When you are given sides to work with for an audition, they may involve one or two scenes with just a handful of lines.
Therein lies the challenge, knowing how to prepare an audition without full context, and how to identify a character’s objective from very little information.
Jeffrey Marc Alkins is an actor, director, dancer, choreographer and writer based out of New York City. He accepted his first role behind the table in 2021 as an assistant director and choreographer in an off-Broadway show. Less than six months later, he became the associate choreographer for Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway starring Billy Crystal and Tony Award-winner Shoshana Bean, under the lead of Tony Award-nominated choreographer Ellenore Scott.
While he’s currently writing a limited series and a pilot (with some pretty exciting names attached), Jeffrey sat down with us to discuss how he approaches working with sides, the importance of locking in acting choices in the physical body, and why working on both sides of the table has changed his outlook on what casting directors really want.
Key Insights
- Learn how to quickly analyze audition sides to uncover your character’s objective, make confident acting choices, and prepare effectively—even with limited context.
- Discover why casting directors use sides, how to approach memorization, and what industry professionals are actually looking for during auditions.
- Get practical advice from actor and director Jeffrey Marc Alkins on trusting your instincts, avoiding common audition mistakes, and delivering authentic performances.
What Are Sides and Why Do Casting Directors Send Them?
Sides are small excerpts from a project used to audition actors that ideally give a peek into the essence of a character. Casting directors use them to see if you fit their vision for who the character is. They can be as short as a few lines for a small part in a TV show, or several pages for some movies and plays.
Sides often arrive without the full script and with very little lines. Jeffrey shares, “I’ve literally gotten sides that were one sentence. On either end, I’ve had to put together two scenes totaling fifteen minutes on tape. Both are cruel and unusual punishments. Ideally it’s something more in the middle.”
They are primarily used to see your process as an actor and what quality of work you can create, regardless of quantity. Where access to the full script is given, you should read it thoroughly so you can gain full insight into the character and the project.
How To Get Your Sides Before an Audition
Before an audition, sides are usually sent directly from the casting director or distributed by casting platforms like Casting Networks, Actors Access and Backstage. Sides are imperative to the audition process, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be asked to audition without them.
If you get same-day sides or are asked to audition at the last minute, it’s courteous for casting offices to adjust expectations. This should usually only occur where the role is for a few lines in a scene. As soon as you get your sides, you should be managing your time efficiently so you aren’t scrambling the morning of.
Jeffrey spent two years at St. John’s University studying dramatic arts, TV & film production, and another two years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and he stressed how important training can be in a career like this.“While I think life experience is very important, so is craft.
I don’t think you can truly learn the craft without training.” By the time he finished school, he had a clear idea of what he wanted to do, armed with a plan of attack. It also gifted him another passion for screenwriting.
How to Break Down Sides Quickly and Effectively
Once you receive the sides, you should begin what’s known as the “break down” process. This can vary for every actor, but you want to focus on extracting information that actually informs and changes the way you perform the scene after you’ve read it.
As a working actor, Jeffrey’s process has changed over the years depending on the project, but the constants remain the same. “The first thing I do is read the sides before I read the character breakdown, before I read any agent or director notes, before I read the full script.”
This allows him to read the material as objectively as possible, keeping his impulses his own, devoid of any indication made by casting. After the first pass, he starts to match his impulses to what is specified.
What new information does he have now? How do specific moments relate to the character’s journey? And during the second read, has anything changed?
“Once I’ve done that, I start to work on lines, usually while doing something physical. I’m a physical actor with a movement background. I like to lock things in my body vs. my head. It tends to free me from being in my head when auditioning,” Jeffrey shared.
To break down sides, you have to identify the character’s objective and obstacle. Use the material you have as clues into who this person is, look for relationship dynamics, and challenge what you think you know from your first impression. This dissection and analysis is about creating a fully dynamic performance, from a limited context.
Should You Memorize Sides or Work Off the Page?
You should be as familiar as possible with your lines as you can. While it is industry standard to hold the pages in the room, you want to be memorized to the point of freedom from the page. When you avoid rigidity, you are able to be redirected with a note or two.
Casting directors are not assessing your reading and memorization skills. Connect to the material, use eye contact and be present. Even if you think you know the lines backwards and forwards, the sides should essentially be an extension of your hand. If you lose your place, a quick glance down is better than having to stop mid-audition.
“Casting wants you to succeed. If you think of a project like a puzzle, they want you to be the right piece; if you are, it makes their life so much easier,” Jeffrey says. Jeffrey has even found himself being hired years after an audition for completely unrelated projects.
He continues, “No one in that room wants you to fail. If they did, they just wouldn’t bring you in. You being asked to tape or come in means that they’re interested. Take the pressure off of yourself. Enjoy the fact that you have another chance to do the thing you love.”
Common Mistakes Actors Make With Sides
Having been on both sides of the table, Jeffrey knows that sometimes casting doesn’t know what they want, until it’s right in front of them.
One of the most common mistakes an actor can make is performing a version of what they think is being asked for, instead of committing to their individual and unique take on a role.
To avoid pitfalls that undermine a strong read, forget about doing things perfectly. Identify the scene’s function within the whole story, but don’t over-rely on limited context to make a fixed choice. Do what instinctively feels right to you.
“I think it’s so easy to get wrapped up in trying to figure out what the casting director wants,” Jeffrey says. “For so long I wanted to get it ‘right.’ But it’s art, so there is no ‘right.’
They have an idea, but you, the artist, fill in the rest of the character and breathe life into it. Trying to be what you think they want does you both a disservice. You’re robbing them of the experience of truly seeing you. If they’re bringing you in, there’s something about you that intrigues them. Just be yourself and [bring] your truth as it pertains to the role.”
What to Do When Sides Are Vague, Incomplete or Missing Entirely
If there is key information missing from your sides, you might have to do your best detective work to find out more about the project and its context. For TV or film, you can use IMDb to see what the plotline is or read the show’s synopsis. For theater, you’d usually get the whole script, but if has not been provided, you should do your best to get a hold of a copy and read it before your audition.
It’s important not to panic about vague sides. You can strategize by practicing cold reading so you can gain experience of performing under pressure with an incomplete backstory. If absolutely necessary, you should reach out and request more material or information. Either way, your preparation can be done even with little information, but it’s reasonable to ask questions.
A testament to his well-rounded study of the craft, if the sides don’t provide the answer, Jeffrey decides for himself. “I love to use Uta Hagen’s Nine questions” he said. These are all questions we answer in our everyday interactions subconsciously. By answering these, I flesh out the character who is more than just words on a page. This inner life reads behind the eyes, it informs how you move, your tone, the specific words you choose.”
Conclusion
Working with sides for auditions should eventually feel like second nature. They are intrinsically linked to auditions, like homework is to school. But it takes practice, so start by using techniques from Acting Teachers, then build your own repeatable method from the tools you find most useful.
Eventually, the ability to independently make choices for your character becomes a part of your development as an actor. This goes back to what Jeffrey says about the importance of craft. Being free in your work is about trusting the preparation and getting to the point where you can let go and be present in the moment.
As a multi-hyphenate artist, Jeffrey has always had an incredible work ethic. Growing up as an athlete, he played four different sports competitively for over 10 years each, while simultaneously working in politics and taking part in a professional youth dance company since the age of 12.
His first real push into performing came from losing a close friend in a climbing accident, when he realized how fleeting life could be, and he didn’t want to live in fear or regret. “He gave me the courage to actually pursue my own happiness, and I’m forever in debt to him,” Jeffrey shared.
Since then Jeffrey has continued to redefine the kind of dedication it takes to make it in this industry. He is always working, reflecting and just getting better. As our conversation comes to an end, he says, “Progress isn’t linear … comparison is the thief of joy,” and advises budding actors to “always remember to breathe.”
Many thanks to Jeffrey Marc Alkins for taking the time to talk to us.
Next, he will be directing a production of Primary Trust for the Lean Ensemble Theater this fall.
To find out more about Jeffrey, you can follow him on Instagram: @Jeffrey_marc
