Categories: News

Book now for exclusive Neil Rutherford Audition Masterclass

AussieTheatre Productions is pleased to announce an exclusive Workshop/Masterclass in Sydney, presented by NEIL RUTHERFORD, internationally acclaimed Casting Director for Legally Blonde, South Pacific and countless musicals on the West End and Broadway.

This one-off opportunity will take place on Friday 31 August at the Opera Centre, Surry Hills (Studio 2) from 10am-1pm and places are limited.

Neil, who has performed leading roles on the West End and moved into casting 10 years ago, will randomly choose 6 singers from those attending, and work with them on their audition material in front of the rest of the group. The masterclass is also an opportunity for performers of all levels to ask those niggling questions in a safe and supportive environment.

“My approach is from someone who has been on both sides of the casting desk, who knows why actors need to ask these kind of questions and who doesn’t judge” said Rutherford.

“It’s about promoting the actor and making them feel fantastic. No question is a silly question, because someone else will want to ask it and may not be brave enough!”

Neil Rutherford. Image by Blueprint Studios

Attendees are requested to bring two audition pieces – one ballad and one up tempo  – from the contemporary repertoire and either Rogers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Rogers and Hart, Kander and Ebb, Jerry Herman or Sondheim. A pianist will be in attendance on the day.

The specific focus will be on what the audition panel need to see, answering such questions as what makes a good audition song, how to best present your CV, dealing with audition nerves, callbacks, dance auditions, acting auditions and many other topics relating to the audition needs of professional actor.

He will also reference from his new book, Musical Theatre Auditions and Casting, published by Bloomsbury Publishing quoting from such celebrated directors as Jerry Mitchell, Richard Eyre, Bartlett Sher, Christopher Gatelli and many others with whom he has worked.

The book will be available for sale at the masterclass at Opera Australia.

Full price is $49 and student concession price is $29.

For more details and to book your place in the workshop, visit our workshop page

Click Here If You want to Nail Your Next Audition

Matt Edwards

Matt is a past owner of AussieTheatre, working as digital director from 2011 to 2019. He is also a performer, most recently appeared in the Australian tour of Mamma Mia! and previously in the Australian/NZ tour of CATS and Enda Markey's acclaimed production of Blood Brothers. As well as performing Matt keeps himself busy in the digital side of the arts working with web design agency Emptyhead Digital

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