A Young Actor’s Checklist

It’s more than talent that's being assessed in an audition. If your script isn't in order and you're fiddling with the papers, you may become unfocused and distracted. At that point, the casting director is already thinking next. As a teacher, I don’t want to hear excuses about why you don’t have your script. Using your phone is not an acceptable alternative. You need to mark up your scripts with notes, actions, and directions.

What's more, young actors who understand the decision making, diligence, and sacrifice necessary to pursue an acting career on the part of both themselves and their families are often completely invested. Teens and pre-teens thrive when parents nurture their adolescent development rather than control it. An inclusive approach to career decision making with real and understandable expectations and responsibilities often leaves young actors feeling in control, focused, and ready for success.

Here’s a checklist of what you'll need to set yourself up for success in and out of the audition room.

Acting Class + Rehearsal

• A hard copy of your script, monologue, or the scene you're working on

• Highlighter to help identify your lines easily

• Pencil (not a pen) to make notes and changes

• Water to always stay hydrated

• Healthy snacks

• Your phone to record something, add contacts, and to be able to reach a parent

Auditions

• Hard copies of headshots with resumes stapled together

• Your audition copy or sides printed out

• Music book if it's a musical audition

• Dance wear for dance calls

• Water

• Snack

• Phone

• Extra shirt in case of spills

• Hairbrush or comb to touch up hair

READ: 25 Ways for Young Actors to Take Control of Their Careers

Performances

• Any personal costume pieces

• Makeup (always bring your own for sanitary reasons)

• Your script. Even though you will know your lines by performance time it is always best to review them. You might find something new.

• Water

• Snack

• Something to help you relax and bide the time backstage like music, cards, knitting, etc.

As child actors grow into teens, they're responsible for more and held accountable with consequences. Start learning these skills now and you'll be more prepared as you head into adulthood. Preparedness, scheduling, and goal setting all help develop important life skills. The consistent effort to stay organized will teach you how to focus effectively to get things done. Involvement on this level with proper parental guidance also develops communication and critical reasoning skills. These life skills show up in the audition too. Casting directors look for young actors who focus and communicate well.

So kids, take control of your career today. Be prepared and stay organized. Pack a bag the night before with everything you need for class, rehearsal, auditions or performance days and set yourself up for success!

10 Ways to Enhance Your Child’s Skill Set

A creative career requires constant exploration and discovery. For young professionals, the routine of schoolwork, auditions, and meetings can get stale. There are so many wonderful opportunities available to young performers, and I recommend to all of my students to take advantage of them. Whether it’s taking a new class, or a DIY at home, here are 10 ways your child can spice up their professional routine and learn valuable skills along the way.

1. Enroll him in an improv class. Improvisation is a skill that will reap benefits in every area of a person’s life. It improves listening, teaches you to create a common objective with a partner, and allows you to let go. Improv will help your child learn to play with others and say yes to his instincts. It is also a valuable skill for commercials where a director can ask your child to do silly things, like pretend an onion is his best friend.

2. Challenge her to learn a new dialect. Adding skills to your child’s résumé is a key factor to getting her noticed by industry professionals. Learning dialects trains your child’s ears similar to music. An added bonus: It exposes her to new cultures and creates opportunities for learning experiences.

3. Inspire her to memorize a new monologue. It’s always good to have multiple monologues performance-ready, because in this industry, you never know what an audition may require. Working on monologues exercises all of those important acting muscles, and it’s important to keep them strong as your child is growing.

4. Work on a tough audition song. Maybe there’s a song that your child’s always loved but hasn’t had the time to devote to mastering it. Encourage her to spend a few minutes a day listening to the music and practicing it with her voice teacher during lessons. There’s nothing more satisfying than conquering a power ballad or new a comedy number.

5. Encourage him to spend quality time with his script. Remind your child that the learning doesn’t end when he leaves his coach’s studio. The desire for improvement has to come from your child. Even if he sets aside 10 minutes a day or an hour a week, the progress he will make by analyzing his script and exploring his character’s objective will transform your child’s acting.

6. Have her keep a journal of her experiences. Your child has a job most people only dream of having! Encourage her to write down the incredible experiences she has. Hard work and rejection are a part of the business. Giving your child a space to flesh out her feelings is one of the greatest gifts you can give her. It reminds her of her worth, and allows her to explore her passion for her craft in a private space.

7. Reflect on auditions in the car ride home. Some auditions go fabulously, others…not so much. That’s part of the job! Always keep an open dialogue with your child and reflect on the positives of the audition. Ask him what he thinks went well and what he can improve on. Celebrate your child’s accomplishments and remind him how proud you are that he pursues his dreams.

8. See live theater! There’s no greater joy in my life than seeing professionals excel in their craft. Theater gives her the opportunity to see her profession from a technical standpoint, but more importantly, it gives your child an opportunity to reaffirm her dreams. For all performers, live theater is a reminder to them of why they do what they do.

9. Encourage him to have fun outside of performing. Performing is your child’s passion, but for young professionals, it is also a job. It is so important for you to encourage your child’s other passions. The friends he’ll make in horseback riding or lacrosse are just as essential to building his character as his relationships are with his co-stars. The skills he’ll develop will help shape him into a thoughtful and talented adult.

10. Play, play, play. Your child is a creative soul. Even when this industry gets tough and auditions don’t seem to pay off, remember to celebrate the fact that your child is working on a dream. There’s bravery in that. Remind your child that her dreams aren’t validated by the number of roles she’s booked, but by the passion she pursued and the skills she’s developed along the way. Always remind your child to never stop playing.

How Young Actors Can Play Emotional Scenes

As an acting teacher for young actors, parents frequently ask if I can help their child cry on cue. Having once been a young actress myself, I thought this skill was the key to being a good actor. I believed it was a complicated technique that only the most skilled and talented had mastered. 

Then during a college lecture with actress Jean Marsh as the guest, she was asked about crying on cue. In her very British accent, she responded, “I just turn around and poke myself in the eye.” It was then that I realized it was pretty simple. Simple, yes, but not easy.

Emotions like sadness and anger may come naturally for some, but for many young actors, producing real emotion is an acquired skill. It’s not the real tears that are of concern—that’s what glycerin drops are for. Rather, it’s finding and applying the honest emotional life of the character.

There’s a term in the industry called “indicating,” which is when an actor plays a scene showing but not connecting to the emotional life of the character. Good actors communicate real emotions, not pretend ones. But remember that preparing for an emotionally challenging scene can be deeply personal, so you’ll want to make sure your child actor is going about it the right way. 

Here are some tips to help your child learn the necessary skills and let go of fake emoting habits.

Be physically open.  
All good acting classes begin with exercises to relax and physically open up the body and mind. Body constrictions will get in the way of emotions flowing freely and organically. Before auditioning or performing any scene that calls for emotions such as grief, rage, hatred, or jealousy, relax by doing some head and neck rolls, stretches and breathing exercises. Just a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth will relax the body and mind, helping you stay open to letting things happen naturally.

Have a strong preparation. 
You cannot play a scene emotionally empty. Once you identify what the character is feeling—mad, sad, lonely, etc.—connect with the emotion before the scene begins by using the “as if.” Ask yourself how you would feel if this were happening to you. Or what similar situation could you have faced in the past or imagine to be true that would feel as if you were going through the same thing? 

READ: 1 Exercise Child Actors Can Use to Get Into Character 

Music.  
As an actress during the 1980s, one of the ways I tapped into my character’s emotional life was through music. I would put my Walkman on and play a song that triggered a specific emotion and got me into the right mindset. Make a playlist on your phone with your favorite songs and different styles that you can use to stir up emotion.

Don’t push.  
If the scene calls for the character to be in tears and the tears won’t flow, don’t force it. If you are so concerned with how you are going to cry it probably won’t happen. Connect internally, relax and stay open. And of course, don’t forget the advice of Ms. Marsh: turn around and poke yourself in the eye if you have to. What’s most important is honest vulnerability, not something fabricated.

6 Skills That Separate Novice Actors From Pros

In many fields and careers, there are different levels of credentials, like associate, professional, master, etc. In acting, we talk about novices, actors who are just beginning, and professionals, actors who have training and experience working in the industry.

I teach my students how to act and audition like a professional, even if they’re still at the novice level of experience. Use these audition tips, no matter what level of experience you have, and you’ll garner more attention and have a better chance of being hired. Even if you don’t get the part, you’ll have at least made a positive impression.

1. Make choices.
More often than not, you won’t have the entire script while auditioning, nor will you know exactlywhat the CD and director want from you. Not the easiest scenario, but one that means you will need to make choices about how you play the character. What is she thinking? What is he feeling? Don’t worry about being right or wrong—just make a choice in each moment, trust yourself, and go with it.

2. Keep the scene active.
Acting is doing, not talking. When choosing monologues and picking songs, find pieces that are active, not passive. Narratives usually don’t have much action, so scenes where a character is doing something—like breaking up with a girlfriend or convincing their friend to skip school—are far more exciting than telling a story about it.

3. Acting is reacting.  
I see many novice actors who believe acting only happens when speaking dialogue. What about when someone doesn’t say anything? Does that mean they aren’t feeling something? No, of course they are. When someone is speaking to you, there must be a reaction. Otherwise, you aren’t listening. Be sure to focus on both your speaking and reactions to the other lines in the script.

4. Make the decision before doing.  
I recall working on a dramatic scene with some young actresses who were auditioning for the lead role in a television show. There was a key moment in the scene when the character lies to her mother. A novice would just tell the lie when the line comes up. A professional actor knows to take a moment before speaking where she decides to lie.

5. Find the moment before and moment after.  
The scene begins before your first line and ends after the last line. Find your moment before and be ready well before the first line of dialogue. Know your character’s emotional state and tap into it before speaking. This concept holds true at the end of the scene as well. The scene doesn’t stop on the last line. It ends with your reaction after the last line is spoken, whether it’s your line or another character’s.

6. Develop quiet confidence. 
As I say to my students all the time, only confident actors get hired. However, there is a difference between quiet and cocky confidence. Know your talent and strengths and own the room, but do it with humility. No one likes a know-it-all. When you leave the audition room, you want the creative team to say, “Stop that actor and bring him back. He’s the one I want.”

In acting, there’s no substitute for experience. It takes practice and training to become a professional, as well as time and maturity. But by acting like a pro every time you audition, you will have made a mark and hopefully earn a callback, or even the role.

Finding the Love in Your Scene

When I ask my younger students how many of them hate their siblings, most of their hands go up. I then ask how they would feel if something bad happened to their sister or brother. The general consensus is they would feel sad. “So you really love your sibling even though you say you hate him?” Both can be true. We can hate and love at the same time.

One of the biggest criticisms I have, especially with teenage actors, is that they are missing the love in their scene. It is easy to be nasty and bitchy, but if they can’t find even an ounce of love, they are unlikeable. Many teenage female characters written for television are sarcastic and acerbic. The challenge is to find the character’s likable qualities as well, avoiding obvious, trite, and stereotypical choices. If you think the character has no redeeming qualities, that is a choice you are making and it is not a very interesting one.

To quote Michael Shurtleff in his book, “Audition”: “To find the deepest emotional content in a scene, you must ask, ‘Where is the love?’ It’s not important if you’re right or wrong: What is important is your commitment to whatever feeling you choose.” You may hate your dad at this moment because he won’t give you the car but you can also love him, can’t you?

Find what is true and know the opposite is also true. I recently worked on an audition scene with a few young actors. In the film, the father had deceived the entire family by faking his own death. Once the girl discovers this, she is obviously angry and in the scene tries to get revenge by hurting him emotionally. All of the actors played the anger beautifully but forgot one very important thing – they loved their dad and were truly grateful he was, in fact, alive. By not discovering the love, their performances were callous, calculating, and frankly uninteresting.

What about the villains who upend expectations? It is fascinating to find the genuine vulnerability in the conniving, back-stabbing cheerleader or the murderous, trashy mother who is often unexpectedly smart and caring.

I always tell my students, “Say what you mean but don’t always say it mean.” Your audition scene is about your boyfriend cheating on you with your best friend. Stop yelling. I understand that you are mad. How many times can you confront him by playing mean? Are you sad and hurt? Do you still love him even though he did something so egregious? Again, I love what Mr. Shurtleff has to say, “The actress has to know more than the character knows.”

Remember that love is more than sexuality and libidinal energy. It is the life instinct driving all humanity. Find it, play it and see what new levels you can find in your acting!

3 Ways for Young Actors to Train

As an acting coach and teacher, my passion lies in inspiring young actors to be the best performers they can be as they reach their full potential. Hard work, combined with talent and drive, enable actors to master their craft and find success in their acting endeavors. However, talent and passion will wear thin without proper training. As a teacher and coach I introduce my students to a myriad of exercises, games and simple techniques while empowering, encouraging, and challenging them to reach beyond their current grasp. Proper instruction and guidance from a professional is an important piece for growth. Here are several ways to train all with different benefits.

Weekly group classes. It is the consistency and repetition of ongoing work that will allow an actor to grow. Weekly classes help build a foundation that is essential for young actors as they work with others. Besides providing a fun space to make friends, group classes reinforce acting basics like listening and reacting, as well as tackling difficult material. Any time parents ask me for advice, I always advise them to start with an ongoing, age appropriate class. I like to keep my classes small to ensure personalized attention. Ask to audit a class to make sure it is the right fit for your child. Continuous classes are an investment in your child’s artistic future that will have rewarding effects in all aspects of their life. 

Workshops. Whether your child attends audition workshops, musical theater bootcamps, or one-day on-camera classes, workshops provide performers with an intensive experience devoted to improving a certain area of performance. What I find most valuable about workshops is the environment pushes a performer to bring their A-game to a group of strangers. Workshops hone a specific skill usually taught by an expert in a certain field. It is a great refresher for certain areas, and an opportunity to learn about a new one. Workshops are not a substitute for ongoing training. Like spicing up your exercise routine, workshops are a good way for your child to flex certain performance muscles, but ongoing training is what will develop skill and nurture passion. 

Private coaching. I spend many hours of my week coaching young actors privately. The main benefit is they have my undivided attention. One-on-one coaching offers a personalized environment in which a young performer can feel safe and free to express themselves while being propelled to reach personal heights. A private coach will be familiar with your performer and will understand their strengths and know how to improve their weaknesses. Regular individual coaching is a form of ongoing training essential to developing specific skills that might be lost in weekly group classes. I highly recommend private coaching for professional children and children who frequent auditions. It is a crucial piece for a child’s professional growth. 

Training is a way to turn you child’s acting interest into a thriving passion. While each form of training has specific benefits, I find that a combination of all three is best for a young performer. The mix of different acting environments will ensure your child is a well-rounded performer with diverse skills. Talent and passion are essential elements in an actor’s life. Training is the glue that holds it all together. 

4 Reasons Young Performers Should Wait to Join the Union, According to a Child Acting Coach

Most actors think they’ve made it when they’ve joined the union. One of the first questions I am often asked by parents is when should their child join the union. Parents think the union is the ticket to booking jobs when their children get started in the industry. It is a common misconception that the union is a marker of success and guarantees representation or work. 

Joining the union is not that simple. The most common ways in are getting hired in a union production or earning points to become an EMC (Equity Membership Candidate) in the theatrical union, Actors Equity Association. It takes hard work and often many auditions before becoming eligible. So instead of pondering why a child actor should join the union right away, why a child actor should hold off is the more important question. 

1. Union membership is expensive. Acting is an expensive career for you and your family. Between headshots, training, travel expenses, and time, you devote many resources to acting. The national initiation fee for SAG-AFTRA is $3,000 and the annual membership is hundreds of dollars. Membership is the same cost for a veteran actor getting continuous work and a 5-year old just starting out. Why pay to join something until you have to? 

2. Children can always be seen. It is a myth proliferated among actors that the union is essential to getting seen by representation and getting auditions with casting directors. Membership in the union doesn’t give your child preferential treatment in the eyes of agents or casting directors. They almost always see nonunion children at the end of the day. The bottom line is industry professionals are interested in genuine talent and actors who will make their projects successful. 

3. Gaining experience is more important. The most important thing to know before joining the union is that an actor is trained and well rounded. It is a fact there is more nonunion work than union work available to young performers. Gaining experience in all types of projects including student films, independent films, local and community theater, and even Web series will add experience to a résumé and provide learning opportunities in professional environments. 

4. Don’t limit your child. The union can keep your child from working. Once your child joins the union, they are ineligible for nonunion work. Your child might get a union job and then may have a dry spell. Auditions for actors go through cycles; sometimes it’s nonstop auditions, and other times it’s quiet. The quiet times are a great opportunity to submit your child for local theater, student films, and even extra work. As I said above, it keeps them busy and adds valuable experience and continued exposure. In this business, working constantly in a variety of environments is more valuable than holding off for jobs that are strictly union. 

When your child is starting out in the entertainment business, it’s important to leave them open to all the opportunities available. The union has been protecting actors and securing jobs for over 80 years, and its work is not to be under-appreciated. There comes a point when your child will have to join the union, but when they’re just starting out and building a résumé, why restrict them? You never know if your child’s big break can come through a small opportunity

6 Questions Child Actors Should Avoid Asking

Much has been written for adults on what not to say in the audition room or ask of an industry professional, but what about for parents and kids? There are a few things that children tend to ask before thinking. After a while, this drives a casting director, an agent, manager, or acting teacher nuts! Most reveal that a young performer has not prepared well enough, and expects an easy answer. Some simply show uncertainty that creates doubt about him or her as an actor.

1. “How do I say this line?” This is by far the most frustrating question to hear from an actor. There are times when a coach may need to feed a beginner a line reading, but a professional doesn’t ask. Being professional means examining the character and lines oneself. Go through the process of thinking it through and ask:

What does the character want as result of saying this line? 
Why does my character say that?
How does my character feel at the moment?

2. “How do you pronounce this word?” Use this guideline: Can I find this answer on my own though other sources? If the answer is yes, then do your own legwork. Be professional and take the initiative whenever you can. This is basic preparation. A casting director doesn’t mind questions, but they don’t like thoughtless ones.

3. “Should I sit or stand?” If a casting director wants you to do something, he or she will ask you. Meanwhile, this is your performance. You have control of the room, so act like it. Do what you have rehearsed or need to do. Show confidence. Only confident actors get hired! 

4. “Can I start again?” Most people get flustered when they make a mistake during a reading. That’s natural! However, you are an actor and this is an audition. Project confidence at all times! If you flub or forget a line and want to start again…just start again. The casting director or industry rep you are reading for will appreciate that you resume control of the situation without any further delay, and you maintain a sense of authority over your performance.

5. “How did I do?” Tempting as it is, never ask a casting director for a review of your (or your child’s) performance. Feedback is an important learning tool, but know whom to ask. It is the job of your agent or manager to obtain feedback for you, and they will provide the answers when they can. 

6. “Who else is auditioning for this role?” Putting your rep or coach in the position of sharing confidential information about other clients isn’t fair, and it isn’t productive. Parents often try to pave the way for their children, looking for new insights. You think it may help to know more about the others who will be auditioning for this project. Honestly, it won’t. It’s natural to be curious about the competition, but don’t be distracted by what other people are doing. Stay focused on what you and your child can influence. The only things you can control are what you and your child are doing, so give that your full attention. Keep the focus on yourself, be prepared, and show up with confidence!

5 Things Casting Directors Look for in Young Performers

For aspiring and working actors, casting directors are the golden ticket to getting seen, networking with directors, and booking jobs. As an acting coach and career consultant, the question I am asked most often is what do casting directors look for in young performers? Casting directors see thousands of children and know what makes a performer a standout. I have worked with casting directors throughout my entire career and can lend some insight on their process. 

1. Naturalness. Acting may be pretend and make-believe, but that does not mean your child should seem fake. In show business, it is important to not be “showbizzy.” Casting directors aren’t interested in jazz hands and costumes, but kids being themselves. Jen Rudin, CSA, an award-winning casting director, emphasizes the importance of authenticity in auditions, “Be yourself. I always respond to the kids who are real and not manufactured in their acting or personality. I can spot a fake young actor from a mile away, so just relax and be you!" It is important that casting directors see young performers with an authentic personality and an emotional connection to their audition materials. 

2. Personality. Acting natural does not mean your child should tone down their personality. In fact, it’s what casting directors are most eager to see! Is your child funny, thoughtful, interesting, quirky? These are all-important pieces of your child that can help a casting director place them in their head as the character for which they are casting. Joy Dewing, CSA, writes, “The difference is that with kids, it is of paramount importance to me, as a mother myself, that the child really wants to be there and that their parents are supporting them, not pushing them.” Seeing a child open up and connect with a casting director by demonstrating their passion for the craft is sometimes the most valuable aspect of an audition. It makes a child memorable—and that’s no small thing when competing with thousands of hopefuls for a part. 

3. Professionalism. It requires a certain level of maturity for a child to be a professional actor. Unlike most young children, they have a career to cultivate and maintain. Acting is fun, but it is also a job. Casting directors want to see that a child they hire will be easy to work with and will bring positive things to a set. Merri Sugarman, CSA, of Tara Rubin Casting describes the professionalism that comes with child acting. “We’re looking for kids who seem mature in temperament and well supported by the grownups in the lives. This is a challenging business and we feel protective of the kids we're hiring.” Casting directors recognize and value the children with whom they do business. Competition is so fierce for young performers, there’s no room for divas or immaturity in the industry. 

4. Well-rounded. Professional acting at any age is a full-time job, but there is still time for kids to grow in other areas of their life. Stephanie Klapper, CSA, says, “The kids we love to cast are those who are enormously talented but are still real kids! They genuinely love performing but have other interests, too. They do it because they love it, not because they (or their parents) want them to be famous.”Your child’s interests outside of acting can be as essential as their song or monologue in an audition. If your child has skills in other areas, it is to their advantage to continue with them. More importantly, it is another way for casting directors to see all the wonderful parts that make up your child. 

5. Training. A young performer may have a winning look and a great personality, but those will fall short in an audition without proper training. Whether it is through group classes or private coaching, it is essential that young actors build a foundation in the theater arts. Jason Styres, CSA, of Binder Casting talks of understanding audition material when casting children, “My main focus is seeing the natural learning process on which each kid thrives. That is the only way I can figure out how to approach whatever material they have brought in.” 

Casting directors are looking for a well-rounded, authentic child who can bring their acting chops to the table and give a compelling performance.

4 Reasons Young Performers Improve With Improv

Recently, I heard from an old student of mine, now a graduate studies faculty member at Harvard University, who said, “I learned a lot from your improv classes, and I find myself using those skills all the time when I teach.” The mastering of improvisational skills tends to be wildly underrated. When parents have the option between choosing acting classes for young performers, improvisation usually falls to the bottom of the list, yet its application reaches far beyond the world of acting. Improv training provides a competitive edge that leads to success in many important areas of life.

Children need to play. Fueling the imagination and exploring creativity is what it’s all about. Once a child starts to “act,” they are doomed. Working without the script, learning to work spontaneously, listening to their instincts, and getting in tune with others will promote creative growth for a young performer. Students who study improvisation with me find themselves hooked on the practice. They learn to conquer their fears, work collaboratively, laugh, and most importantly, have fun.

Improv builds a strong foundation. Acting classes for young performers focus on building a foundation for understanding the craft. Actors learn to dissect and understand the scripts and their characters, listen to their partners, and make important choices that are in line with character objectives. Improvisation is an excellent way to apply these skills and expand through practice. The device used most often in improvisation is “Yes, and…” It means that you say yes to anything thrown at you by your partner in a scene, then start your own contribution with “and...” It is not simply enough to say yes to what your partner is doing in a scene, you must say, “Yes your hair looks great today Jessica, and I hear you were voted homecoming queen!” It’s important to add information for the scene to keep moving forward. Only then can an improviser discover more and more wonderful things! Learning to listen and respond appropriately are important skills to master in life. Doing so creatively brings joy and passion to what may otherwise be a structured and restrictive daily routine.

Let your child live in the moment. Improvisation is just as valuable for a seasoned child performer as it is for someone just starting out. There is always room for your child to expand his actor’s toolbox. Improvisation is about trusting your instincts to respond honestly in situations. It requires a great deal of listening and living in the moment. Acting is not intellectual; it’s about working from your heart. As we grow older, we tend to live in our day planners and seem to drift away from the present. Let your child harness the gift they still have. It will teach them to not only live in the moment during an improvisational class, but also in their work on set and on stage, and most importantly, in life. 

It’s great audition prep. Actors need to be versatile and ready for anything thrown their way. It’s important to know if a child can take direction and be adaptable to any change that may occur with a script or while on set. Your child might be given a new script during the audition or asked to read for a different role. If your child wants to succeed in her cold-read, she has to be able to trust her instincts with the material and live in the moment with confidence. Your son might be at a commercial audition and the casting director might ask him to talk to a can of soup as if it’s his best friend. While many actors might choke under the pressure, your child has improv experience where he’s done far sillier things. He will be able to say yes to that request and make the audition memorable to a casting director. “Yes, and…” does not just hold true in an improv scene, you child needs to say, “Yes, and…” to herself and her abilities.