 You’ve been playing the cold reading game with your friends, and now it comes to the big test: an audition that requires you to go up onstage with a couple of other actors, and read selected scenes from the script. You don’t always have to go into a cold reading “blind”. If the script is in print, get a copy and read it several times before the audition, preferably with your friends, out loud. You may have no idea which scenes the director will select for the readings, but you can make an educated guess. Pay special attention to scenes where two or perhaps three characters engage in some kind of dramatic interaction. Pay close attention also to the roles that most suit your acting range or ability. If the play has been made into a movie, it doesn’t hurt to watch the movie, but never impersonate or attempt to duplicate someone else’s line delivery. Very few directors want “cookie cutter” actors who try to imitate others’ talents rather than developing their own. When you go onstage with the other actors, make eye contact with them. Smile. You’re in this together. Let them know that you will be there for them. Try to stand next to the actors your character will be speaking to the most. Position yourself so that you have good light and can see everyone’s face, but don’t upstage them. As you read the scene, keep your finger or thumb on the page to mark your place, gather a whole phrase or at least three to five words in memory, look up from the script, and actually say the words to the appropriate actor. Don’t just read off the page. With practice, you can glance at any script, grab a handful of words or an entire thought, and then recite them to your partner, with feeling! This is very different from ponderous reading. It’s light, quick, and supple. (By the way, never read the stage directions. They are usually in italics or parentheses.) Make eye contact with your partners as much as possible, during your speeches and theirs, but make sure you know when their lines end, so you can follow the cues quickly with your own lines. Cold readings stop dead if there are long pauses between speeches, especially if you lose your place. Make your reading conversational and natural. Don’t emote all over the place unless the part really calls for it. After the reading, thank your fellow actors. After all, they’ve helped you get the part! Don’t be surprised if the actors who audition with you suddenly want to become your best friend. You’ve made them look good, and brought out the best in them as well. The director will recognize you as a generous actor who listens and reacts, rather than one who stumbles over the text and pulls the scene down. If you’ve warmed up your out loud reading skills, don’t be surprised if you become a hot ticket at cold readings. | 
