Adam Donaldson attended a Northern Stage open audition in 2023, which led to him getting a part in the National Theatre and Northern Stage production Underdog: The Other Other Brontë. Read more about Adam’s open audition experience below!
What did you perform at the open audition?
I performed an extract from ’The Death of England: Michael’.
How did you find the experience?
The room was very welcoming and everybody introduced themselves. Also, it really helped to be acting in a theatre context, with the panel sat around the auditorium, as opposed to a long table of faces peering up at you. And, at the end of your piece, the panel applaud you, which is always a relief…because nobody wants an awkward silence.
What happened after attending your open audition?
Off the back of my open audition, I then made the Underdog recall at The National Theatre in London. The recall was a group audition, where we all swapped around parts and were able to put our spin on each role. In hindsight, this was a really important aspect of the process as there was quite a bit of multi-rolling within the final show. A few weeks later, I was cast – hurray! We then also did a full cast read-through, a month or so before rehearsals began, so that when we came together for our first official day it didn’t feel like you were starting a new school.
What advice would you give to anyone who’s thinking of attending an open audition?
I very much saw the open audition format as an opportunity to perform material that I’ve always admired. That meant that I enjoyed the whole preparation process – choosing the piece, learning it, staging it. For the audition itself, I reminded myself that this may be a part that I never get the chance to play professionally, so try to enjoy it. By taking this approach, for me, it becomes less about impressing the panel and more about what you bring as a performer. Know your strengths and let them shine.
Sign up for an audition
Northern Stage is hosting our yearly round of open auditions at our city centre building on 13, 14 & 15 June 2025 with the addition of open creatives on 20 & 21 June.
Find out more here.