<p>I am in the process of helping my D with interview questions/techniques and was wondering what are some questions that you were asked or that you ask prospective students? Also, any tips? We've talked about researching each college and truly figuring out why she wants to go to each one. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>Asked about career goals, experience, favorite role she has played, why this particular college and, in D’s case, what it was like to live in Africa (it was on her application somewhere)</p>
<p>Also, make sure you read the WHOLE play that your monologue is from and understand the character, etc. They will ask about choices that you make.</p>
<p>If you are doing practice interviews, every now and then throw in something totally weird and wacky – at one school, D was asked to tell a joke :)</p>
<p>My D prepared several humorous/interesting anecdotes about herself, and was often able to insert them into the conversation during the interviews. She always got a good response.</p>
<p>Sidebar to MusThCC…back when my D did college auditions, she auditioned at the school I think you are referring to because before we went there for the audition, her friend who was a student there already told her she might be asked to tell a joke. We found this out right before the trip. And so on the plane ride to that campus, my D kept trying to think up jokes. Instead of using pre-written jokes, she landed on some real life experiences that were linked together in a very funny way. I will never forget the plane ride as she had me cracking up the whole way there. So, what happens? She does the audition and after all that, was never asked to tell a joke! I just remembered that now and ironically, my D, who I admit is strong at comedy, now (among many other things) writes and performs original musical sketch comedy in NYC. Funny how that turned out. She didn’t get into that college.</p>
<p>We went to a master class practice audition last week and after a girl did her dramatic monologue she was asked to now do it as a stand up comedy routine. It was so much better than the original because she really showed herself- not something practiced over and over. Brilliant!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your responses. We really appreciate your input.</p>
<p>This wasn’t an interview question, but on my D’s resume it mentions that she picks up dialects well, which she does, very well. One of the audition panelists asked her to demonstrate! She was completely taken aback and had a hard time coming up with something to say in a dialect. So be sure you’re prepared to demonstrate anything your resume says you can do!</p>
<p>Sometimes in an interview, a student is asked to talk about his or her opinion on a production or role or something. The key to this, and every interview, is to be real. No one wants a rehearsed or too-happy-that-it’s-fake person in their program!</p>
<p>I second tracyvp’s advice - if it’s listed on your resume, be prepared to demonstrate pm a moment’s notice!</p>
<p>Last year at Chicago Unifieds, a number of students were asked about the ‘riskiest thing’ they had ever done. Caught some dedicated students off guard, as ‘risky’ had not been one of their major life practices!</p>
<p>I have a few pieces of advice for those of you “preparing for an interview.” It is my job as an interviewer to get some honest answers. If I suspect that you have rehearsed the answers, I’ll change up the questions in order to find out something about you. I am admittedly attempting to trick you because the sole point of the interview is to learn something about you. There are right and wrong answers to be sure. Or at least answers that make you a stronger or weaker candidate for that school. But they are asked so that we may use the answer to figure out if we (the school and the student) are compatible. </p>
<p>This is a four year marriage. You need to enter into it honestly and openly or it will not turn out well. School is expensive, and BFA transfers are difficult at best. Please. I beg of you. Even if you rehearse, just be perfectly and totally honest. Trust that we have an idea of who fits best into our programs and best with our faculty. </p>
<p>I just completed a four day series of auditions. I interviewed many students. I can tell you right now that not one of them even knows that is what I was doing. I simply sat down next to them, and started chatting. The students were warm and open and honest and engaging and funny. Those same students, when called back, were interviewed more formally. And they were stilted and rehearsed. We learned nothing.</p>
<p>The questions will be the same at most schools. Where do you see yourself in five years or ten years? If you can’t perform what would you do? What draws you to the theatre? And the controversial (and please, before we begin this argument again there is a thread in this forum that went on far too long concerning this question) “where else are you looking?” What is your favorite play/musical? What is the last play you read? </p>
<p>By the way. The joke question is a classic. It shows how you react quickly to a difficult situation in performance AND it shows if you have any comic timing. </p>
<p>Finally, I have two faculty members who are experts in Voice for the Actor and dialects. If you put it on your resume that you do an accent, I suggest that the accent actually be quite good. A fake cockney you learned from watching “Oliver!” one too many times will not ingratiate you with the faculty. Same is true for anything else on the resume. </p>
<p>Bottom line. Please, please, please. Be honest. Please.</p>
<p>“Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” -George Burns</p>