Do 'AGT' hopefuls perform directly for the judges? Here's how the audition journey really begins
With the premiere episode already awarding two Golden Buzzers, 'America's Got Talent' Season 20 is making sure to grab major headlines. Ever since the talent show made its debut in 2006, viewers have gone gaga over out-of-the-box and unique performances. Every year, thousands of hopefuls dream of showcasing their talents on such a big stage, but this raises an important question: if all of them get to perform in front of the celebrity judges?
To answer the question, no, 'America's Got Talent' contestants do not audition for the first time in front of the judges. Before stepping onto the big stage to perform for Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Sofía Vergara, contestants go through multiple behind-the-scenes rounds. According to Theresa Graham, NBCUniversal's director of unscripted formats, "We have open call auditions virtually to reach as many people as possible. Anybody can sign up and have an audition with our casting team and producers. If they think that somebody is worth considering, they put them through to our executive producers. After they say yes, then the act will go to audition in front of the judges," as per NBC Insider.
This means what audiences see on TV is just the final step in a long process. First, the contestants audition virtually. Then, if they stand out, they are invited to perform for producers. Only after clearing these early rounds do they finally get a shot at impressing the celebrity panel on stage. So while it may look like a contestant is being discovered in real time, their journey actually begins long before the cameras start rolling.
Even fans also discussed this behind-the-scenes process on Quora, in a thread titled, "Does everyone who auditions for America's Got Talent get to audition in front of the main judges?" One viewer who directly worked with the 'AGT' crew said, "I got to work with the America’s Got Talent video crew when they held auditions in my area. Everyone who came got to audition in front of judges, but not the celebrity judges you see on the show. The celebrities don't travel across the country during the auditions."
While another viewer remarked, "No. Before the main auditions that we see on TV, there is first an audition with the producers. It is sometimes common for worse acts to proceed to the filmed auditions while some better ones are being rejected so that the show can have some bad acts for people to make fun of, according to certain comments I found on YouTube videos."
Notably, contestants auditioning for 'America’s Got Talent' open calls have just 90 seconds to impress producers with their act, though producers may change that time limit if needed. When it comes to what contestants can bring, the rules are clear: no fire or special rigging at open calls. Acts involving animals must include a vaccination record and an Animal Information Form. Other banned items include fireworks, weapons, drugs, alcohol, coolers (unless for medical reasons), and props involving fire or pyrotechnics, as per E! News.
If a contestant advances to audition in front of the judges, 'AGT' covers travel expenses, which include airfare, bus/train tickets, gas reimbursement, hotel stays, and a daily food allowance. However, hair and makeup are not provided for the judges' audition round, and contestants must come camera-ready. These services are only offered to those who move on to the later rounds, with makeup artist Tonia Green noting her team worked with "hundreds of contestants" during Season 19.