<p>So I had my Fordham audition over the weekend. I was the one who wondered how strictly the auditioners would adhere to the stated 1.5 minute limit for monologues. I was warned, and so timed and trimmed one of my pieces to fit their abbreviated guidelines. I got to the school earlier than my audition time so I could hear the info session talk and take a tour of the school. These were well executed and appreciated. There weren't that many people there to audition, as the auditorium seemed to be filled with relatives. </p>
<p>They started calling names to take to the audition rooms. Many people were not present for their auditions. I went on a tour with my dad and we were gone about 25 or 30 minutes. Between the number of people who did not show BEFORE we left and the number of no shows after the tour and before my audition, there were at least 25 "empty" audition slots. I asked another girl if a mass of people showed up while we were on the tour. She said no, and I have no reason not to believe her.</p>
<p>But when it was my turn on deck, the student checking us in told us that the auditioners were "running late" and we would only have time to do ONE monologue. We looked at each other.... like, huh? They should have extra time since so many people didn't show up. But they said, yes, and you can pick the one you want!, brightly, as though that made up for it. So I go into the room and there are two auditoners and I verify---you only want ONE piece?---and they say, yes, just one. So I give them my contemporary. They nod, and I leave. </p>
<p>Honestly, I feel angry about this. Unless time is compressed at Fordham in some weird way, they could not have been "running late" unless they decided not to use as many auditioners due to the large number of no shows. Or maybe they all wanted to get home and watch tv. Who knows? But even if they could tell my entire artistic future in the first four seconds of my monologue, I feel cheated out of the opportunity to show them an Ophelia they haven't seen before (everybody forgets how young she was), and think that if they are honest---and as a Society of Jesus institution you'd think that would be a top priority---they should refund half the audition fee to each applicant who was treated this way. And that's what I think.</p>
<p>I’m sorry you didn’t have a good experience at Fordham this weekend. </p>
<p>My S also auditioned but in the morning. He said there were a lot of people there for morning auditions and they announced early that they would be hearing only one monologue. He was disappointed not to get to do his contemporary but he chose to do his classic and felt it went very well. It IS possible that they were running late by the afternoon…he got home way later than I expected and he did not stay for the info session/tour because he had already done this at the Open House in fall. Or maybe they just wanted to give everyone, morning and afternoon auditions alike, the same opportunity. You are right…who knows? Try not to overthink the process, learn from your experience and just wait it out. I have read many posts from people who got into schools with audition experiences that they didn’t feel good about and didn’t get into the schools where they left feeling were a sure bet! </p>
<p>Oh and btw, Fordham didn’t charge an audition fee.</p>
<p>I think sandkmom may well have a good point-- they were running late in the morning and did ask the morning auditioners to do only one monologue and perhaps felt they needed in fairness to have everyone present only one monologue.</p>
<p>My son auditioned sunday morning also and presented one monologue. Other schools also requested just one monologue too, if memory serves me.</p>
<p>I will say that Fordham had quite a friendly reception area for family/friends, with students answering questions and a beautiful breakfast buffet.</p>
<p>My D auditioned for the Fordham BFA back in 2008 and had a really positive experience, too. She did not feel rushed; in fact, she got to do both of her monologues for several people, as the original auditors passed her to different rooms in which different auditors were present. We also found that the students who were helping that day were extremely friendly and knowledgeable and open to answering all kinds of questions, including about financial aid. I am sorry the original poster here had a less-than-great experience.</p>
<p>D auditions this Friday and I’d like to know from those of you who have already auditioned for Fordham, did you see people turning in headshots and resumes at audition time? There’s no mention of it on the website or in the confirmation email. Yet, on the Fordham theatre website are photographs of some faculty sitting at an audition table that is covered with headshots. Confusing.</p>
<p>I auditioned this Sunday and I had a great experience. I was initially told to only perform one monologue, so I did. They then asked me to perform my second monologue, told me that they liked it, and sent me to a second panel. </p>
<p>At the second panel, they asked me to perform one monologue again, but when I finished it, they requested to see my second one as well. </p>
<p>The auditors were very friendly, they asked a couple of questions to get to know me a little bit, then said thank you and sent me out. I also noticed that they did not sit there with stopwatches like I had expected. I know for a fact that one of my monologues exceeded 1.30 but they did not seem to mind.</p>
<p>Violetsky: No one in my session turned in headshots or resumes :)</p>
<p>Good luck to those auditioning!
The most important thing is to have fun with it, enjoy the experience and the auditors will enjoy it too.</p>
<p>I was specifically asked for a headshot/resume before I left the audition room. Again–who knows? Sandmom, what was I supposed to learn from that experience? That some people don’t manage time and groups of people at all well. I already knew that :)</p>
<p>Drama, I asked my dad and you are right, they didn’t charge an audition fee–my bad. I actually didn’t even pay an application fee either. I don’t know if it was because I was in an academic scholarship pool.</p>
<p>There is ALWAYS something to learn, Millie. Maybe this time it’s that not all auditions go the way you expect or want them to. You said you felt cheated not to get to perform Ophelia. How are you going to feel when you’ve been waiting on line for an open call for hours and they stop seeing people or you get typed out? These things happen all the time and you’ve got to be thick skinned about it. That said, I hope all of your other auditions go well for you. :)</p>
<p>modernmillie, you are so very eloquent and charming it makes me think you must be quite an actress-- I hope you find yourself someplace wonderful next year. (Maybe someplace a bit better organized than Fordham was on the day you were there :-)</p>
<p>My daughter had a similar experience with Fordham at Chicago unifieds, 1-2-3 “thanks” and goodbye.</p>
<p>My own take is that they should give something to every kid who puts themselves out there. It would take all of 45 seconds to say, “let’s try it from the top but think about XYZ as you do it.” The school could then assess the student’s ability to learn quickly; perhaps the most important thing a school could look at. </p>
<p>That’s okay, though, because the school is being auditioned too. She won’t be going to Fordham, admitted or not. Okay, maybe if she got a big scholarship. Or housing at Lincoln Center. Or… oh, forget it.</p>
<p>Croner, as it happens, I agree with you that it really wouldn’t cost the auditors at these schools that much time to at least give the pretense of more interest to each kid who puts herself out there. As a parent of a kid who went through quite a few college auditions (boy, am I glad we are on the other side now!), I can relate to how painful it is to watch your kid work so hard to prepare for an audition and then have them pretty much summarily dismissed.</p>
<p>However – and I know this sounds harsh – when our kids get out into the real world and are one of hundreds (and sometimes many hundreds) showing up at an audition, this is what it is going to be like. In fact, many times, if there is a long line at a non-equity audition, they will go through and just say “you, you, not you, you” and type people out by their looks before they can even open their mouths or hand over their resumes. </p>
<p>As far as financial aid/scholarships at Fordham, well, I wish you better luck than my kid had! She did get accepted to the acting program, but the financial aid was by far the worst she was offered anywhere. NYU, which has a rep for being tightfisted, was way way more generous. That said, my D was impressed with the program and the auditors at Fordham and was geniunely happy that they liked her, too. </p>
<p>My D auditioned that sunday 1/31 in the AM…she too only did one monologue…although she didnt say much about the audition…its sort of a family good luck charm >>we dont talk about auditions …she did seem happy after the audition…but I dont think she went to any additional panels or was asked questions…
Has anyone figured out any of this…mathematically it doesnt make sense that only those asked to go to an additional panel are the “CHOSEN” ones…especially because some of those kids may not make it into the school academically…remember …alot of people will automatically get elimanated because they are not accepted into the school…Has anyone that was accepted into the acting program at Fordham ever posted stating that at their audition they only went into one room…I wonder if we’re all making more of these auditions than what it’s worth…there may be more variables…such as academics etc …Anyone have any ideas?..seems almost impossible to “DECODE”</p>
<p>My son auditioned for Fordham and we liked the school very much. It had a very friendly feel. He was not asked to repeat his piece (one) to anyone in a different room but he was also asked for a headshot/resume by one of the two auditors. He will almost certainly receive some academic scholarship, however small, if he is admitted, according to an email from admissions.</p>
<p>Son did the contemporary piece and said they laughed at all the right places. Most of the auditors have not been familiar with his main contemporary monologue, from a play by Canadian author Norm Foster. I wonder if that has hurt, or helped him----but as you say, alcalyon, this business of trying to read the tea leaves or “decode” the signs… I guess it is just better to wait with hope. S has two very good BA options (already accepted to both EA with full academic scholarships) if he doesn’t get in an audition program. He would be seriously disappointed, but I don’t think he would be willing to give up a year to a gap program or start all over again as a conservatory freshman if he auditioned after a year of a BA. I guess that is when he would start considering a BA/MFA… we need to start watering those money-tree seeds :)</p>
<p>^^Couldn’t help but gasp when I saw the monologue given away in the above post. Those of us who, like Skipsmom above, did lots of research and read lots of plays just to find the perfect monologue are very hesitant to let it be known on a forum like this just what our monologues are. Sure, we’re done with our auditions now, so what does it matter if next year’s auditioners “steal” our monologues? It does matter. It hurts them. Look at the hundreds of people who read these threads. You know darn well that lots of boys who read the above post are thinking “Hot damn! A great monologue I can check out!” Yeah, you and three hundred other boys. Don’t do it. It will no doubt become common and in no time cited as overused. Skipsmom said the auditors laughed in all the right places, but are they going to do that when they’ve heard it a hundred times? Nope. Anyway, I’ve made my point. Don’t be lazy in finding monologues. You want to separate yourself from the crowd. Work hard, and best wishes, class of 2015!</p>
<p>Skipsmom didn’t tell the actual name of the play, for heaven’s sake, collegebrowser. You do make a good point about the importance of finding the freshest material possible, though.</p>
<p>Best wishes to the class of 2015…but especially to the class of 2014, lol.</p>
<p>I would think that lots of people are familiar with that author, collegebrowser… he is both prolific and famous, you know But that is a v.g. point about finding “your” monologues and then reading the entire play. Despite being told not to do a piece without reading it in context, lots of kids seem to do just that. If they can’t discuss the play it tells the auditors right off the bat that they’re lazy.</p>
</p>
But that is a v.g. point about finding “your” monologues and then reading the entire play. Despite being told not to do a piece without reading it in context, lots of kids seem to do just that. If they can’t discuss the play it tells the auditors right off the bat that they’re lazy.</p>