My Chapman Audition Experience!

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Hello all! On Saturday I had my first in-person audition (sent a DVD to Texas State already), which was at Chapman for their BFA Theater Performance program. I know Chapman kind of flies under the radar on these boards and is something of an enigma to those outside of California, but it really is a top-notch program and I thought I'd share. </p>

<p>I showed up at about 2:45 pm, having driven up from San Diego after the SAT. I was one of three afternoon auditioners, and went last. Moulton Hall is a large building erupting from the side of Waltmar Theater; it's modern, clean, and always buzzing with activity-- I was surprised at how much activity was going on on a Saturday afternoon! After filling out the audition form, I waited around watching the goings-on; a passing professor (I believe his name was Evans?) stopped to make small talk on his way to working with a few of his students and wished me luck, which gave me a good feeling about the place. </p>

<p>The audition took place upstairs in a black box classroom with two adjudicators: Dr. LeNoir, the theatre department chair-- a sweet older lady with a big laugh-- and Professor Bradac, who looks rather like a sleepy bear and didn't smile once, but is one if the foremost Shakespearean scholars in California. After a quick introduction and a few questions about my info sheet, they asked me to read; Dr. LeNoir gave me a bit of direction, and after I made the change, they invited me to sit for a short interview. </p>

<p>In the interview, they asked a little bit about my experiences, skillset, and career goals before asking if I had any questions for them. I asked what basic lower-division courses were like: scene study, Stanislavsky, or whatever. Prof. Bradac replied that they were, if I took Scene Study or Stanislavsky 101. </p>

<p>Well, ask a stupid question.</p>

<p>Dr. LeNoir elaborated that the first two years are more about stripping away what you come in with and molding you into a more introspective artist, or as Prof. Bradac put it: "We assume that if you're auditioning for us, you can perform. Here, we try to remove that theatricality and work on getting to the 'inner truth'."</p>

<p>I didn't have any more questions, so that ended the interview and I went out. Personally, I feel like I would have done better if I'd had an idea what to expect, so here it is for everyone else's benefit.</p>

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<p>You’re a good writer, strangebro! I really enjoyed reading this.</p>

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<p>Thank you for sharing your experience. Chapman is on my S list as well. We haven’t made it out for a campus tour but will early this summer. So, did you hear back from them?</p>

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<p>Our pal, StrangeBro, not only got in, but he’s already sent in his deposit! A big congrats to him!</p>

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<p>Thanks shakespearefan! Yeah, I’ve gone ahead and committed. I strongly considered TCU’s BA Theater and Southern Utah for a while, but after seeing the theater department perform Lanford Wilson’s “The Rimers of Eldritch” at Chapman-- and, more importantly, meeting and chatting with the students after the show-- I couldn’t come up with any reason NOT to be there. I’m a little stung that big-name schools like Emerson and Texas State turned me down, I won’t lie, but I’ve gotten to a place that I’m happy with, and that’s all that matters. :)</p>

<p>Any other future Chapmaniacs out there? Especially in the College of Performing Arts?</p>

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<p>I just found this thread and thanks so much for sharing. You answered a few of my questions through PM and that was great. I will be sharing this info with my D. She has the first audition slot on the first day for EA in October. This is her top choice and the only auditioned BFA she is interested in. I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. My D saw a performance of Stage Door this past Spring and felt exactly like you did. This is where she wants to be. Keep fingers crossed :)</p>

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<p>Bisouu, my D was late to get the first day of auditions in October! She will also audition for Chapman EA but in November. Thank you for bumping this thread up. Good luck to your D and keep us posted.</p>

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<p>I hope she is. I will tell her to check this again. Yes, my daughter is applying to all the theater programs in LA. She dreams about USC BFA but it’s very tough. She liked Chapman and LMU too. She hopes Whittier is her safety. Nothing is safety for me though!</p>

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<p>Nonactingmom - I pm’d you :)</p>

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<p>I did not receive your PM, Bisouu.</p>

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<p>Is it appropriate to shake the auditors hands either before or after the audition/questioning?</p>

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<p>Yes, absolutely. Preferably both before and after unless they say otherwise (some prefer not to in case those auditioning are ill).</p>

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<p>It really depends.</p>

<p>If there are a lot of people in the room, are you going to shake everyone’s hand? If not, how would you choose which hands to shake, and how would those who you choose not to shake respond?</p>

<p>What if there is a very clear “acting area” and a separate very clear area where the auditors are sitting to keep themselves out of the way. Are you going to cross this invisible barrier, crawl across a table, whatever, to shake hands?</p>

<p>When I hold auditions, I like to stay out of the way of the actors, to give them their space to act in. I usually sit at a table, sometimes far back in the room so I can hear projection. And I am usually seeing a lot of people, and usually we fall behind schedule. My hands are usually occupied–your form, a pen for taking notes, a drink. There is really no practical way I can be shaking hands with people.</p>

<p>Read their body language to decide whether you are supposed to shake hands.</p>

<p>An old fashioned rule of Etiquette says that the person of higher status initiates the shake. This is probably archaic now, but if you are auditioning for someone, you are the person of lower status.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

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<p>Shaking hands before and after would be very odd. Some of these things are pretty quick.</p>

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<p>Since this was about Chapman and there are two auditors and it’s in the small black box theater, I was inquiring about that situation…Stagebro did you shake hands?</p>

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<p>NO HAND SHAKING - just step into the room, state your name, your monologues, and begin! Don’t even get too close to the table where the panel is.</p>

<p>Of course if the auditor approaches with outstretched hand, then by all means go for it.</p>

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<p>On a side note…in the industry auditions my D has been on she brings her headshot and resume and approaches the table and hands them to the people at the table. Would she do the same thing for a college audition? Or does someone take these from her ahead of time?</p>

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<p>It varies. I don’t know specifically how Chapman does it, but frequently they will already have your materials because you submitted then online.</p>

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<p>When my son auditioned for college programs in 2009, he generally handed his headshot and resume to a representative of the program before he was called into the audition room. He also wrote down what his monologues were on a form that he was given at that time, as I recall.</p>

<p>Because of that, he would not approach the table. No need to.</p>

<p>Perhaps things have changed and these days the auditors will have access, during the audition, to the headshot and resume that were submitted online? If that were the case, it would also not be necessary to approach the table.</p>

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<p>Chapman is great because they are there telling you what to do every step of the way. When I went, they had us fill out some forms in the waiting area, some of which we gave to the person there, some of which we kept and some we gave to the auditors along with our portfolio/writing sample (I auditioned for the BA). As soon as you enter they will ask for these things and read them over briefly while they tell you to warm up on your own for a few moments.</p>