Audition Essentials for Musical Theatre Performers
Auditioning for musical theatre can feel overwhelming—but having your materials in order is one of the easiest ways to walk into the room with confidence.
Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, these three audition staples remain the same:
A clean, professional headshot
A clear, formatted resume
A curated, ready-to-go audition book
In this guide, I’m walking you through exactly what you need, what casting directors expect in 2025, and how to make your materials stand out—without the stress.
📸 Headshots: What Matters (and What Doesn’t)
You need a printed 8x10 headshot. Matte finish is preferred, but glossy will do in a pinch. And no your printer at home is not the place to do this.
Do you need your name on the headshot?
That’s up to you. Some performers prefer a clean, borderless photo. Others opt for a white or black border with their name in bold. There’s no single right answer—only what feels most aligned with your brand and the visual tone of your resume.
Pro Tip:
Order a short-run batch at a place like BWAY HEADSHOTS which is my go to place and industry standard. I like to pick them up in person since it’s inside Open Jar Studios but they also do shipping with a quick turnaround time.
📝 Resume Tips That Instantly Upgrade Your Materials
Your resume should be printed and stapled cleanly to the back of your headshot. If you print on regular sized paper keep in mind that you need to trim it down to fit your 8x10 headshot. You can also order them printed for you in the correct sizing from BWAY HEADSHOTS but I like to print them myself so I can make updates as needed.
Format matters: clean fonts, white space, aligned sections
Union status (don’t list non union status), contact info, experience, education, training, and any additional skills belong at the bottom
Keep it updated—you can always swap out the back page without wasting a headshot
If you're unsure where to start, here's a full breakdown I created in this post:
👉 How to Build Your Musical Theatre Resume from Scratch
📕 Audition Book: What to Include
You don’t need a bulky binder with 30 songs anymore. A clean 1-inch binder with your top 5–8 go-to cuts is more than enough.
Use page protectors if they help you avoid three-hole punching
Make your page turns easy for the accompanist
Have your start and end markings clearly visible
Keep a few headshot/resume combos in a sleeve in the front for walk-ins or callbacks
Curious about how I organize mine? Check out this related post for more on self-tapes and materials:
👉 Do You Need a Mic for Musical Theatre Self-Tapes? Hear the Difference!
🧠 The Audition Mindset: Confidence Comes from Preparation
These tools are the foundation of your in-person audition presence. They’re not just paper they’re your calling cards. You wouldn’t show up to a job interview without a resume—same idea here.
When these materials are updated and feel like you, your confidence shows up before you even sing a note.
🎁 Free Bonus: Want Help Updating Your Book?
I created a free resource just for this:
🎶 Download My Ultimate Musical Theatre Audition Rep Song List
Includes song suggestions, categories, and show breakdowns so you can refresh your book with current industry insider tips.
💬 Ready for More Personalized Help?
I offer 1:1 coaching sessions where I help performers build or refine their audition materials, casting kits, websites, and branding—step by step. I’m also a Circle Member with Squarespace and often guide artists through launching their first site with clarity and confidence.
Ashlee Espinosa, MFA is a professional actress and career coach helping performers thrive onstage and off. She brings over two decades of experience and a unique perspective from her bi-coastal lifestyle as a working artist. A former college professor, she now splits her time between performing, coaching, and creating digital resources to support other artists. Follow her on Instagram or check out the Musical Theatre Mentor YouTube channel for weekly career advice.
