Practicing is an important aspect of being an actor in Chicago as is, there is no right or wrong way to go about it when you are preparing for your first audition. Just know that not practicing can make you look nervous and less confident in your own skills as you go up to audition. Practicing in front of a mirror is a good start, take that script or monologue and stand in front of a mirror and practice. Once you are comfortable with that move to practicing in front of other people; let them give you feedback so you can see where you need to improve. Anything helps, you can also film yourself and rewatch it to see where your strengths and weaknesses are in your performance. It can also help you eliminate awkward pauses during your audition, you need to make good use of your time in front of the casting director in Chicago as is.
Many people do not think about this, but practicing your posture and how you walk into an audition can be really important too. There should be confidence in your stride and make sure you are not slouching into the audition; this can make it hard for the casting director to discern your features or even cast yourself unintentionally into shadow through the audition. Practice that entrance and memorize your lines to help increase your poise. While you may not remember every line or detail; it can make you look better if you don’t have to keep referencing the script and will show the casting director that you have taken this audition very seriously. It’s a good way to put your best foot forward during your audition.
You look more professional with preparation. Make sure to prepare for traveling to your audition too. Every step is key in making each audition count. You need to make sure that there is enough travel time allotted for yourself before getting to the audition; just in case the traffic is thick that day or you encounter some other factor that could make you late for your audition. It’s always recommended to show up about fifteen minutes before your audition, so you can have a chance to put yourself together too. You don’t look professional if you look like you just had to run miles literally to make it on time for your audition in Chicago. This will also make you appear more confident and being professional even with auditions can help you leave a good lasting impression with any casting director that you encounter in Chicago.