<p>I'm now a freshman in college and school starts for me next Monday. I have 17 hours of classes when the norm over here is 12-14. Next Monday is also the day my theater department has auditions for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" I honestly don;t know if I should audition for it or not. They perform the play at the end of September and they're going to have another audition in October I think (have to check) Would it be smart to audition for the play or wait till the next one comes around?</p>
<p>I’d wait for the October audition or even next semester. 17 hours is plenty on your plate. Enjoy the first semester and focus on getting good grades. The last thing you want is to over commit and have your grades start dropping. Music and theater classes can require a lot of time outside of class, so your 17 hours might be more like 20 hours. A lot of music classes might only be 1 or 2 credits, but you are actually in a class room for 2 or 3 hours and then have plenty of practice time outside of class.</p>
<p>Figure out how much time your studies are going to take and then fit your ECs around it, not vice versa. </p>
<p>Is your college on the semester or the quarter system? Because 12-14 hours per term is pretty low for a semester system school, just right for a quarter system. If your school is on the quarter system (which I hate), realize that the pace of the classes goes very quickly–every time your turn around, it’s time for another mid-term.</p>
<p>If you are taking more than the usual number of hours as a freshman, know EXACTLY when the last drop date is and don’t be afraid to drop a class if you aren’t cutting it in that class. Sometimes freshman bite off more than they can chew that first term.</p>
<p>Is it common for freshmen to be cast in the department shows right off the bat? This is a very small cast show. </p>
<p>Maybe you can work behind the scenes in some capacity, to get to know some of the people involved in the production, without having to commit to a time-consuming rehearsal schedule while you’re just adjusting to your school schedule?</p>
<p>I agree, wait until a later show or next semester. If you still want to be involved in the play somehow, try some behind the scenes work, either helping with the production or maybe working as an usher or in the box office. </p>
<p>I speak from experience this year, I auditioned and was cast in a play my first year of college and it was during a time when I had an incredibly demanding workload. What I learned is that, just as college classes take more time and effort than high school classes, college theater takes more time and effort than theater at the high school level. It’s more rehearsals, more performances, more intensity overall. And if you’re just starting outat college, and you already have a larger than normal academic load, I would hold off on taking on the play too until you are more experienced and have a realistic sense of how much free time you have. </p>
<p>You may be one of those people who is very organized and very good at time management. So you may find that even with 17 credit hours you have more free time to fill than you want. If so, then you can alway audition in October or in spring semester. But wait until you’ve gotten a handle on what’s expected of you in your classes, because after all, that’s what you’re in college for.</p>
<p>Are you a theater major? If so, it’s a good idea to show your face and interest by auditioning–it’s extremely unlikely that a freshman would get a role in a play with such a small cast, so you really don’t have to worry about finding the time to rehearse, and meanwhile you’ve demonstrated that you have a strong interest in participating and trotted your talents out to people in the department. And if by some miracle you are cast, you’ll figure out a way to handle things. Theater majors always have very demanding schedules and they find a way to manage (or decide it’s too hard and find another major)…</p>
<p>Why are you taking a load heavier than the 12-14 credit hour norm at your school? I can’t imagine any rationale for a freshman to take 17 hours the first semester. There are so many unknowns and adjustments, big and small, not to mention the fact that college is supposed to be fun, for heaven’s sakes! </p>
<p>If theatre is your thing–whether it’s your major or just your #1 avocation–consider dropping a class so you can do it all. It will be satisfying on an artistic level, no matter whether you get a part or just stay involved as crew, plus it will provide you with a social group at your new school.</p>
<p>Yes, I am a theater major. During the summer, I applied to be in a leadership organization where it will help me organize activities and events around the school and help me not be awkward. So, they gave me an extra class called “VSU Leadership Skills”. Theater majors here are 10 hours. Auditions are VERY competitive over here as well. Most of my classes are core and I have 2 different types of theater classes.</p>
<p>Since you are a theater major, I would suggest you PREPARE and audition for this show. It shows initiative…which you will need!! As mentioned…this is a very small cast show…but they will certainly be looking for technical support on this show, I would think…and often underclassmen are actually required to do that anyway. Go for it…it’s a good way to get yourself involved in your major from the get go.</p>
<p>Re: credits…only YOU Know if you are taking a heavy load…or not. Both of my kids took 17 to18 courses each term. DD took 20 most terms (as she was in the orchestra and took music lessons…not a music major…her school allowed those three additional credits at no overload cost so that students would not be discouraged to play in the ensembles). Different students are able to handle different things.</p>
<p>Auditions are good experiences. You learn from each one. I’ve seen some schools were the students audition for practice, announcing that they can’t do the show that semester but they want to try out their 16 bars just to see how it goes. If you can watch or hear some of the auditions, that will be very beneficial to you. I would think it would be a very rare freshmen who gets cast in August in a show with such a tiny cast. Hopefully the upperclass students have had such great training that freshmen don’t walk in at the beginning of the school year and snag major roles.</p>
<p>I would NOT suggest you do this. It will only make those listening to the audition annoyed…seriously…why would you waste THEIR time if you have NO INTENTION of being in the show if given a part.</p>
<p>Do some preparation for the audition. Go in…do your best job…you never know how you will stack up with the others who are taking the audition. Usually on the audition forms, there is a section…“would you be interested in doing something else related to this production?” If yes…tell them so. That way you have multiple doors open to you…and valuable ones…doing behind the scenes work is EXTREMELY important to each production.</p>
<p>Go for it. You’ve come to college to major in theatre. Don’t back off now. As others have said, each audition experience is an important learning opportunity.<br>
If you’re a performing arts major, you probably already have had to become very good at time management (D was a pre-pro ballet dancer and triple major in college and always said that doing all that ballet in high school prepared her very well for managing her time). She took 19 hours that first semester, also auditioned (and performed) in the fall shows. You should be bold and work hard. It will pay off.</p>
<p>I just found out that they’re doing all the auditions at once for the WHOLE fall semester. So, If I want to do any plays I have to do this one =/ All the school’d directors will be there.</p>
<p>If you are considering parts in any plays, and this is your first semester at college, I think that 17 credits is too much. Is there a way to take fewer, gauge your level of activity, then adjust credits up the next semester, if you think it is workable?</p>