Audio + Theatre Company

Our Audio + Theatre Company is the heart and soul and voice of Mind's Ear.

Members of this volunteer-driven performance troupe form the core of our theatrical audio division. These are the talented, dedicated, wonderful artisans who create the signature Mind's Ear sound. This Company comprises not only actors, but writers, directors, sound designers, engineers, producers, and more.

This page contains answers to most of your questions. If you're serious about joining our Audio + Theatre Company, or auditioning for a role in one of our shows, we suggest that you explore this page before coming to auditions. This will give you a better idea of who we are, what we do, what you'll be doing, and why it can be such a rewarding experience for actors. If you don't find the information you need, please feel free to email us and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Who can audition?
What do I need to do to prepare?
Can I get the audition forms in advance?
Can I read the script(s) before auditioning?
Do I need to have a lot of experience?
Do I need a polished "radio voice" to participate?
What about accents or "character" voices?
What about authentic or native accents?
How much time does it take to be in one of your shows?
What's it like being in one of your shows?
Are audio + theatre actors or Company members paid to be in a show?

Who can audition?
The Audio + Theatre Company is an open and supportive theatrical community, and we welcome the participation of all persons. Unlike a stage theatre, where casting decisions are based on age, or type, or appearance, the audio theatre casting process is all about the voice. We need people with authentic accents, distinctive speaking voices, and the ability to really project emotion into his or her voice. Audio theatre is a great way to either discover acting, or to return to it. Because of the minimal time commitment it’s a great fit for busy people. This is an intensive, purely performance-driven form of theater, and demands actors with the ability to quickly move from script to performance. top

What do I need to do to prepare?
An audition for us is designed to be a very friendly, very supportive experience. We feel that it is gratuitously counterproductive to intimidate an actor at auditions, so we don't play the games many producers do. There is no need to come with a prepared monologue. In fact, we probably won't let you use a memorized audition piece. Why? For the simple reason that we NEED to hear how quickly you can interpret a script and perform it. The last thing we want to hear is you READING the words. The best audio + theatre actors can make us (and the audience) forget that he or she is holding a script in hand. Certainly, if you have a theatrical production resume and headshot ready, bring them. (You can save the expensive headshots for stage directors: a clean photocopy will do for our purposes.) top

Can I get the audition forms in advance?
We do STRONGLY recommend that you download and fill out your forms in advance! It will save you time and stress once you arrive on site. We don't take reservations for audition slots. Those with paperwork completed BEFORE they arrive can focus on reviewing the script sides, and will be heard before those filling out forms. You can download the audition form PDF here, or you can download a Word document here. top

Can I read the script(s) before auditioning?
We will make selected script samples available online the day before auditions, so check back to review those. top

Do I need to have a lot of experience?
No experience is required for the volunteer-driven Audio + Theatre Company, and Mind’s Ear encourages any and all interested persons to audition. We enthusiastically nurture the emerging actor, and encourage those who always wanted to act (but were afraid to try) to come "play" with us. top

Do I need a polished "radio voice" to participate?
Not by any means! Imagine how confusing it would be to listen to an audio theatre production in which every character sounded like a radio announcer: you'd quickly lose track and get bored. top

What about accents?
Accents are one of the most valuable tools in an actor's kit, when they are good, and when they are used intelligently. A strong, believable accent can be one of the most effective ways to define a character, or differentiate one character from another. We're real sticklers for only allowing believeable accents in our productions. As a rule, we also ABHOR "Ridiculous Accent Theatre" (save in VERY specific comedic situations) so we only want to hear your best offering. top

What about authentic accents?
We ADORE native speakers with authentic accents, so please don't suppress your natural voice, and share our interest in actors with native accents with people you know. (We've recruited several great actors from the unlikeliest places -- grocery stores, parks, restaurants -- after simply hearing them SPEAK. So don't be surprised if one day, a stranger comes up and asks "Do you by any chance act?" -- it's probably one of our directors!) It is the rich tapestry of voices, of all types, that is important to our shows. Mind's Ear embraces and celebrates diversity, and we welcome the participation of all ages, races, beliefs, backgrounds, experiences, lifestyles, and skills. The depth of our productions is a direct result of the eclectic nature of our Company, and it shows. top

What about "character" voices?
One of the thrills for an audio actor is the possibility of being cast in several roles in the same show. It happens all the time. Our most versitile actors have been cast in as many as a dozen roles in a single show. Variety truly IS the spice of our life. As such, we do have use for "character voices", those old chesnuts of the theatre. You know them, the "old man", the "valley girl", or the " southern belle"...so certainly, if you have a GOOD chesnut in your bag of tricks, let us know. We want to hear it. top

How much time does it take to be in one of your shows?
Audio theatre is an excellent performance outlet for busy humans. Time commitment for our actors is minimal, generally 1/5 of the time required for a fully staged production. The average production schedule for one of our one-acts ranges from as little as one evening to a series of evenings over a week or two. Obviously, if you're cast in a series, your time could increase proportionally. We focus on QUALITY of time, rather than quanitity of time.

However, because of that condensed production schedule, we don't have time for in-depth development, experimentation, and discussion. Where a stage actor is given weeks to find his or her character...you'll have HOURS...and sometimes MINUTES to get it right. That's why it's important for our actors to invest their own time in getting to know the script and developing his or her character, so that you can come prepared with questions.

No memorization, props, costumes, or blocking is required of the audio actor; simply the ability to condense all the physical aspects of a performance into the voice, and the voice alone. It’s a great challenge for all actors, and we encourage anyone who wants to push their abilities to audition. We meet, read the script as a company, break into smaller groups to rehearse a scene, and then go straight to the studio once that scene is ready. We'll do a few takes, and then move onto the next scene. There is NO memorization, NO blocking, NO costumes, NO make-up, NO fuss. You act with your script in hand, in front of a microphone. top

What's it like being in one of your shows?
We treat our actors like thinking, talented, reasonable, creative, responsible adults. You're a human being in our eyes, not just an expendable part of the machine. We value your input. We ALWAYS want to hear your opinion. We are a creative community, not a dictatorship. We've all worked for theatre companies run by petty tyrants who view creative people as disposable, who are threatened by (or are too lazy to reach for) our high standards, who think "good enough" is actually good enough, and who view actors as a necessary evil on the road to ticket sales. We hated it as much as you did, and that's why at Mind's Ear we go out of our way to make YOUR experience with us satisfying and rewarding.

We respect the people who create theatre with us, and you'll never be treated poorly or taken for granted. That's our promise to our actors. top

Please never assume that "unpaid" equals "unprofessional" in our eyes. We are honored to have worked with some incredibly talented people, and we treat our actors, engineers, foley crew, and other company members as professionals. We expect that courtesy in return, which means that we expect you to show up, on time and ready to work, for ALL rehearsals, studio sessions and performances. We're not tyrants, but please respect the time of your fellow company members and be responsible. Once you accept a role in a Mind's Ear production, we expect you to give it your full attention and respect. Consider a taping as important as a live performance of any stage play. top

Unlike most audio theatre producers, we INSIST on human interaction! We believe that actors need to see and hear each other to give the best performance, and so we won't isolate you in a sound-proof booth. top

Are audio + theatre actors or Company members paid to be in a show?
Because we are a small theatre on a very limited budget, we cannot afford to pay our audio + theatre actors...but that doesn't mean that they aren't compensated. We feel that they are well-rewarded for their efforts, none-the-less: top

Each cast and crew member recieves a complimenary copy of the finished production on CD, and we make unlimited additional copies available at cost. top

From time to time, we throw dinner parties, BBQs, picnics, brunches, listening parties, premiere parties, and other casual gatherings as our way of thanking those people who have given so generously of their talent and time. top

From time to time, we make our studio and expertise available to our most dedicated company members as well. We've produced no- or low-cost voice over demo reels, demo CDs, and sound support for stage productions they appear in. top

And, from time to time, we accept a paying sound services job as a way of financing our productions. When that happens, we invite our best, most talented and most dedicated Company members in for a paid voice talent job. Click here to learn more about our Sound + Services Company. top

We APPRECIATE our cast and crew! It thrills us when an actor says to us "You know, this is the most fun I've ever had working on a play. You folks are the best!" top

Thank you for your interesting in joining the Mind's Ear family of audio artisans. We look forward to meeting you at auditions!

Have a question we didn't answer? Please email us.

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