Exhibits, Shows and Displays

How hard is it to act in Broadway shows?

When auditioning is it very competitive? And has anyone ever been in a broadway show? Thanks in advance

Public Comments

1. personally, i have no clue how hard it is because i have never experienced it. however, i believe there are usually many people auditioning for the same role so unless you're very good acting you've got nothing to worry about. then again, it depends on what role of what play you are wishing to audition for. best of luck :)x
2. It's hard. Most broadway actors have taken acting lessons. Or gone to college under a theatre major.
3. Of course it's competitive! Hundreds of people show up for one role, and though a good handful of them could pull-off the role, the producers only get to pick one lucky person, and a few understudies. Also, sometimes they hand out the roles to celebrities and don't even let aspiring actors audition. So yes, it is very competitive. Is it hard? Yep. You're onstage 8 times a week singing, dancing, and acting to your full potential. It takes a lot of stamina and a lot of determination.
4. On Broadway you work eights shows a week. Most shows you're running around and singing and dancing and acting and sweating. And you're doing all sorts of crazy stuff. It's soooo hard. Not to mention you're always doing different concert performances with other Broadway actresses and actors like in Bryant Park and Times Square. And you want to do your best all the time to be good enough to get nominated for an award.. It really is a job that never stops. And the pay, is not near as much as what you'd think/: It's not bad. It's not bad at all. But for some reason you think of huge numbers when you think of big glamourous Broadway Stars. When in honesty, it's not huge, but it is big. But you really are always moving. If you do a musical with a lot of dancing like Wicked or Phantom or 9 to 5 or w/e you are always sweating and your make up gets sticky. and its awful. But being on stage is worth the while.
5. It has always been hard.. but the current trend on Broadway is for you to be able to SING, DANCE, ACT and PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.. and the people who are getting through the auditions these days CAN DO ALL 4. if all you can do is ACT... then don't even bother applying. AND.. you are competing against people who have been singing and dancing since they were 5 years old... learned to act and NOW have to learn how to PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT... so it's a lot harder to get on Broadway now than it was just a few years ago and ONLY THE VERY TALENTED WILL SURVIVE.
6. Auditioning is always competitive, because if it wasn't then you would always get the role you wanted and everyone would get the role they wanted and shows would never be any good. We live in the real world. Oh well. If you get more and more callbacks it becomes more and more competitive. I myself am not even close to good enough to be in a Broadway show, but I've met someone who was in one. He said that when he auditioned the first time they told him he was too young and not good enough so he went back and took some classes and lessons and landed the role on his third audition. He doesn't go to a regular school and he does several shows a week, and although it would be more, the role is double-cast and there is another actor who plays the same part. It's crazy and a lot of work and stress, but also a lot of fun. Good luck. :-)