You hand over your “sides”—the 2-3 pages of the script you get in advance. Never play the scene how you rehearsed it. Be ready to change. Casting directors love improvisation. They might say, “Now do it as if you’re a clown who just lost his red nose.” Go with it.
You’ll get a “reader,” someone who reads the other actor’s lines. That reader is your best friend in that room. Make eye contact with them. React like they’re giving you the performance of a lifetime. Even if they sound like a robot reading a menu.
If you forget a line, don’t apologize. Just say “Line?” and the reader will feed it to you. Actors who apologize look insecure. Actors who say “Line?” look professional.
