Audition preparation advice for Juniors

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
41

<p>*** Which colleges were you (or your D/S) aacepted to?**</p>

<p>I was accepted to the BFA program at Cornish, the BA at University of Southern CA (USC), the BA at SUNY Purchase (non audition), and the BFA at NYU Tisch.</p>

<p>*** Were any acceptances a surprise or did you leave the audition with a good feeling?**</p>

<p>All of the acceptances were a surprise, but that is because I went into it fully aware of the fact that the odds were stacked against me. Not me in particular, just that there are incredibly difficult odds for everyone.</p>

<p>The only things I felt slightly negative about were the interviews for Cornish and USC. I had a knock out interview at UCLA, which I didn’t get accepted to, then slightly less positive feelings from USC. Also bear in mind I got into USC for BA which is based on interview and application as opposed to audition. BFA was my first choice on my application, BA my second.</p>

<p>*** Were there any auditions that you felt better about than others or were they all more or less the same?**</p>

<p>Overall I left good leaving all of my auditions. The only one I didn’t like was Point Park because I went in to a room with too people, did my monologues, and left. It was very cold and there wasn’t much info available. Even that wasn’t that bad though.
I felt really good leaving Tisch because we talked quite a bit and I redid my monologue with a whole new spin. I also felt great about DePaul because the auditioneers do a lot of activities with you and it’s really fun. I felt amazing about CalArts because it was my first audition and I had a wonderful experience. They are very welcoming and the audition is not rushed.</p>

<p>*** Did you enter straight out of high school?**
Yes.</p>

<p>*** Did you attend an arts based high school with a theater stream?**
No no no no no no no no no. Not at all.
I went to a performing arts elementary school, but my middle and high schools were both focused on academics. We have drama classes (which people are forced to take when they need an art credit) and productions each semester, but everything is run by one bitter old man and the program lacks any kind of support. I participated, mainly for the culture and the friends. I learned much more from my peers than the curriculum, and I also made valuable connections. Look at that, even in high school!</p>

<p>*** Did you get any special coaching for your auditions?**</p>

<p>I didn’t hire a coach, but I did receive two sessions of coaching from my theater mentor, an actress/director/producer I know very well and have been working with since my sophomore year. I recommend getting coaching from someone who knows you and someone who has experience directing. Paying a coach is not necessarily the best choice for everyone, but having teachers look at your work is crucial. Also, having actor friends who you respect critique you is also beneficial. I did this as well.</p>

<p>*** What were your considerations in choosing your monologues?**
I made sure they easily fit the requirements for the schools. What I mean is that they were well within the classified time specifications (i.e. before 1900). I also made sure they weren’t overdone monologues. This was tough. The monologue search is a really rough process but worth a lot of effort because it’s so important.</p>

<p>For my main comedic monologue I made sure my monologue was funny. Whether or not it was laugh out loud funny, the content itself was funny and I knew I could present it as such. My dramatic was very different from my comedic, so there was an obvious contrast. </p>

<p>Another consideration was style. Two of my contemporary pieces were modern takes on classical stories, and I made sure I didn’t use both of them in one audition asking for contrasting pieces (even though one was comedy and one drama), because the fact that they fit into the same category made me uncomfortable about contrast.</p>

<p>*** How many monologues did you prepare, the minimum required or more? **
I definitely prepared more than the minimum requirement. I prepared one classical Shakespeare, and four contemporaries. Two comedic, two drama. </p>

<p>*** Did you select different monologues for for different auditions or were they all the same?**
I stuck to one comedy/drama combo for most because I thought those were my strongest pieces. However, I mixed it up for one or two based on time limits (and how I felt that day). Also I had to do Shakespeare for two auditions so that dictated my choices, as my Shakespeare was a comedy, so I did my strongest drama contemporary in contrast.</p>

<p>*** Did your “formal” theater training start in high school or before?**</p>

<p>I don’t think I have any formal training. I’ve taken classes with local theaters which would be considered formal, but nothing sustaining. And my participation in plays started in elementary school.</p>

<p>*** Have you always known you wanted to act?**</p>

<p>Yes. But I didn’t always know I wanted to pursue it in college. I viewed it as a side project up until summer before senior year.</p>

<p>*** Is there anything in particular that you think helped or hindered your college auditions?**
Helped: I was able to apply to a ton of colleges because my parents supported my monetarily. I was able to go to a ton of auditions for the same reason. I told everyone I was doing this. It’s hard to explain to “normal” friends, but as you tell people it becomes more real and you learn to build up your own confidence even against the ridiculous odds.</p>

<p>Hindered: I got a little bit downtrodden towards the end of the process and felt less confident about my choices, but then I realized I was being crazy and perked back up.
After receiving so many changes and alterations during auditions, which were challenging and fun, I got a little scared. Everyone tells you they just want to see how you take direction, and it’s true. So future auditioners, do not worry. Never question your choices once you’ve made them, as long as they’re strong!</p>

<p>*** If you had to go through the whole process again next year is there anything that you would change/add/detract etc.?**</p>

<p>The only thing I would have done is prepared my monologues earlier. I stressed so much about this. I was very prepared but I really truly started only a month prior to my auditions, so that caused too much worry. My work was strong and I don’t think suffered very much, but mentally it would have been beneficial to have been more proactive.</p>

<p>Other than that I was calm about the process and felt really good about it, regardless of admissions and denials.</p>

<p>I’m thinking about making a separate thread with a guide to the entire audition process, starting at the beginning of senior year. Would that be of interest to any rising seniors?</p>

42

<p>What a great contribution, boxgirl! Best of luck to you. You might want to post on our “decisions” thread as well, once you know which program you will be attending.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/1096832-class-11-theatre-decisions-thread.html?highlight=decisions[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/1096832-class-11-theatre-decisions-thread.html?highlight=decisions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I’m sure your proposed guide thread would be of interest to rising seniors.</p>

43

<ul>
<li><p>Which colleges were you (or your D/S) aacepted to?
I was accepted to NYU Tisch (New Studio on Broadway for MT), UCLA (MT), Chapman (Acting), Purchase (BFA Acting- put on priority waitlist but was offered admission), Cal State Fullerton (BFA MT), and some other schools that I didn’t have to audition for (EX. UC Irvine)</p></li>
<li><p>Were any acceptances a surprise or did you leave the audition with a good feeling?
I had a good feeling about all of my auditions! I was iffy about UCLA because I had to sing while I was still recovering from a wicked case of strep throat, but I felt confident in my acting, dance, and interview.</p></li>
<li><p>Were there any auditions that you felt better about than others or were they all more or less the same?
Pretty much all the same! All of my auditors made me feel very comfortable and I honestly didn’t feel much pressure from them. I had a great and unique experience with all of my auditions.</p></li>
<li><p>Did you enter straight out of high school?
Yes- I auditioned in February/March of this year (spring of my senior year of HS)</p></li>
<li><p>Did you attend an arts based high school with a theater stream?
No</p></li>
<li><p>Did you get any special coaching for your auditions?
Nope. I picked out my material and prepared them all on my own. The first people to see me perform my pieces were my auditors at the auditions, but I did work with a friend at my high school who played piano so I could check to make sure that I cut/edited my sheet music appropriately for my MT auditions.</p></li>
<li><p>What were your considerations in choosing your monologues?
I wanted to show diversity in my acting, so I chose pieces that fell into contrasting genres (modern comedic, modern dramatic, and a classic Shakespearean). I also wanted to show that I could portray both young and mature characters, so I was never iffy about choosing pieces that included profanity or mature subjects.</p></li>
<li><p>How many monologues did you prepare, the minimum required or more?
The schools I auditioned for only required 2 contrasting monologues, but some wanted to see Shakespeare and others didn’t, so I chose 3 that I could flop around to give the schools what they wanted to see. It worked out perfectly because a couple schools asked for a third monologue, so I performed the Shakespearean or the modern dramatic piece- depending on what they hadn’t seen already. I definitely recommend that!</p></li>
<li><p>Did you select different monologues for different auditions or were they all the same?
See above :)</p></li>
<li><p>Did your “formal” theater training start in high school or before?
To be honest, I’ve never received any formal training. The only training I received was that from my high school drama classes, and to be honest, we didn’t really cover any acting techniques whatsoever. The most technique I received was from the skills I picked up by myself through doing community theatre. BUT I did start working in the industry at a very young age (I did commercial/tv/film work when I was younger).</p></li>
<li><p>Have you always known you wanted to act?
Yes!</p></li>
<li><p>Is there anything in particular that you think helped or hindered your college auditions?
If you go in with the mindset of thinking you HAVE to be perfect, you’re wrong. They aren’t looking for young adults who already know everything, they’re looking for students with potential and the ability to take direction and learn well. I came to this realization the night before my first audition, and everything that came after that was cake!</p></li>
<li><p>If you had to go through the whole process again next year is there anything that you would change/add/detract etc.?
Not at all!</p></li>
<li><p>Anything else you would like to add
Don’t stress about it! I literally chose my monologues three weeks before my auditions started, and everything turned out fine. Don’t over-think it, just have fun! I would recommend networking with your auditors, whether it be getting their names written down or just making conversation with them if they come out to talk to you. It leaves a good impression and it definitely made me feel more relaxed. They’re people too :)</p></li>
</ul>

44

<p>Bump to current</p>

45

<p>Has anyone auditioned at Chapman recently, and can you summarize your experience at that audition?</p>

46

<p>Actually, CapeDad, I’m planning on auditioning there in nine days’ time. If that plan holds, I’ll be sure to let you and the rest of the forum know how it goes!</p>

47

<p>I thought this was SO helpful when I was prepping for auditions, so I’m bringing it back! </p>

<ul>
<li>Which colleges were you (or your D/S) acepted to?</li>
</ul>

<p>NYU/Tisch (Playwrights Horizons) - BFA Acting, UCLA - BA Acting, Cornish - BFA Acting. Waitlisted at DePaul - BFA Acting. Also a large number of non-auditioned BAs, everything from Columbia College Chicago to Temple University to UC irvine.
Rejected from SUNY Purchase, Emerson, and Ithaca.
Attending UCLA in the fall! (I withdrew from DePaul’s waitlist, don’t worry.)</p>

<ul>
<li>Were any acceptances a surprise or did you leave the audition with a good feeling?</li>
</ul>

<p>I mean on one hand, I was surprised by every single result. Auditioning is such a crapshoot that there’s really no way to be sure. On the other hand, I felt that Cornish, Tisch, UCLA, and DePaul were much much stronger for me and were the ones I felt the most positive about, so for me I think my general feelings were more spot on I expected them to be.</p>

<ul>
<li>Were there any auditions that you felt better about than others or were they all more or less the same?</li>
</ul>

<p>Tisch and Cornish I felt extremely confident about. DePaul I wasn’t sure about initially, but getting a callback obviously made me feel better about it. SUNY Purchase and Emerson I felt TERRIBLE about, so I was completely unsurprised at my rejections there. Ithaca and UCLA I was completely unable to tell.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Did you enter straight out of high school?
Yep, graduating high school in 8 weeks!</p></li>
<li><p>Did you attend an arts based high school with a theater stream?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Not at all. I go to a well regarded California public high school with a very mediocre theater program - decent productions, complete lack of training.</p>

<ul>
<li>Did you get any special coaching for your auditions?</li>
</ul>

<p>Absolutely none. I wish!</p>

<ul>
<li>What were your considerations in choosing your monologues?</li>
</ul>

<p>All of the schools were very clear about choosing age-appropriate, experience-appropriate monologues so I searched for months and months to do this. All told I probably read almost 100 plays in the quest for my monologues (this may sound like overkill, but I enjoy reading plays anyways so I was fine with it. This is probably an excessive amount for most people). Anyways, I ended up choosing monologues for teenage girls that I felt the most connected to. </p>

<ul>
<li>How many monologues did you prepare, the minimum required or more?</li>
</ul>

<p>While prepping, I worked on two Shakespeare monologues and about five contemporary, but through the process of rehearsing them narrowed it down to one Shakespeare and three contemporaries. No school I auditioned for required more than three, so I had an alternate and I was able to focus more clearly on them as a result.</p>

<ul>
<li>Did you select different monologues for for different auditions or were they all the same?</li>
</ul>

<p>I switched up my contemporaries a little bit depending, and I had several different ‘cuts’ of each depending on time limits, but I didn’t have too many options.</p>

<ul>
<li>Did your “formal” theater training start in high school or before?</li>
</ul>

<p>Before. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and we have some pretty phenomenal regional theater (Berkeley Rep, A.C.T., TheaterWorks, Marin Theater Company, California Shakespeare Theater to name a few) so I started taking classes with them when I was around ten. And I did concentrated community theater even before that. Although I don’t know if any of this counts as ‘formal’.</p>

<ul>
<li>Have you always known you wanted to act?</li>
</ul>

<p>Definitely. My whole life.</p>

<ul>
<li>Is there anything in particular that you think helped or hindered your college auditions?</li>
</ul>

<p>I think my insistence on finding the ‘perfect’ monologues, a search I started the summer before my senior year, and then working through them so intensely helped me a lot because I was SO confident in them. I knew them backwards and forwards and I felt confident that they showed me off to the best of my abilities. Also, when I was more comfortable being less showy and ‘making mistakes’ - I was quieter than I normally am, though not shy at all, and I had a couple slip-ups at both DePaul and UCLA - it worked in my favor. They really didn’t want me to be all polished and perfect, just to be connected and focused. A hindrance was maybe not having any experience with ‘professional’ auditions. I found that the auditions that went most poorly for me, and the ones where I was rejected, were ones where I let myself be too easily shaken by unusual circumstances. For instance, at my SUNY Purchase audition - where I had to sing, something I am not super confident about - I could hear EVERY WORD of the auditions before me and it seriously psyched me out, leaving me feeling both intimidated by their talent and nervous about the fact that everyone sitting in the room with me would hear MY entire audition. As a result I basically blew it. So I wish I had been more steeled against situations like that, so that it wouldn’t throw me off as much.</p>

<ul>
<li>If you had to go through the whole process again next year is there anything that you would change/add/detract etc.?</li>
</ul>

<p>I REALLY wish I had liked my safeties more. I really didn’t pay as much attention to researching safeties as I did my ‘dream’ schools, and as a result, the whole process was a lot more stressful. There was a point where I got hit with three rejections in a row and hadn’t gotten any major acceptances and I was really starting to spiral down because I felt like I couldn’t go anywhere in the fall I even liked. So do NOT blow off your safeties, make sure you find one you love because it makes rejections so much easier (or at least bearable). And I maybe would’ve auditioned for a few more schools. But otherwise, I felt extremely confident about how much hard work I put in so I was mostly able to take each acceptance and rejection in stride knowing there was only so much I could control. And I’m going to my dream school, so it worked out!</p>

<ul>
<li>Anything else you would like to add.</li>
</ul>

<p>GOOD LUCK! This was one of the most stressful and craziest periods of my life and you’re all remarkably brave for even thinking about going through this. Feel free to ask, PM, whatever if you have any questions.</p>

48

<p>Fabulous post! Upcoming juniors, listen to what theatrehopeful says about monologues in particular.</p>

49

<p>I think this illustrates at least a few important things.</p>

<p>theatrehopeful comes from a typical U.S. high school with a “mediocre” theatre program and no training, and had no audition coaching, however by working incredibly hard ON HER OWN she was still able to get accepted into some really good programs.</p>

<p>She read about 100 plays to find six monologues which she gradually narrowed down to four. Then she worked those darn monologues so that her audition was incredible. She carefully read the instructions from each school so that she could adapt her auditions to each school individually.</p>

<p>This is in real contrast to the people who come here and say “well, I don’t have time to read all those plays” “I don’t have time to prepare more than two monologues” or “Do I really have to follow the school’s audition instructions and advice? I want to do something else at my audition”. That group of people is going to lose out to someone like theatrehopeful who MADE the time she needed to prepare, and followed the instructions. And when these people lose out, they whine that they lost out because they didn’t go to the right kind of school, or they were discriminated against because of their appearance, or whatever. theatrehopeful shows that passion and hard work is what will win out in the end.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

50

<p>I really wanted to share my experience as well for everyone auditioning next year</p>

<ul>
<li>Which colleges were you (or your D/S) accepted to?
Accepted to BFA Acting in SUNY Purchase, USC, NYU Tisch (Adler), Marymount Manhattan and got a final callback from Rutgers however withdrew my application as I’m certain I’ll be attending Purchase.</li>
<li>Were any acceptances a surprise or did you leave the audition with a good feeling?
None of them were surprises. In Marymount Manhattan and USC, I received great comments about my performance which made me believe that they were happy. I was videotaped at my Purchase audition and also thought my NYU Tisch audition went very well. </li>
<li>Were there any auditions that you felt better about than others or were they all more or less the same?
Purchase was the one I felt the best about. This was because it was right after my Rutgers audition since it was in the room next door so I was already warmed up. (You might consider putting some auditions on the same day if they are being held at the same hotel, it really helps as you get in the mood) My auditors were extremely relaxed and friendly which also helped.<br></li>
<li>Did you enter straight out of high school?
Yes!</li>
<li>Did you attend an arts based high school with a theater stream?
Nope. We only do 1 production per year. I do however take IB Theatre, which helped me in the interview process as it expanded my knowledge. </li>
<li>Did you get any special coaching for your auditions?
I attended Guildford School of Acting in England for three weeks where I got to work on one of my monologues. I also got help from an actress who also teaches in a conservatory here in Turkey.</li>
<li>What were your considerations in choosing your monologues?
I first of all was very careful with picking characters close to my age range. I read many plays and I was sure that the monologues I picked would not be overdone yet still be known by the auditors. As some schools only required one monologue for their auditions, I made sure that at least one monologue I picked showed a range of emotions. As comedy is not my strength, I did not pick any comedic monologues and tried to make my monologues contrast in different ways (for example one of my characters was very vulnerable and sweet, while another was extremely strong and full of pride) I also tried to find a connection between myself and all of the characters I played. I also imagined every characters’ appearance, gathering information from the plays and made sure I could be cast as those characters. I read the plays which I chose my monologues from several times so I was very familiar with them. Lastly, I loved every single one of my characters and I believe that is a very important factor in making your performance truthful. </li>
<li>How many monologues did you prepare, the minimum required or more?
I prepared four monologues, two being classical, one being contemporary yet classic and one being very modern. I also prepared a song which I really love and which shows my range. </li>
<li>Did you select different monologues for for different auditions or were they all the same?
Since the four monologues I picked covered the requirements for every school, I picked from those four for each school depending on what they wanted.</li>
<li>Did you use a coach specifically to get ready for auditions? If so, was it a local person you knew or did you hire someone outside your network of teachers?
Like I said above, my coach was a local person I knew. We worked with her about three times before my auditions.</li>
<li>Did your “formal” theater training start in high school or before?
It started in high school.</li>
<li>Have you always known you wanted to act?
I was a sophomore when I realized that I want to become an actress thanks to my wonderful drama teacher.</li>
<li>Is there anything in particular that you think helped or hindered your college auditions?
I watched a lot of plays, read a lot of plays and did a lot of research on theatre beforehand. I attended workshops whenever I got the opportunity. IB Theatre also gave me a better understanding of theatre of the world, so all of the things I listed gave me a lot to talk about during the interviews. I made sure I wasn’t just focused on acting and tried to become a well-rounded performer throughout the years. I played two instruments, sang, and attended dance lessons. I have to admit that my different look might have also helped me as I come from Turkey and have a Mediterranean look.</li>
<li>If you had to go through the whole process again next year is there anything that you would change/add/detract etc.?
Nope, it has been a wonderful experience and I would not change anything about it. However I recommend others to audition for more schools. The only reason why I could only audition for 5 schools was because I had to fly all the way from Turkey therefore missed a lot of school days. I was almost under the risk of failing my senior year!! I was really scared at first that 5 schools would not be enough but I was very fortunate!!! </li>
<li>Anything else you would like to add
Good luck!! It is a stressful process but a wonderful experience. Before your auditions make sure you are fully warmed up. But most importantly, believe in yourself.</li>
</ul>

51

<ul>
<li>Which colleges were you (or your D/S) aacepted to?
I was accepted into the BFA Acting program at 2 of the 3 schools I auditioned for - TCU and OU. I was waitlisted at UH.</li>
<li>Were any acceptances a surprise or did you leave the audition with a good feeling? I was hoping to get into OU, although I was so stressed out during the entire audition day I didn’t think I would. But three weeks later, I found out I was accepted. As for TCU, they contacted me before Christmas Break - shocking, because they only accept 2-3 by the time the holidays roll around. Needless to say, I was very happy.</li>
<li>Were there any auditions that you felt better about than others or were they all more or less the same? TCU was much more relaxed, you showed up, signed in, waited, performed, and left. OU made a whole day of the audition, with tours of the facilities, Q&A sessions, and lunch - which probably was the cause of my stress. I like to get it over with.</li>
<li>Did you enter straight out of high school?
Yes</li>
<li>Did you attend an arts based high school with a theater stream?
I did not; however, I would say that my high school’s program is unique in that my director writes one show per year for us to perform. From what I understand, some colleges like to see new works performed as well as traditional shows.</li>
<li>Did you get any special coaching for your auditions?
I did. I was fortunate enough to be coached by a brilliant director/stage and TV actress I’d worked with in 2011. We met twice, I believe, and I felt very well prepared afterwards.</li>
<li>What were your considerations in choosing your monologues?
I knew I needed something that wasn’t done very often, so as to keep the colleges from comparing me to others they had seen before. I also needed something I could connect with so I could give my best performance.</li>
<li>How many monologues did you prepare, the minimum required or more?
I read through a bajillion scripts before I finally chose 3 different pieces. Two schools required a contemporary and a classical, one required two contemporary. </li>
<li>Did you select different monologues for different auditions or were they all the same?
For OU and TCU, I did the same monologues and made sure not to over-rehearse between the audition dates, just to make sure it sounded “new.” For UH, I did my original contemporary and chose a new one that portrayed a different emotion, as well.</li>
<li>Did your “formal” theater training start in high school or before?
I’ve been acting since 2nd grade, so about 10 years now; although, I’ve auditioned for more well-known theaters in recent years.</li>
<li>Have you always known you wanted to act?
YES! It’s been my dream since I was young.</li>
<li>Is there anything in particular that you think helped or hindered your college auditions?
I probably should have let my hair down more at auditions and befriended those who I only saw as “competition.” That was my biggest problem at OU: I felt so much pressure to be exactly what the faculty was looking for that I lost myself in the process.</li>
<li>If you had to go through the whole process again next year is there anything that you would change/add/detract etc.?
I probably would have auditioned for more “well-known” schools, so to speak, at Unifieds. We actually considered doing so this year, but money was tight, and a flight to Chicago was pretty much out of the question.</li>
<li>Anything else you would like to add.
Make bold choices -from your monologues to which colleges you audition for. I’m not very good at comedy, but I chose a piece that challenged me a bit. Doing so kept me trying my hardest, rather than settling for average. I think having a monologue coach really really helped me - sometimes other people see a meaning in a piece that you might not have noticed, or see certain words that should be stressed, etc. Above all, be yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others because you are your own person, and that is something that you should take pride in. I sincerely wish each of you the best as you begin the process!</li>
</ul>