Here are some audition tips to help get you a callback instead of a brushoff

"Please come prepared with 16 to 32 bars of a Broadway song, similar to the style of the show, an accompanist will be provided. Please bring a head shot and resume."

That's a common audition notice.

But what does that mean? Do you have to have the headshot? What should you wear? Does any of this matter?

The answers: Yes. It matters, more than you may think.

With many different theaters, from community to professional, folks along the Wasatch Front have plenty of opportunities to participate — but first you need to get past that audition.

So, meet the panel:

Charles Morey — artistic director of Pioneer Theatre Company, director and playwright

Jim Christian — director of musical theater studies at Weber State University; director and choreographer at many theaters locally and regionally

Sally Dietlein — vice president, executive producer of Hale Centre Theatre

Richard Scott — artistic director of The Grand Theatre, director

Nolan Mitchell — director at The Empress Theatre

With over a century of experience between them, and thousands of auditions under their belts, they know about tackling the daunting question of how to prepare for a perfect audition.

"One of the things people fail to do is recognize that an audition is a combination of a job interview and a marketing transaction," said Christian, who dedicates a full semester to teaching the fine art of auditioning, "They have to acknowledge the fact that they are a product being sold on the open market — it has to have quality, it has to have appeal, and more than anything it has to be the kind of thing that once used, somebody will want to use again."

That seems to be universal among our panel.

"It's a very, very short job interview," Morey added. "You behave pleasantly and professionally, and do your job as fully and capably as you can."

Our panel was in full agreement on most things and differed slightly on a few topics:

Preparation

One thing is universal: BE PREPARED.