Yes, you can audition without an agent, but it will make the process a bit more difficult. If you can afford to get an agent, then it is always a good idea to do so.
This is mainly because your agent will take a lot of the tedious work off of your hands, allowing you to simply focus on improving your acting and giving it your all at acting auditions. If you do not have an agent then you will have to do more work yourself. This will include finding casting calls, assessing whether you are a good part for the role, and applying for auditions.
This might seem like a small job, but if you want to be successful in acting then it is a very important part.
Should you not have an agent, then you will have to do all of this work yourself, and it will start to eat into the time that you should be practicing your acting.
So while you can audition without one, it is best to get an agent if you can afford it.
How can I audition without an agent?
If you do not have an agent then the acting roles that you will be able to audition for will be a little more limited.
This is mainly because agents know people, and have connections with those who run the casting calls for many big shows, on Broadway and beyond. If you do not have an agent then you will not have access to this inside information. So, if you do not have an agent then you will only be able to apply for auditions once they become general knowledge. Without an agent, you may also be limited to open casting calls as you might not be a member of the actor’s union, Actor’s Equity.
So it is possible to get auditions without an agent, but the process will be a lot trickier.
How can I get casting calls without an agent?
If you do not have an agent, there is no need to worry as it is still possible to get casting calls. This is mainly because a lot of casting calls, especially those for smaller roles in shows, will not require you to have a representative.
Without an agent, it is still possible to get casting calls, and to actually obtain the roles that you are auditioning for. So you might be wondering why people would have an agent, if they can simply do the job themselves. The main reason for this is that an agent makes the process easier.
If you want to be an actor then performing is something that you are passionate about, and if you do not have an agent then you will spend a lot of time doing admin work. However, it is perfectly normal for successful actors to start out their career independently, without an agent.
How do you find auditions?
As any actor will tell you, finding auditions isn’t as easy as it might first seem. Similar to the job searching for other industries, a lot of the time, finding auditions comes down to whom you know.
Once you start auditioning, finding new auditions will become easier as casting directors will have knowledge of your acting ability. If they are impressed, they might even contact you to let you know about other jobs they are casting for. As well as this, another great way to find auditions is by searching for casting calls online and using social media to network. Good forms of social media to use include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and even Twitter.
A final great way to find auditions is by signing up to auditioning websites, such as Backstage and Actor’s Access. The best way to find auditions is to investigate all avenues.
How often do agents get auditions?
The amount of auditions that you will get from your agent will depend on what level of acting you are at. If you are working as a professional actor, then you should expect to get roughly 2-3 auditions a week that are sent to you by your agent.
On top of this, you will usually also source some auditions yourself, and should expect to do roughly one audition per working day of the week. If you are not a professional actor then you should not expect to get this many auditions from your agent. If you are just an amateur actor, doing it part time, then you will probably get only a couple of audition calls a month from your agent.
It is also worth remembering that there are times of the year when auditions might be more frequent, and other times when they might be more sparse. But a professional actor should expect their agent to source them 2-3 acting roles a week.