As we wait for the landmark upcoming 20th season of America’s Got Talent to arrive on the 2025 TV schedule this spring, the show has meanwhile begun to film its auditions for judges Mel B, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara with a slew of hopefuls vying to be noticed by the show and take their act all the way to the finale. Well, on behalf of CinemaBlend, I got to be in the room for the open call auditions, and wow, was it a sight.
What Is It Like To Be At The America’s Got Talent Open Call Auditions?
America’s Got Talent is of course filmed at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California all season long, and on March 10, they take place very close by at the Pasadena Convention Center. When I got there, I arrived at the holding room where tons of the talent waited for their numbers to be called to audition for the casting producers before being placed in front of the judges (or not). I found myself in a massive space full of all sorts of acts and a camera crew documenting it all.
While I was there, I talked to a drag queen named Miss Kay Mart from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who wore rhinestone glasses, a bright blue wig and sat in their wheelchair as she warmed up her comedian act for me before going in for the producers. I talked to a ventriloquist named Cassie G of Tequila Rose Comedy from San Francisco, California who was matching with her doll in leopard print getups. I know that when you watch AGT there’s a ton of different acts, but actually seeing it in person was such an experience. When I talked to one hopeful, Caleb Woo of Greenville, South Carolina who had just left the casting room after singing “Evermore” from the live-action Beauty and the Beast, he said this of the experience:
The guy in front of me was a sword swallower named Cyrus. It was crazy. I was like ‘You do what?’ and he was saying, each audition is another show... that was a cool thing too, just earning from other creatives and their process.
I also spoke to longtime casting producer Meg MacGregor about how they picked in between meeting the talent, she also described the range of ages and personalities she was seeing there. In her words:
[A three-year-old in a tutu just] sang ‘A Million Dreams’ and then the Moana song ‘Beyond’. She's so cute. My favorite part was that I could tell she loved it. She was so proud of herself after that audition, you know? And, we've seen a few different things today. You never know what you're gonna get in the open call audition. That's the best part about it… We had a woman come from all the way from Hawaii. She sang an original song. She twerked a little bit. I wasn't expecting that she was in her sixties. I didn't know if she could twerk that well. So, that was a surprise.
I think we’re in for an interesting season. I can’t imagine being in her shoes and having no idea what I’m going to witness all day as the AGT open call auditions in Los Angeles took place, but I’m curious which of the acts in that big room will make it to the show. I literally could have passed by the next winner, and had no idea. Were they in a bright clown costume or unassuming everyday clothes? Who's to say?
There Were A Lot Of Singers At The AGT Auditions. So How Do They Choose Which One’s Get On The Show?
One thing I definitely witnessed while I was there is the huge amount of singing acts who were ready to perform for the casting producers. Considering Richard Goodall just won Season 19 for being the “singing janitor,” I had to ask MacGregor how they decided on which singers would make it to the show after seeing so many. Here’s how she responded:
I think like historically singers have set themselves apart a bit more maybe based on what they would call their backstory in a way. Like, I think obviously it's much easier to identify with one person than 50 people on stage and everyone has a viewpoint and everyone has something that they like to talk about. So I think especially with Richard from last year I think a really big thing was that he'd never been on a stage like our show before.He was in small town karaoke bars winning, like the biggest thing he wanted was like a TV. And obviously with his job, he was a janitor at a school. So I think all those things that people share with us, even if it is just, ‘Well, hey, I'm a janitor and I don't think that's a big deal,’ but for us on a TV show, knowing that it really does. It gives an extra reputable thing for them in a competition, that they think, ‘Wow, I wonder if I could do that.’ If a school janitor can do it, could I do it? So I think it sparks that inspiration within people.
I do wonder if Richard Goodall’s win also inspires more singers, as well? Either way, I have to say I’m so much more invested in what talent will make it all the way after seeing the huge amount of talent that was at the open call auditions in Los Angeles. And, that doesn’t even count all the people who submit auditions virtually!
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