Expert: Wanda Reinholdt - 1/6/2008

Question
Hey, I'm Alaina. I'm 14 years old and I love to sing and act. That is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I write my own songs and I am a good singer. I don't have much experience in acting though. I'm going to start the drama club at school, but I don't know how to get noticed. I want to audition for Disney Channel, but all the auditions are in California, and I live in Connecticut. It's too far to go there, so I don't know what to do. If you can help me, that would be great. Thanks, Alaina.

Answer
Hi Alaina.  thanks for writing.  Sorry it has taken me a little bit to get back to you.  I am starting a new show as well as fighting a cold.

It's great that you love to sing and act.  And I'm glad to hear that you are starting to be a part of the drama club at school.  That is a good start.  You will learn a lot about acting and about theatre just by doing that.  And that is your first goal - to learn a lot about the art first before you get noticed.

The only way to get noticed in film and in theatre is to be good at what you do.  And so I would like to encourage you to not focus on being noticed but instead focus on learning and getting to know your craft.  As you develop your skill, the rest will take care of itself.  You just have to be committed to learning.

As you learn, develop some monologues that you can use to audition in theatres and for film/tv.  And go out and do that.  Audition regularly.  Most of all, never give up.  Keep learning and keep auditioning.  

Regarding the Disney Channel, any questions about this I cannot answer.  There is another expert on this site I believe who has Disney experience.  That's not me.  

Does that help?

Wanda