"Once it is over you need to realize that you had just as much talent as you had going in and that is enough. You are enough. This year is gonna be crazy for all of us and you will need time to breathe and let yourself rest and relax." -Benjamin Helbert (he/him/his) '24, theatre arts major with a musical theatre concentration.
With college auditions just around the corner, I am taken back to googling “theatre major audition process” and scavenging the results. For this week’s blog post, I reached out to freshmen and transfers from the Rowan University Department of Theatre & Dance for their best audition tips.
This article is dedicated to those going through/soon-to-be going through your college process. There are so many standard audition practices you can find online, but I would like to share some personal, genuine advice with you. I also wrote a blog post last year with tips from my freshmen class and hope to make this annual! I will put the advice I left in that post as well. I hope our experiences can ease some of your stress taking on the college audition process.
"Trust yourself- BE yourself! I know it can be troubling trusting you are enough for this college, this industry, but do not try to guess what "type" the college might be looking for. Throughout the audition process, people want to know you as the unique artist and person you are, not how well you can imitate someone else.
Please keep in mind you and the people sitting behind the table want the exact same thing- for you to succeed. Just come in and give the panel your best! You do not have to be perfect in your singing/acting/dancing/portfolio, because this is why you are going to school; to get training. Enjoy the process and opportunity to share your art you have worked so hard on.
At the same time, colleges are also looking for more than a successful audition. Your skills should be complemented by drive, commitment, confidence, and kindness. In the big wide world of theatrical auditions, it is not all about your belt or perfect turns. Being nice could be the make or break getting you through the door." -Erica Gerold (she/her/hers) ‘23, theatre arts and public relations double major with concentrations in musical theatre and theatre education.
"If there’s one thing I’d recommend, it’s definitely come prepared. I didn’t start prepping until maybe a week before my audition and then changed everything I was doing maybe an hour before my audition? Thankfully it worked out, but definitely come prepared. Also, have fun with it! I feel like you should be able to walk out of your audition with a smile on your face saying that you did your best and that’s all that matters! Everything happens for a reason, so if you’re meant to be accepted, you’ll be accepted. Don’t stress about it." -Connor Shields (he/him/his) '24, theatre arts major with concentrations in musical theatre and theatre education.
"Try to pick a piece that you are connected to, shows off your abilities the best, and will set you apart from others. Read different plays than you normally do (when looking for monologues) because you never know what character or what show will inspire you. Remember that they want you in the school just as bad as you want to be there. Yes, they have many options, but you most likely will too. The auditions that you are least nervous for are the ones that you will do best at. So take a deep breath, everything is ok.
Try to get to as many mass auditions as possible, it will give you the chance to get lots of audition practice and a confidence boost because most people get at least one callback. Then you have the first audition out of the way, and there is less pressure to be perfect at the next." -Angelina Canavan (she/her/hers) '24, theatre arts major with concentrations in acting and theatre education.
"I recommend putting everything you’re proud of into your portfolio. Nothing is ever too big or too small! Be prepared to talk about your work in an intimate setting with the Design Tech professors and possible other applicants. Nerves are inevitable but try your best to bring your best version of yourself to your interview!" -Michaela Navarro (she/her/hers) '22, theatre arts and communications double major with a concentration in design/tech and a minor in music.
"Be confident in yourself. Understand that you’ve done this before, even if it wasn’t EXACTLY auditioning for college. Chances are you auditioned for a play. You took an SAT. You tried out for a sport. You prepared hard for SOMETHING that set up a future you wanted badly! You’ve already experienced the anticipation of results, the struggle of perfecting your material, and performing under an immense amount of pressure. If you could do it once, be confident in yourself that you can do it for college auditions. Don’t let the thought of “this all defines the rest of my life” hold you back from doing something you have been building up to. This is just a stepping stone to something great! So have fun with it!" -Lennon Heitz (she/her/hers) '24, theatre arts major with a concentration in musical theatre.
"Research a little about the school, instructors, and the program!! Especially as a dance major, it’s really important to know what technique classes the school focuses on, what styles they offer, and knowing what styles to expect will be super helpful when it’s time for you to audition because there won’t be any surprises! Also, don’t be scared to talk to the professors! They’re there to help you and connect with you, having conversations with them or simply asking questions will help you stick out and they will remember your face or your name!" -Lesleigh Brennan (she/her/hers) '24, dance major.
"When in doubt, stick to what you know! If you’re not feeling your hottest on the day of auditions, maybe instead of doing those more difficult pieces you might have planned, perform the pieces you are most confident that you can knock out of the park! Also, it sounds corny but be yourself and have fun! It’s your time to show who you are and what you bring to the table!" -Nathan Fitch (he/him/his) '24, theatre arts and business management double major with a concentration in musical theatre.
"It’s okay to be nervous! It’s what you do with those nerves that count! Don’t let them overcome you, but use that energy. Everyone is rooting for you and they want you to make it. Also, try to make friends with the people next to you because they might be just as scared or nervous. Making friends definitely helped my nerves. When leaving your audition don’t think too hard about it and DO NOT beat yourself up. You did the best you could and it’s out of your hands now." -Skye Maldonado (she/her/hers) '24, theatre arts major with a concentration in musical theatre.
"My biggest advice to the incoming freshman class is a little disappointing but is good to hear. This year, no matter how good you are, you will get a no from someone somewhere. THAT IS OKAY. This process is a sort of padded reflection of what the industry is like for all of us, and that means that rejection is going to happen. My mistake during the audition and admissions process was putting extreme significance on schools and whether I got in. I didn't get into my first choices for MT, but that's okay. Every school is looking for something different so one amazing, highly acclaimed program might accept while a school not in the top 20 programs could reject your prescreens. After going through the process I felt really drained and untalented, and you might too. But once it is over you need to realize that you had just as much talent as you had going in and that is enough. You are enough. This year is gonna be crazy for all of us and you will need time to breathe and let yourself rest and relax. Good luck to you all and I am excited to see all the auditionees for Rowan Theatre & Dance." -Benjamin Helbert (he/him/his) '24, theatre arts major with a musical theatre concentration.
Looking to audition for the Rowan University Department of Theatre & Dance? Click this link for more information! https://cpa.rowan.edu/theatre_dance/prospective/admissions.html
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See you next Monday!!
Erica Gerold
Musical Theatre & Public Relations '23
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