Lessons from My Worst Audition Ever
Fail. Fail big. Fail spectacularly. That might sound like terrible advice, but hear me out.
As I Mentioned in the audio several years ago, I bombed an audition so badly it still lives rent-free in my head. It was for an iconic production. But when I saw the song they wanted me to sing, my stomach dropped.
It was way out of my range, but I decided to go for it. Why not? What’s the worst that could happen? Well, let me tell you:
I walked into that audition room and gave one of the worst performances of my life. I couldn’t hit the note. It was so bad I ended up apologizing to the panel. Imagine standing in front of a table of unimpressed faces and saying, “I am so sorry!”
But here’s the kicker: I’m so glad I did it.
When everything falls apart, you’re left with the truth. You can’t avoid life’s messiness. The only way forward is through.
That awful audition taught me a lot. Failing forced me to confront rejection head-on, and it turned out to be a gift. Why? Because it chipped away at the fear.
When you’ve failed spectacularly, you realize the world doesn’t end. The earth keeps spinning, and you survive. Once I bombed that audition, I stopped being so terrified of trying. I stopped fearing going beyond what the evidence say I can do.
It also made me work harder. Instead of giving up, I decided to learn that impossible song. I practiced it every day for a year, not to prove anything, but to see if I could grow. And I did.
It also gave me perspective. Failure reminded me that my worth isn’t tied to any single performance. I’m a work in progress and I love the middle of a story. the rehearsal room is my favourite place on earth. It’s where you get to be better.
How do you embrace the big fail?
Reframe the fear: Shift your mindset from “What if I fail?” to “What can I learn?” Now I know this is harder than it sounds. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s growth.
Do it for the plot: Treat every creative risk as a chapter in your story. Whether it’s a win or a disaster, it’s part of the journey. At the end, old grey and full of gums you want to say “In my days I did this and, my God, was it good.”
Build a resilience ritual: After every setback, give yourself time to process. Journal, talk to a mentor, or go for a walk. Reflect on what went wrong and what you can take away from the experience. Do what you need to dissipate the feeling associated with rejection. Rejection is a physical injury.
Practice: If something feels out of reach, work on it. Never stop learning.
Celebrate: Even if you fail, celebrate the courage it took to try. That’s the real victory.
At the end of the day, every audition, performance, or creative challenge is just a step in the bigger journey. The real masterpiece isn’t the role you land. It’s you.
Do the thing that scares you. Bomb spectacularly if you have to. Because in failing, you’ll find the resilience to grow into the artist, actor, or creative you’re meant to be.
Photo by Nick.
This is one sweet night on my first west end show. I learn so much on this show. So many failures revealed itself while I was doing this show. I will always be grateful to this girl right here and this show right here.
Ps. I was coming this audition too but some great insight by an amazing casting director and I was able to turn it around. Never give up.
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