NEW STUDENT AUDITION INFORMATION ( new performance students only)
AUDITION WORKSHOP
We want to make sure you are as fully prepared as possible for your first audition here, so the first order of business will be to explain the format that will be used in the acting/singing audition on Saturday and the dance audition on Sunday. Once that is done, we will divide you into groups of 4 or 5 and assign each group to a faculty member. You will then follow the faculty member to a performance space reserved for your group.
The faculty member will listen to everything each person in the group has prepared, then advise each of you as to which monologue would be best to use on Saturday. You must be prepared to perform at least one 60-second monologue from a contemporary play or musical. We strongly recommend that you prepare 2, 3, or even 4 monologues. The more material you have to show your faculty member, the more assistance he or she can be.
Once it is decided which monologue each member of your group will perform on Saturday, the faculty member will work with each person individually to make that monologue as dramatically or comically effective as possible. Remember that every director wants to be astonished by you on Saturday.
Helping you do as perfect an audition as possible is of course the first objective of these workshops, but do keep in mind that how well you have prepared your pieces is going to be what created a favorable or unfavorable first impression of you as an actor and as a student.
AUDITIONThe acting and singing audition will be conducted on Saturday afternoon. We strongly recommend that as soon as the General Meeting on Saturday morning is over (probably about 10:30am) you go to Fulton Chapel and perform your monologue a few times. Fulton is a big hall and what it requires vocally for clarity and projection takes some getting used to. Ideally, you should get someone to go with you and sit in the house and tell you how you are coming across. You will be expected to dress nicely for the audition. Minimally, dress should consist of slacks and a dress shirt for men and fashionable dress or skirt/pants and top for women. You should be in the auditorium no later than 12:45pm. The audition will begin promptly at 1:00pm.
A 60-second time limit on monologues will be strictly enforced, so you should make sure your piece—in rehearsal—runs no more than 55 seconds. You do not want to have time called on you.
Singing is not required of these auditions, but if you can carry a tune, it’s a good idea to sing. Even if you don’t have a solo-quality voice, you at least make yourself eligible for chorus casting in Company. A cappella (unaccompanied) singing is not permitted. A piano accompanist will be at the audition and you must bring your sheet music for him to play from. You should also bring your sheet music with you to the workshop on Friday and we will show you how to prepare it for an accompanist. You will be permitted to perform up to 24 bars of music. If you aren’t sure what that means, ask at the workshop.
NOTE: If you sing, the 24 bars are in addition to your 60-second monologue.
The dance audition on Sunday is mandatory for all performance people, even if you are certain you can’t dance. The dance audition will begin with the choreographer teaching a very simple combination that is very short. If you truly can’t dance, you’ll be allowed to leave after that.
Be sure to wear appropriate clothing to the dance audition. A big part of what the choreographer wants to see is the line your body creates in space, so don’t wear clothes that conceal your shape. Baggy or bulky clothing of any type is not good. For women, shorts and either a t-shirt or tank top work well. If you have any kind of dance shoe, wear it. If you don’t have any dance shoes, wear sneakers. Do not wear any kind of hard soled street shoe. You will be dancing directly on the stage deck, so bare feet are not permitted.
Callbacks for all three shows will be posted within an hour after the audition concludes. Location of the posting will be announced at the audition. Make sure you carefully check each list to see if your name is on it and to see if any special preparation on your part is required. DO NOT SEND A FRIEND! Check the list with your own eyes. Each of the directors will begin the callback by explaining how it will be run and what in particular he or she is looking for. Pay careful attention and try to make sure that when your opportunity arises you are able to make the best of it. Remember that in a callback it is best to make big, clearly defined character choices. Your ability to do that will in large measure be a function of how well you know the play. It is very much to your advantage to get copies of all three shows during the summer and read them carefully.
