Whatever you pick to show the director, make sure it has something to do with the show. If it's a classic musical, pick a song in that style. If it's Shakespeare, pick a Shakespearean speech. Etc. Directors like people who do their research.
6) And finally, remember the phrase "Fake it till you make it". Directors want to see somebody who has a lot of confidence, who smiles and talks normally, who doesn't hide out or is shaking like a leaf. They won't eat you. They want to see the best of who you are, so show off, even if you have to fake the confidence a little.
Break a leg! (That's theatre talk for "Good luck")
Whitewater
