<p>Anyone know anything about the program or the audition? They only require one monologue so it is hard to figure out which way to go with that monologue. Classic, contemporary, dramatic, comedic. Any advice from current students or anyone?</p>
<p>I guess I am in the “anyone” category.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything specifically about University of Northern Colorado.</p>
<p>However, with ALL of these auditions, the first thing to do is to read and re-read the audition instructions and advice provided by the school.</p>
<p>If it really does just ask for ONE monologue, without any further explanation, I think you probably want to choose a monologue that is both contemporary and dramatic. That I believe will give the auditors the best idea of what sort of actor you are.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I guess the better question for me to ask is should I do a Shakespeare piece and unco if it’s my strongest piece. Some schools just don’t prefer shakespeare though.</p>
<p>Patsboy:</p>
<p>I don’t think I understand your last post completely.</p>
<p>Always follow the school’s own instructions and advice.</p>
<p>If the instructions and advice really only say “one monologue”, without any clarification, I think it would be your best plan to choose a contemporary monologue, that is to say one from a play written in the last forty or fifty years or so. So I would not suggest Shakespeare for your one monologue, because he wrote about 400 years ago. He is not “contemporary”, he is “classical”.</p>
<p>In general, I would advise young actors to avoid monologues from Shakespeare when auditioning. There are a couple of reasons for this. All of the monologues for young characters in Shakespeare have been done so many times at auditions that auditors are sick of them. Also, it’s pretty much a given that the auditors will have heard somebody do that monologue much better than you are doing it. And almost certainly, since the plays are so well known, the auditors probably have strong opinions about what the “right” way to play the character is. There is no way you will know what this opinion is, so you will probably be playing the character in a way that the auditors think is “wrong”.</p>
<p>Now I know that Central School in London has a list of Shakespeare monologues they want auditioners to choose from, and I heard that one school does say “Shakespeare preferred”. Again, the most important rule is to follow the school’s own instructions. In the absence of such instructions, I would suggest avoiding Shakespeare.</p>
<p>If a school actually ASKS for a classical monologue, and does not require or prefer Shakespeare, I would suggest pretty much any OTHER playwright writing in English before, say, 1800. There are a lot of classical English playwrights other than Shakespeare, even some who lived at the same time as Shakespeare and knew him personally. If you choose one of these other playwrights, the auditors will be impressed just because you know a classical English playwright other than Shakespeare–most of the other auditioners will just assume that “classical” means “Shakespeare.”</p>
<p>But my advice about your U. North Colorado audition remains the same. If what you have told me is accurate, that they really are just saying “one monologue” and they do not give any more instructions or advice, I would advise you to find a monologue that is contemporary–which means “modern” or “new” and does not mean something old like Shakespeare–and is also dramatic–by which I mean not comic.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>Absolutely right, KEVP. Great post. Shakespeare is a bit risky. One top program that used to require one contemporary and one Shakespeare now requires two contemporaries. NYU has long required two contemporaries.</p>
<p>I am a current freshmen acting major at UNC and I know this sound cliche-but do whatever you are best at. We don’t focus on shakespeare in class until junior year ( i think) so i wouldn’t recommend doing a classical piece unless you think you are an incredible “shakespearean actor.” Just go with what shows you best-whether thats a comedic or dramatic piece it doesn’t matter. It is probably too late for this advice haha but at least it is here for the future.</p>
<p>Hey thanks for the info. I went with my contemp dramatic and got early acceptance! Still waiting on one more school but I will most likely be there next year. How do you like the program?</p>
<p>Glad to hear it patsboy, and good to hear that people are actually getting some success from following my advice–so I’m not just talking out of my rear end!</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>Well I ended up getting my friend (who attends the school) to ask her acting teacher what he prefers. He said to go with the contemp. So I couldn’t go against that. The dilemma I was facing was that my Shakespeare piece was my strongest piece. And they only gave me one monologue. But it all worked out. Thanks.</p>
<p>Love to hear how you like the program at UNC. My D got early acceptance there as well and is debating between a few schools and waiting to hear on one more. But I would be interested to hear your experience!</p>