Choose a monologue that allows the director to picture you playing a role in his production. Your monologue character should be similar to the role for which you are auditioning. The director will have trouble picturing you as Juliet if you audition with a monologue for Blanche Dubois from "A Streetcar Named Desire." Gary J. Dooley of Acting School Monthly maintains that you should not audition with a monologue from the play being produced unless you are specifically instructed to do so.
Establish a goal for your character. Study your script and concentrate on what your character is trying to achieve in that scene. According to Performing Arts News, locking in your character's objective will naturally influence the way you move and speak on stage. Make the objective an achievable one, and then do whatever it takes for the character to get what she wants. Not only will your sharp focus make your performance more believable, it will ease your nerves and help block out any distractions.
Disregard the stage directions in the script. The playwright created these directions to assist the director with the physical performance of the play. They are used in the final production of a play but are unnecessary in an audition. Your audition must display your skills and instincts as an actor, so feel free to move and speak in the manner that feels natural for the character you have created.
Rehearse in your everyday clothes. The director will most likely have her own vision for the production's costumes, so do not go to your audition in costume. You may think wearing tights would be helpful when auditioning to play Hamlet, but it won't help if the director is planning to set the play in Prohibition-era Chicago. Stage props should also not be used unless they are vital to the monologue. During your audition, the director wants to be able to focus on your performance.
Practice speaking out of character. Your audition includes more than just your monologue. You must first introduce yourself and then announce the title of the play you are using for your monologue and your character's name. Rehearse these statements just as much as you rehearse your monologue --- you don't want to make a bad impression by stumbling through your introduction. A director may also ask you questions to get to know you. Write down things about yourself that you would like him know, such as your previous acting experience, your favorite plays or your hobbies, and then rehearse this part of your audition until you feel confident. An audition is essentially a job interview. The director first wants to know if you are talented enough to play the role. He then wants to know if he would like working with you.