When you look around your audition waiting room you may or may not be shocked to find that there are quite a few people there who look just like you. Same hair style, skin color, height, age, weight. It can seem like you are the same as anyone else there from your perspective. And assuming that you could possibly feel that way, imagine what the casting director may feel. If they are holding a 5-hour casting session and see the same type of person doing the lines the same way 100 times, they will not feel very inspired to choose someone. This is where being special and standing out comes in handy.
When I listened to Robin Schiff and Lisa Kudrow speak a while back at the Binder Conference, I recall Robin saying that she had to give Lisa the part in Romy and Michelle because of her delivery of a specific line. The line before was “I hate throwing up in the street” followed by the other character going “Me too.” Robin explained that everyone auditioning had said it deflated, upset as though they were saying “me too, I hate car accidents.” But when Lisa auditioned she said, “Me too!!!” As though someone had just said to her “I LOVE cake!” Robin thought this was hilarious and hired her from that audition.
Fun anecdote, this week I had an audition on April 1st. So naturally, I decided that I had to play an April fools joke on the casting director. When I walked into the audition there was the normal “Hey how are you doing?” and I said, “I am SO great, my agents told me that this was just a formality so I am really excited about this!” They were floored. When I said, “April Fools!” we all shared a great laugh. I could bet that no other actors that day played an April Fools joke on these ladies. It was hilarious!
This is what people mean when they say that you have to be memorable in your audition! You have to take a chance and do something out of the ordinary that most other actors wouldn’t have the guts to do. If it doesn’t work for that particular audition, the casting director will remember you and could very likely end up calling you back for something else!