What should I expect in a high school audition?

I have an audition- what to expect, confidence tips and advice?

• Hi! I'm 14 and in a few weeks I'm having an audition to get into an acting and modelling agency. I know three people in the agency- my cousin and two people from school. I asked my cousin what was involved in the audition- she said she had to act from a script, argue about the price of chips, and sing. Then she got too involved in watching eastenders and stopped listening. My cousin is two years younger than me so she wouldve taken the younger age group audition, plus she took the audition almost exactly a year ago, so they may have changed it. The invite said it was an "informal and fun drama workshop so we can see you in action". I can sing ok. I would say slightly better than average if I was in the right mood. Not bad, but nothing exceptional. I get very nervous about singing in public though, and I go all shaky! And my voice literally shakes and goes funny. Not good. Whilst I'm very happy singing songs great at home on my own, I get nervous in public! How can I increase my confidence at this? Also- i have a very limited music genre. I like rock songs (but you wouldnt guess it from looking at me. most people have me down as a "I love puppies and I still watch children's tv" type). I dont know barely ANY up to date songs. My friend looked at my ipod artist list and said "i literally dont know ANY of these bands" and my friend likes mainstream music. So if they ask me to sing an up to date song, 90% chance i wont know it. If its your own choice, they might think im like violent or something cos the songs I know arent exactly happy tunes. Im not an emo- I like ponies and have piano lessons. Speaks for itself. I just like the songs. So I've been trying to take my school drama lessons more seriously. I usually just to comedy improvisations (I have to admit, what I may lack in some aspects of acting, I actually have a brilliant comedy mind. In our evacuation play I had the whole class in stitches, including the generally uptight and sarcastic grumpy drama teacher. I wasnt even the main part, I just played someones dad) Anyway, so Ive taken up the part of Marylin Monroe in our (last ever...sob) production: "The life of Marylin Monroe". So it is the main part. Not very comedyish. I've chosen people to work with who I'm not as close friends with so I'm not as tempted to muck around as much. The thing with the audition is: I've never followed the crowd. I've always been a kind of misfit, in a way. I believe I just see the world slightly differently than the average teen. I mostly view this as a bonus. Some people have labelled me "Wierd, but not unlikable" I view myself as "Refreshingly different". My general behaviour is "Quite quirky, unique, not creepily strange, but not obsessed with blackberrys, texting, boys etc. Not a clone, like most the people at school. I'm not afraid to stand out from the crowd. I dont want to be a sheep, and at the same time I dont want to be a "queen bee" either. So, is this how I should act at the audition? Normal to me (as in slightly wierd. eccentric, i suppose) or act like what I think theyre looking for (Confident, showy, sparky, typical stage-school kid) In my opinion it would be great if they DO like me for how I am, but I'm not sure they'll be very impressed. My "Confident stage school kid" impression is pretty decent, so I could probably get them to belive i really am, but still. Do you think they would be up for something different, or play it safe. It is a buisiness. What should I do? Any general audition tips? Confidence boosting ideas? What should I expect? Cheers :)

• Answer:

  Eat a banana before you go on. I know its stupid, but it works. I do plays in off broadway productions and before every one of my auditions i eat a banana. My vocal coach says theres a special element in the banana that calms your nerves. It works for me all the time. I also think it's a mental thing for me too. I eat one, and i do great :) also, go into there saying "i got this" and youll do good. haha and dont worry about being a "queen bee" sometimes you have to act like one to get into this type of career :p You'll do awesome, just be confident and put all your effort into it good luck!! let me know how it went afterwords ;)