Wellbeing Wednesday: The Audition Aftermath.

Welcome back to Wellbeing Wednesday. As promised after my blog break, today I want to dive into a topic that lies right at the heart of my life as a performer, music therapist, and creative: The Audition Aftermath.

Whether you are stepping into a casting room for a musical, auditioning for a choir, interviewing for a job, or putting yourself on display in any high-stakes environment, the post-audition window can be an emotional minefield.

This month, I am stepping into the role of Musical Director again for both Saundersfoot Footlights and Milford Haven Amateur Operatic Society. We spent the weekend auditioning for the Christmas Panotmime at Footlights, and MHAOS are in preparation for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang auditions. Let me reassure everyone who is thinking about, or has, stepped foot into the room with us… Auditions are stressful for everyone. As a casting team, all we want to do is put together an amazing show; we are never looking for the negative in any performer.

The best analogy I can ever give was one I detailed for my own children last week. They wanted to know what auditions were… now there’s a concept to explain to a child! The best way I found was to align auditions with jigsaws (bear with me!)

Imagine you have four lovely jigsaw puzzles. Each has a different, inspiring, and enlightening picture on it, and each has a story to tell. But someone has unhelpfully mixed up all the pieces for these four jigsaws. In order to recreate the images, you have to sort these pieces. Some will fit together, and others won’t. It doesn’t mean those pieces aren’t perfect for their own picture; they just aren’t right for every picture.

So when you step into an audition room, try to remember: the panel isn’t judging you on how “good” you are. Who gives them the right to decide what’s good or bad anyway? Their job is simply to fit the pieces together for the specific story they want to create. It can be heartbreaking to give your all and not get the part you wanted, but it just means that for this story, this picture, you weren’t quite the right fit.

We know that you will have spent weeks preparing for and building yourself up to that brief moment in the spotlight. But the moment you walk out of that room, your mind can enter a turbulent space. If you feel it went badly, the “Public Critic” in your head starts shouting, threatening to drown you in self-doubt. If you feel it went brilliantly, the sudden spike of hope and excitement can leave your muscles tense, your mind racing, and your sleep disrupted.

How do we practice true self-care after an audition? How do we prevent negative feedback from breaking us down, and keep positive anticipation from creating physical tension?

1. Navigating the Negative: Stopping the “Dissonant Spiral”

If an audition felt rough (if you missed a high note, stumbled over a line… let’s be honest, who hasn’t done these things?!) your survival brain immediately enters a state of threat. You want to re-play the mistake a thousand times, trying to “fix” the past.

• The Music Therapy Link: The Clashing Chord. In a piece of music, a dissonant chord is meant to pass through to a resolution. But when we obsess over a bad audition, we hold onto that single clashing chord and refuse to let the piece resolve.
• The Practice: The “Data vs. Drama” Audit. Separate what actually happened from the story your ego is telling you.
  • The Drama: “I ruined my chances forever; I am terrible at this.”
  • The Data: “My voice was a bit thin on the top C, and the tempo was faster than I rehearsed.”
• The Reframe: Apply Unconditional Positive Regard to your effort. Treat yourself like a compassionate director would: “That was a tough room, but I brought my authentic self to the floor. The outcome does not define my worth.”

2. The Danger of the Positive: The “High-Tension” Hope

We rarely talk about how exhausting a good audition can be. When you nail the song and see the panel smiling, your system is flooded with dopamine and adrenaline.

• The Hidden Trap: Anticipatory Vigilance. You start checking your phone every two minutes. Your jaw clenches, your shoulders creep up to your ears, and your body stays in a state of high physical arousal waiting for “the call.” This positive tension can drain your “body budget” just as quickly as anxiety.
• The Practice: “Park the Performance.” The moment you cross the threshold of the building, the audition is officially over. It no longer belongs to you; it belongs to the casting team. Holding onto the hope too tightly creates physical constriction in your chest and throat.
• The Mantra: “I gave them my offer. Now I return to my own life.”

3. Re-Tuning the Body: The Post-Audition Decompression

Whether the audition felt like a disaster or a triumph, your nervous system requires a physical “De-Glow” ritual to return to a baseline of safety.

• The Exercise: The Vagal Grounding Reset.
  1. Wash it off: Go straight to a bathroom or home, wash your hands and face with cool water, and physically shake out your arms and legs.
  2. The Low-Vibe Breath: Sit quietly, place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Take a 4-count inhale through your nose.
  3. The Grounding Hum: On an 8-count exhale, let out a low, warm, steady hum. Feel the vibration under your hand.
• Why it works: This physical vibration stimulates the Vagus Nerve, telling your brain that the “solo performance” is complete and it is safe to shift out of fight-or-flight and back into “Rest and Digest.”

Your Audition Self-Care Toolkit:

• The 24-Hour Rule: Give yourself a strict 24-hour hold on analysing the audition. If a thought about the room pops up, gently say, “We aren’t processing this today,” and redirect your focus.
• The “Non-Performance” Activity: Immediately after an audition, do something that has zero connection to your talent or career. Walk in nature (practice a bit of Acoustic Foraging!), cook a hearty meal, or play a silly game with your kids. Remind your brain of your life outside the spotlight.
• The “Haven” Playlist: Create a playlist of grounding, low-tempo instrumental tracks or familiar comfort songs that bring your internal tempo back down to a peaceful 60 BPM.

You are not a grade, a casting decision, or a panel’s opinion. No single audition has the power to ruin your story. There’s a beautiful, vibrant jigsaw that fits your piece, sometimes it just takes time to find it.