#8: Dear Julie… Am I Good Enough?
7/10/24
This week’s DEAR JULIE asks:
How do I know if I’m good enough? Thinking about packing it up but unsure.
WOW. OK, a lot of unpack here and I’m going to try to handle it gently while also being realistic. Thank you for such an open & vulnerable question. I’m answering this without context, but I’m going to assume that you live in NYC and have been auditioning professionally for 10+ years with little to no success. Whether I’m right or not, I think there will be something to take away from this.
The truth is that there are many fabulously talented people who never “make it.”. For example, there are roughly 1000-1500 actors employed in Broadway shows in a regular year. There are about 1700 active athletes in the NFL every year. That math isn’t on our side.
Now, you can re-define “success” by de-centering Broadway for yourself. But, I get it - it’s the pinnacle. It’s the ultimate dream. But it isn’t truly a measure of being a successful actor beyond a credit. I bet if this statistic existed, there would be thousands and thousands of actors who had a “one and done”. They did one broadways show and never did one again.
SO….
1) decenter broadway. Audition for those shows but redefine success for YOU.
2) Skill - this is a tough question - but you need to be realistic about your ability. Are you in voice? Dance? Acting? Are you learning and studying? If so, ask for candid feedback. Also, analyze your audition results. When ARE you getting callbacks? Is there a pattern of casting team or type of role?
3) What are you auditioning for? I used to be a girlie who “WENT TO EVERYTHING”. I simply do not do that anymore. I go to auditions with extreme selectivity. And this isn’t because I’m “too good” for that job or “cant be bothered” with this theatre… it’s simply because i’m trying to have great auditions for certain roles, shows, theatres, and teams. If it doesn’t hit one of those boxes, I do not go. I get a callback for nearly ALL of my auditions now. My auditions are stronger, better, and more engaged than ever before. TRY THIS.
4) Are you balancing auditions? Are you only auditioning for shows that would be a “promotion”? Or, do you have a balance of auditions for theatres that are a lateral move to? I think you need both.
5) What is your network like? It’s very hard to break in without one but anyone can create it.
I can’t tell you if you are good enough. To be honest, I’ve seen some of my most talented friends never break in. And, i’ve seen very mid talent people end up with broadway contracts for a multitude of reasons. Some is luck, some is network. I’ve also sadly seen many talented people never make it but also never turn the camera in. They weren’t open to feedback, they blamed their lack of success on casting teams and agents, but never took a voice lesson. Never took a class. Never asked for feedback.
I wish you luck and clarity and as always…
Dreams Don’t Die
Julie