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How to get more callbacks and GET CAST!

6/1/2016

The objective for most auditions is to receive a callback and ultimately to be CAST! So, how do callbacks differ from initial auditions and what does the process usually look like?

In theatre you will learn there are almost no hard and fast rules, but there are basic norms and trends. If a theatre company is not interested in you for a particular project, you often will not hear anything at all from them. The silence is their decision. Some theatre companies will actually send you a "thank you, but no thank you" email, which can be nice so that you are not left wondering if you are still in consideration.

Anytime you are asked in for a callback it is cause for celebration. That means you did something well enough that they are seriously considering casting you in their show. Congrats! I encourage my students to embrace these successes since there are so much rejection they must learn to accept.

When callbacks are scheduled, the director will often ask you to prepare “sides” from the show. Sides are simply scenes from the play that the director selects to use for auditioning. They will also often ask you to sing songs from the show and will provide the exact cuts they want to hear.
If you are called back for a musical, this is when the dance portion of the audition typically takes place.

Before attending a callback make sure you read the entire script, know the style of the dance and musical numbers and work your songs and scenes with a coach if at all possible.

Some things will be out of your control in the callback process, so just focus on the aspects you can control. That means be prepared, dressed professionally, and all of the other aspects we covered in Part 3 of this audition series blogs.

When reading with scene partners try to make connections with them even if you are all holding scripts in your hands. You will not be expected to be memorized in your sides, but you should be VERY familiar with your lines and cues so that you can actually make acting choices, eye contact and listen to the other actors.

In your dance audition, pay very close attention to the specifics of the choreography while learning it, ask a question or two if you need clarification, and when it comes your turn to dance for the auditors, embody the style of the show and tell the story with confidence. Do not worry if you mess up a bit. Most people do not perfectly learn new choreography in just 30-60 minutes. They will be watching to see if you can pick it up well enough, if you move well and it you can sell it!! Make sure to be expressive and keep your eyes off the floor and straight ahead-not watching what other dancers are doing.

Leave each audition knowing you gave it your best shot and embrace the fact that you just got to do what you love most-performing for a captive audience!

The hardest part for most young performers (and their parents) is waiting to hear if you landed the job. This requires a lot of patience. Again, you may not ever hear anything at all if you are not chosen for a production. You may not ever find out WHY you were not selected. That’s really tough too, especially if you feel like you did a better job than most of the other people at the call back.

Remember how I said some things will be completely out of your control? Final casting decisions frequently come down to elements that you cannot change like height, hair color, strength of your voice etc...

The fact of the matter is, there are more young girls auditioning for theatre than there are young boys. Directors may need to cast their male parts first and frame the rest of the cast around that particular actor. For example, if the children in a show are siblings then they are going to have to be the correct height in comparison to each other to project the visual image of birth order. Also, once one actor in a family is selected the others chosen need to have some physical similarities to that person. I have even heard that certain children were “too strong” of performers to blend in well with the rest of the youth in a cast and it would be imbalanced. Because you cannot do anything to change these aspects of what you bring in to an audition, you need to hold onto the fact that you received the call back which means you are good enough to be cast in the production, but that may not be what will actually happen.

Theatre, like life, is not always “fair”. In order to make it in this industry, you have to get used to the rejection and disappointments. One way I suggest looking at each “NO” you receive is by reminding yourself that when one door closes, another door opens. I cannot tell you how many times I have found this to be very true in theatre. You may not have gotten cast as one of the orphans in Oliver, but because of that “no” ended up being available to audition for a project that would have conflicted with Oliver-and this time you are up for the lead rather than a supporting role. And you land it! It happens a lot-trust me.

When you are first start auditioning you will likely receive a lot of rejection because you are GREEN. That doesn’t mean you are not talented. The more you audition, the better at auditioning you will become and then you have to play the numbers game. I don’t care how fantastic you are, no one lands every role they try out for. Just stay the course, keep training, and be ready to sail when your ship comes in! BREAK A LEG!

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5 Pointers That Lead to Making an Excellent First Impression at Auditions

5/6/2016

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One of the most important things to understand about auditions is how important it is to make a great first impression.
Much of all casting decisions will be made based on your first few minutes in the room rather than just on your monologue or song performance.

So, what can you do to ensure that you make a great first impression?

1-Arrive at least 15 min early.
Always allow ample time for traffic, parking and finding the correct room within the building when traveling to auditions. It is best to enter relaxed and calm rather than rushed, flustered and apologizing for being late. No director wants to work with someone who will be late for call times.

2-Be friendly with EVERYONE!
Someone will be checking you in for your audition and collecting your headshot and resume. Don't assume that since this person is out in the hall that they are insignificant-they are often the stage manager, company artistic director, the spouse of the director....you get the point. They very well may give feedback to the folks casting the show about people who were late, rude, unprepared or Diva-esque!

3-Bring These Important Items with you:
-Headshot: Color 8x10s are preferred. It is not necessary to have these professionally taken for younger children. However, it is very important that the headshot truly looks like your child. You want the auditors to remember the child they saw in their audition when they are making callbacks and casting decisions. Keep it natural and close up!

-Resume: At the top of the resume you should include your child's name, DOB, your email, phone number, the child's height and vocal range. Since children grow and change all the time you need to update this frequently. Knowing your child's height can be extremely important when casting children since often they need to fit into a family or peer group and how tall they are can impact how well they "fit". Vocal range is important since the Music Director knows which notes each character needs to be able to easily sing. Of course you also want to include any experience your child has with singing, acting and dancing which should include classes, workshops, choirs etc...

-Sheet Music: Bring your two songs and prepare them one of two ways; If your selection is only on 2-3 pages taping the pages together so that they lay flat on piano music stand works great-then your accompanist doesn't have any page turns to maneuver. If your selection is on 4 or more pages it is best to place your pages inside non-reflective sleeves and place those in a 3 ring binder. You might even want to put little tabs on the sleeves to make them easiest to turn. ALWAYS mark your sheet music clearly in pencil of all cuts and where you will start and end so that the accompanist is clear. You want to make their job easy so they can make you look good! Be sure to thank your pianist when you retrieve your music from them!

-Song Book: Bring the rest of the songs you sing well compiled in the back of your "book" in case they want to hear something more or different than your first 2 choices. This happens more often than you might think and you always want to be able to say yes when asked if you have anything else.

4-Know Your Conflicts!
When you arrive at an audition, the person checking you in will likely give you a form to complete. On this form they will ask a variety of questions and each company's form is different. However they ALL will want to know if you have any conflicts during the callbacks, rehearsal and performance dates. Bring your calendar with you and be prepared to list any conflict that would take precedent over a rehearsal or performance. Make sure to include any family holidays or weekend trips, family events like graduations, birthdays or weddings, school required activities, scouts or church outings etc...you get the idea. EVERYONE is busy, but the expectation if your child is cast in a production will be that the show comes first ALWAYS. The only exception is when you are completely honest up front and write down your conflicts on the audition sheet. If a director wants you they may choose to work around your schedule. If you accept a role in a show and then inform them of a rehearsal you need to miss they often will not honor it and there can be hard feelings either on their part, yours, or both.

5-Dress for Success!
You always want to look your best when attending an audition. For girls this means wearing a dress or skirt and top. For boys some khakis or nice jeans with a collared shirt on top works great. You don't need to dress fancy necessarily, but something that looks neat and like you made an effort rather than rolling in from a romp on the playground. Hair should be neatly arranged away from your face so that they can clearly see all of your facial expressions. Stay away from wearing solid black, and consider choosing a color that will stand out and help them remember you. These first impressions are important!

Basically it comes down to this-Look great, arrive early, be organized with all pertinent information and materials, present them in a friendly, confident and respectful way and you WILL MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION! You want your auditors to like you and want to work with you. Make them feel that you cared enough about their project to be prompt and present yourself to the very best of your ability, and you respect their time enough not to waste it.

Break Legs!

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8 Tips for Choosing and Preparing Monologues and Songs for Youth Auditions

4/27/2016

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My goal is for every child to have a positive audition experience each time they attend an audition. The most effective way to achieve this is for your child to have chosen the very best material and to have prepared it sufficiently.

The task of selecting excellent monologues and songs is daunting to most parents and young actors. If you follow these tips, your child should be able to leave each audition feeling happy and successful!

1-Choose age appropriate material!
This seems obvious, yet I cannot tell you how often people either disregard this or just use poor judgement. Nothing makes an auditor more uncomfortable than a young child acting older or more mature than their age. Also, since “acting” is about authentic connection to material, children need to have something in their own lives to draw from when making character choices. For example, if the monologue or song is about the loss of a grandparent but your child has never lost a close relative, they could still perhaps draw from the grief of having lost a family pet. On the other hand, they cannot connect to romantic love and heartbreak when they have never experienced those types of relationships.
Remember, when a child is auditioning for a part, they are auditioning for the part of a CHILD. So, the material should match that. Directors want to see kids be kids!

2-FInd Monologues From an Actual Play and Read that Play.
A great place to start looking for monologues is by asking for suggestions from your child’s acting teachers and doing internet searches such as, monologues for kids, monologues for teens etc…Once you have found some monologues you like, I highly recommend reading the entire play that it is from. First of all, it will give you MUCH more insight to the character you are portraying and even more importantly, the relationships your character has with other people in the play. This will allow your child to make very strong acting choices and a deeper connection to the words they are speaking. Often times a director will ask if you have read the play, and again this is an opportunity for you to show how well you prepared for the audition and how seriously you take your acting career. If you can’t read the play for some reason, at least try to watch the play if it is available online.
Try to stay away from books that write stand alone monologues for children. Directors strongly prefer pieces from published plays.

3-Prepare Two Contrasting Songs and Monologues
This is your chance to show range. For songs, you need one uptempo and a ballad. Selecting one that is contemporary and another that is classical is also a good idea. Your songs should be selected from musicals. With your monologues you may want to find one that is dramatic and another that is comic. Your child needs to LOVE their pieces, so even though they need to be contrasting they also need to be able to connect personally to all of their choices.
Most auditions will ask for one song and one monologue, so choose your piece that best matches the style of the play and character your child is interested in portraying. Bring BOTH songs and monologues with you, fully prepared, just in case they ask to hear more. This is a great sign-don’t worry that this means you didn’t perform your first pieces well. It means they like you and wonder what else you can do.

4-Select Songs and Monologues that Demonstrate What You Do Best
You will not get “extra credit” for presenting material that is really challenging in an audition, so don’t do it. Auditioning is a time to show off what you can do really well. You only have between 2-5 minutes most of the time to show your auditors what you are capable of and who you are, so use that time to show them your very best stuff. Remember, the goal of this initial audition is to make them like you so much that they want to see more, which will lead to receiving a call back audition.

5-Slate with Confidence and Friendliness
Most directors will say that 85% of their impression about you is made up BEFORE you begin your monologue or song. The way you enter the room and greet people and how you slate your pieces are extremely important, yet most young actors do not spend enough time practicing this. This is such an easy way to improve your audition! The most important things to remember when slating are to stand with your feet planted firmly on the floor, to not wiggle or fiddle with clothing or hair etc…, to make eye contact, to clearly state your name, the title or your songs and or monologues, and to seem open, friendly and confident. This is when they decide if they WANT to work with you for 3 months or more. Are you likable? Do you present a positive energy? Do you enunciate and project well?

6-Be Memorized! Be overly Memorized!!
For many young actors, auditioning can be nerve wracking, and when you are nervous it is easier to forget lines and lyrics that are not fully ingrained into memory.
Perhaps even more important, showing full confidence in your performance rather than stumbling on words will demonstrate to your auditors that you really want the job and were willing to prepare for it. You also don’t want to give your director reason to wonder about your ability to memorize material and whether you will be able to meet “off book” deadlines.
Plus-it is very difficult to be free in your movement and character choices if you are holding a piece of paper in your hands during an audition. Many auditors will not allow you to present material that is not memorized-it is just not professional.

7-Stay Away from Iconic or overly popular Songs and Monologues
Anytime someone hears the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” they will undoubtedly compare it to Judy Garland. Most young people cannot sing it better that she did, so don’t put your auditors in the position of having to compare you to a legend. Also, try to choose material that isn’t overly popular or overly done. I was once at an audition in which two little girls walked in and were wearing the same dress, but in reverse colors, asked each other what the other was singing and it was the SAME SONG. Yikes! Auditors will get bored hearing the same thing over and over again. They will remember and appreciate you for choosing something different. You can find lists of overly sung musical theatre songs by googling just that.
There are many excellent song books available for children and teens that include a practice cd. Hal Leonard has a whole collection of them. This way if you or your child does not play piano, they can still practice their song with accompaniment tracks at home!

8-Hire an Acting Coach and Leave the Coaching to Them
Most parents are not themselves actors and are best advised to hiring a coach to help their child prepare for auditions. This will definitely boost your child’s confidence before an audition. Often times parents will tell me that their child refuses to practice their audition pieces at home for them. This is pretty common. Parents, please remember that acting is a very vulnerable experience in which others are being invited to pass judgement on one’s performance. Your child may not feel ready to share their process with you or they might feel conflicted if you make a suggestion that is counter to what their acting teacher or coach is suggesting. It is also a process of discovery, and we as parents tend to want to give the answers to our children rather than allow them to discover it for themselves. We do this because we want our children to be successful, however the greater success will come when they discover these things for themselves.

If you follow these 8 tips your child has a very good chance of leaving each audition with a spring in their step and a decent number of call backs and bookings. Every director, whether they cast you in a particular production or not, will enjoy your audition if you are friendly, memorized, confident and present material that you love and connect with, and is appropriate for your age, and the production. They will likely even remember you when you audition for them again in the future. Break Legs!

This is part two in a series of blogs about children auditioning for community and professional theatre. Next up in this series I will discuss what to expect when you attend auditions. Stay tuned for more helpful hints!

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Is my Child Ready to Audition for Theatres? 5 Crucial Questions to Answer in Order to Make the Best Decision.

4/22/2016

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Is my child ready to audition is a question I get asked a lot, and a crucial one to answer carefully before deciding to have your child audition for a theatre company.

Here are 5 key questions parents should ask themselves, and their child, in order to determine if their child is indeed ready to begin auditioning for productions.

#1: Is your child begging to perform on stage? (This is the easiest question to answer!)
When you take your son or daughter to a live theatre performance are they the child saying, “I want to be on that stage!” or “How can I do that?”
It is imperative that your child is driven to perform because, if they are cast in a show, a lot will be asked of them and it will be their passion and drive that will get them through the long and sometimes tedious hours of rehearsals and performances.

#2: Who wants this more, the child or the parents? (Who doesn’t love to watch their child perform?)
This can be a really tough question for parents to answer honestly. When a child has natural talent, parents might feel compelled towards having them audition for local theater productions even though the child is not really interested in doing so. We as parents LOVE to watch our children perform, especially when they are good at something! However, parents need to
remember that if their child lands a role, their child will be doing the work of memorizing lines, cues, blocking, lyrics, choreography, costume changes, etc… and it is not fair to the child, the director, or the rest of the cast and crew if they are not 100% invested and wanting to be there. Also, if parents have children audition before they truly want to, it can turn them off of performing altogether. What a shame that would be!

#3: Is your family willing to make the sacrifices and commitment? (Your child is the actor, but you become manager, chauffeur, and bank!)
Once a child actor begins to audition and get cast in shows, it becomes very time-consuming, and costly, for both the child actor as well as the parents! In fact, it can become almost like a part time job for a parent to act as a manager for their child.
Some of the tasks and costs involved are:
-organizing head shots
-creating and constantly updating a resume
-staying connected to sites that list auditions and signing up for audition time slots
-supporting the child in choosing and preparing monologues and songs for the auditions
-taking your child for private acting and voice lessons to work on the material so that it is audition ready
-driving to rehearsals all over town up to 5 days/nights per week
-helping the child with memorization
-oftentimes volunteering for the theatre company with ushering, PR and more. Most shows have a rehearsal time of 5-8 weeks before the show opens, and then can run for 3-6 weeks.
This will mean many evenings when a parent isn't home to prepare meals, or to support other children with things like homework or bedtime, and it may also mean missing out on siblings’ activities and events.

#4: Is your child mature enough to handle long rehearsals and maintain good behavior and focus? (They can still be kids and have fun-but need to know how to behave well and listen too.)
I think this one is pretty self explanatory. Theatre communities tend to be pretty small and tight knit groups. You wouldn’t want your child to get a reputation for being a challenge to work with just because they may need a little more time to become mature enough to handle the demands that will be placed on them. I always say to our students, “Treat every rehearsal and performance as if it is an audition.” That means be on time, respectful, prepared, and focused!

#5: Is your child capable of handling rejection? (This part is soooo hard on Kids-and for parents who do the consoling!)
The fact of the matter is, there will always be more rejection than success in this industry regardless of how talented someone is. If a child's young ego, or self-esteem is too fragile, this can do some real damage as well as possibly turning them off theatre for life. There needs to be a balance between pursuing their gifts and interests, with understanding this harsh reality of being a working actor.

If after answering these 5 questions you feel confident that your child is wanting to audition and perform more than you were wanting it for them, your family is fully willing to support the time away from home of both the child actor and a parent, they are mature enough to behave well and stay focused through out the rehearsal and performance process, and they are capable of handling disappointment and rejection on a somewhat regular occurrence, then your child is probably ready to begin auditioning for local theaters. The exciting journey begins….

Other blogs in this series will cover information regarding where to find out about auditions, preparing the best material, head shots and resumes, what to wear and bring with you to auditions, what to expect at auditions and callbacks and MORE!

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How do I Choose the Best Theatre Summer Camp for My Child?

3/11/2016

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There are many good reasons to enroll your child into a theatre summer camp. Perhaps you need child care and want something a bit different than a day care center.
Maybe you're encouraging your child to try new things.
Some of you may register your child for a theatre camp because they love acting and really want to spend their time at camp becoming better performers.
This post is largely being written for those of you who fall into that last category, although it might be useful to others as well.

How do you ascertain if a specific program is right for your child and meets your expectations and desired outcomes?

When my children were younger I had them in camps for gymnastics, swimming, tennis, musical theatre, tech theatre, soccer, horse back riding, visual arts, dance, martial arts and MORE.
My children and I loved lots of the camps they attended but we also found ourselves frustrated and disappointed by many of them.

Most camps are not inexpensive, so If we were going to spend our money and time on a camp, I wanted to ensure my children would be in a safe, nurturing environment, that their instructors would be highly qualified to provide excellent instruction, that the ratio of teacher to students be easily manageable, that the learning outcomes for the camp be clear to the staff and to parents, and that my children would have fun and would actually gain new skills and grow in ways that would make them feel great about their accomplishments.

That may seem like a big ask, but I guarantee you, those programs definitely do exist out there!
Here is a list of questions you may want to ask when you call to inquire about a Theatre Arts related Summer Camp for your child:

1-Who will all of my children’s instructors be? What are their qualifications? What experience do they have teaching children in their area of expertise? (There are some hugely talented people out there that are fantastic performers, but that does not always mean that they are great educators of children)

2-What is the maximum number of children that will be in my child’s camp?

3-How much time during the day will my child be receiving instruction vs lunch, breaks and recess time? (I had my children in a 3 hour camp one summer just to find out that almost half of the time the kids were playing games, taking bathroom breaks, snack breaks, etc…that was not what my 8 and 9 year olds were wanting in their camp experience-they came home saying they were bored-and that was definitely not what I was paying good money for)

4-Will there be a performance for family and friends at the end of the camp? What kind of performance will there be? Is there a fee for tickets or costumes etc…? (I was really upset when I spent a huge amount of money for a camp just to find out when it was time for the performance that the audience had to pay to watch their own children, siblings, grand children etc…I thought this should have been made clear in advance and I also thought the camp fees would cover the cost of watching their end of camp show.)

5-If you register for a performance camp, say for example the Wizard of Oz, how are casting decisions made? If my child is disappointed in the part they receive how is that dealt with? What are the children who are munchkins doing during the numerous hours that the director will need to be working with Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion,….you get the picture. How big will the ensemble be? (Some camps have no limit to the number of kids they will “cast” in their show, they just have a bigger ensemble because that means more money for them, and I have never felt that was equitable.)

6-What does the program aim for each camper to gain from the time they spend at camp?

7-How are more capable or advanced students challenged while making sure students who are newer to theatre also have a positive experience and are not left feeling overlooked?

There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to these questions, as long as you are satisfied that the program they are offering your child matches your hopes and desires for them. I hope this list of questions help you clarify what you want in a Summer camp for your child and whether or not the program you are considering will be able to meet those needs!

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How do I support and prepare my child for the world of performing arts?

3/6/2016

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All my life I have loved working with children. It was no surprise to anyone when I became a primary school teacher and I couldn't wait to one day become a mother as well. My teaching career began in Beaverton, Oregon and ended 7 years later at the Singapore American School on the day I adopted my son, Alec. The five years following Alec's birth brought with them many changes and challenges for our family. We moved 5 times to 4 different countries, welcomed my daughters Amber and Mia to our family and finally settled in West Linn, Oregon. I thoroughly enjoyed being a full time mother and was actively involved in my children's school, community and church activities. I had no desire to work outside of our home and I was busy and content.
Like most parents, I signed my kids up for various enrichment activities. They tried everything from swimming, gymnastics, dance, horse back riding, martial arts, soccer, tball, you name it. One Summer I registered my 6 year old daughter, Amber, for an acting camp at the Lakewood Theatre. She came home one day and announced she wanted to audition for their Christmas play. I told her I was sure she was too young and had hoped that would be the end of that. The next day she dragged me to the poster on the wall at camp that listed the audition information. They were looking to cast children aged 7-13 for the baby angel choir. I pointed out to her that she was only 6 and started to walk away. She pulled me back and pointed to the date that the show would perform, Dec 11-23rd, and reminded me that she would turn 7 on December 1st. I couldn't really argue with that. I finally agreed to call the director and ask if she would be willing to audition a determined 6 year old and she kindly agreed. You can probably guess how this story will end...she was cast as a baby angel and began rehearsals that October. She was absolutely ecstatic. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. All I knew was that my daughter found something that brought out more passion, determination, focus, and a desire to work harder than I ever thought possible for a child so young. She had caught the bug! On opening night she was the happiest I had ever seen her, and on closing night her crocodile tears just about broke my heart. I knew I had to find a way to continue to give her opportunities to act, but I was truly at a loss as to where to start.
Over the next couple of years I would spend countless hours educating myself about opportunities available for Amber to continue to pursue her passion for performing. There was so much I didn't know, and I didn't know what I didn't know! I finally found a website that listed auditions in the Portland area so she started going to some auditions. So often in the beginning I felt embarrassed and as if I was letting my daughter down because we did not know how to prepare properly for these auditions which usually led to disappointment rather than successfully being cast. We didn't know how to create a proper resume, or where to find appropriate monologues for a 7 year old, and the worst one was when we were sent home without being allowed to audition because we didn't know we needed to bring sheet music. We had assumed she could just sing a capella like she had for her Christmas play at the Lakewood Theatre. We registered Amber for several acting classes around town and some of them were really good and others felt like child care and a waste of our time and money. It was frustrating and there really was no where to go to get advice.
Fast forward a few years and we moved to England. I knew I had to find an outlet for Amber's growing interest in theatre. I found and enrolled her in a training program that provided her with a way to spend 3 hours every Saturday acting, singing and dancing. She was thrilled to attend this British program every Saturday and began to witness tremendous growth in her skills. When it was time to move back to the US, I was worried about how Amber would continue to get such excellent and consistent training. Then a thought struck me...what if I were to open a similar school in Oregon? I met with the owners of her program in London and they agreed to let me franchise the first school on the West Coast of the US. And I was soooo excited, and just more than a little bit terrified. I knew so little about the performing arts business, and had made so many ridiculous mistakes myself in supporting Amber's theatre aspirations, but then I realized what I did know, and that is children and what exceptional teaching looks like, and what parents ultimately want in an enrichment program for their children and I thought maybe, just maybe I could pull this off! So, I signed the papers, completed the franchisee training and moved my family back to Oregon. And then the recession of 2008 hit and I thought what in the heck am I doing?!?!?!?
I then had to ask myself some hard questions like, do you truly believe in this program and why? I realized I believed wholeheartedly in the methodology and ethos of this musical theatre training school. I knew that what I had to offer would benefit our community and all of the children who would train with us. So I began interviewing and put together the finest team of acting, singing and dancing teachers Portland had to offer and we opened our doors with a full roster of students in April of 2009. We have been operating at full capacity ever since. Now, every Saturday I get to work with outstanding teachers, inspiring students and exceptional families as this next generation of aspiring artists develop their talents. It has been the most amazing journey and I want our program, and now this blog, to support these families and children as they navigate the often complex, daunting and unknown world of the performing arts.

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Lisa Mitchell

Spotlight Principal

Lisa Mitchell received her BA in Education from Western Oregon University and her MA in Teaching from Pacific University. Lisa's life long teaching career began with the Beaverton School District and took her as far afield as the Singapore American School in Singapore. She has always loved working with children and has had a passion for the arts since she was young. Lisa has performed in local theatre and as a child in television commercials. Spotlight Musical Theatre Academy is the perfect way to fulfill both interests while sharing the performing arts with a new generation of students. Lisa's father and grandfather both enjoyed lifelong careers in the film industry, so she was raised visiting film sets around the globe. Lisa has 3 children, and they love to travel and have lived in many different countries together.

How to get more callbacks and GET CAST!

If you enjoyed this blog, please share a comment and provide your email address so that we can send you future blog posts!
Many thanks! Lisa

5 Pointers That Lead to Making an Excellent First Impression at Auditions

8 Tips for Choosing and Preparing Monologues and Songs for Youth Auditions

Is my Child Ready to Audition for Theatres? 5 Crucial Questions to Answer in Order to Make the Best Decision.

How do I Choose the Best Theatre Summer Camp for My Child?

How do I support and prepare my child for the world of performing arts?

Lisa Mitchell

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Categories

How to get more callbacks and GET CAST!

If you enjoyed this blog, please share a comment and provide your email address so that we can send you future blog posts! ​Many thanks! Lisa

5 Pointers That Lead to Making an Excellent First Impression at Auditions

8 Tips for Choosing and Preparing Monologues and Songs for Youth Auditions

Is my Child Ready to Audition for Theatres? 5 Crucial Questions to Answer in Order to Make the Best Decision.

How do I Choose the Best Theatre Summer Camp for My Child?

How do I support and prepare my child for the world of performing arts?

Lisa Mitchell

Archives

Categories

If you enjoyed this blog, please share a comment and provide your email address so that we can send you future blog posts!
Many thanks! Lisa