Ok, let me start this off by saying I truly love my Dad, but during this week he (at times) could have been the biggest pain. My parents did not go through this process in college, so they understand the basics and the rest you have to keep reminding them about. If your Dad is anything like mine and thought they would be able to sit in on the auditions, they are wrong. This trip for the parents is pretty much catering to us in things such as travel, food, shelter, comfort, guidance, reassurance, alarm clock, and telling you that you know nothing about the world (Chicago is a big city that can hurt you if you are not careful and you are a child who knows little to nothing about how the world chews you up and spits you out again) (again I live in Ohio and I am live in a sheltered bubble of safety). Parents, besides catering to your child’s every need, you also get to lounge around a fun city while your child auditions for schools. Do not be surprised if you walk done a hallway and see parents sleep crouched on hotel floors. This is a time to bring your computer and headphones and have me time, you can also enjoy this time for you.
Thanks for the threads sharing your experiences, Mangomiley. They’ll be really helpful for people in future years.
@Naevia You are welcome, I wanted to share a more recent and in-depth experience, that way students and parents know exactly what they are walking into.
So last week my father and I drove to Chicago for my Unified Auditions, I had in comparison to others a smaller scheduled audition route. I planned to be in Chicago for three days and I had one scheduled for each day, the three schools I had scheduled were Pace University, Depaul University, and Roosevelt University (in that order). So the first thing to know if you are driving PLEASE BE CAREFUL, especially during this time of year, I live in Ohio and I thought I was prepared but it is vastly colder and much icier. So starting out with my first day, my Pace audition began with everyone walking in doing their monologues and for me, it went/felt powerful and honest (which is what you want). They received it well and asked for the play write, so much sure you know all of that once you walk into that room, I had forgotten mine and told them I would be back with the name. The next round was the partner scenes, (the dialogue was very vague so be creative with the world you create) my partner and I worked very well together and had agreed to give it our best and turned out pretty well. They asked her to change somethings (DO NOT READ INTO THIS) and she did. Then after that, the faculty dwindled down a large number of applicants, the movement callback was posted, only 10 people were called back; they say if you are not on that list, your chances of being in the BA or BFA are obsolete. Luckily, my name was on that list, so I waited for maybe 20 minutes and had time to change if needed. We walked into the room and got to moving, it is like your average movement class (if you are like me this is the time to get OUT of your head and be IN THE MOMENT), it was actually fun and helped create unity within the group. After that, we had a Q&A session, which was great because you could connect on another level with the faculty and become more informed about what they offer. Then you are released and they say to wait until mid- March for results
The audition begins with a Q&A session with one of the academic advisors, whose very nice and helpful. And then you are separated into two groups by the last name, the total group had about 20 people, so my group had about 10 people in it. We began with a movement class which was very fun, you become a real ensemble by physically interacting with people with whom you have never met.This helped take the ¨audition" aspect away, so people would find it hard to be self-centered. After that we went into the monologue portion of the audition, I warn you, for those who do not know this WILL be done in front of your peers. This is not as bad as you think it is, once you have done movement the nerves will have (hopefully) settled and you find that point of focus and create the world that your character lives in. Focus on telling the character´s story and less on your nerves and they should melt away, just remember you have one shot to get this right you got this! Once everyone finishes that, the partner scene commences, you and a partner are given a scene and are given time to get comfortable with the material. You do not have to have it memorized, but you both need to be prepared to switch roles or become ok with the idea that they will be asking you to make changes to what you have done (DO NOT READ INTO THIS). Finally, there is an interview portion that happens immediately after the partner scene, be ready to answer any question they throw at you, such as Why here? How do you think you could benefit from this training? Why a conservatory style of learning? What about it is appealing to you? Then you leave and what until mid-March.
This a short audition, you walk in (15-30 minutes prior) and fill out paperwork and wait for your turn. Use time wisely by preparing, so your audition goes well. I waited maybe 30 minutes before I auditioned. The environment for me while auditioning was warm and inviting, I did and ethnic piece and a contrasting comedic piece and the faculty member and I had discussed the obstacles people of the color face within the industry. It was a refreshing conversation to have and really opened my eyes. The faculty member made me feel wanted and included within that audition, which is great.
I am a girl, who went and auditioned for straight acting, so I am not sure what to say on this topic as far as MT. Honestly wear whatever makes you feel comfortable/confident (with common sense). My outfits composed of cardigans, turtlenecks, thick leggings, and my hunter boots. I was comfortable and felt confident in what I had on, also keep in mind you just might want to bring an extra pair of clothes for movement. If you want, find one thing that will make you stand out, it could be a fun scarf, or colorful socks that peak through, or maybe even a fun headband. Nothing that would take away from the character, but something that adds to you. You can wear DARK jeans and just make sure to dress them up with a nice top and accessories. Please wear shoes that fit you, no one wants to fall on there face walking into an audition (this is not how you want to be remembered). Your hair can be worn however you think it makes sense for your character, mine was down and parted to the side. Your makeup should be presentable for the audition, wear as much or as little as you think you can tolerate and your character would want. Do not go crazy with fragrance either, no one wants to smell your presence 20 minutes after you left the room. Also, carry a bookbag with you so you can carry your change of clothes and review materials, this is also ideal where you would keep your winter boots because the weather is chaotic at this time of year. I hope this helps!
@Mangomiley, Thank you for sharing your real-life experiences. It looks like when the moderator @MaineLonghorn consolidated your threads into one, the school names for what are now posts #2 and #3 above may only have appeared in the thread’s title & were thus lost in the process. Would you perhaps want to add a postscript so future readers will know which of those two is about DePaul and which is about Roosevelt?
Good luck to you in this crazy process!