Auditions for Acting

*These guidelines are subject to change based on audition modality. Any changes will be communicated via your application portal and from audtions@bsu.edu. 

• Prepare two contemporary monologues that are each one-minute (maximum) in length. Please time your monologues! It will not reflect favorably on your audition if you exceed the time limit.
• Your monologues should contrast: differences in tone, language styles, and character (i.e. characters who may speak differently, move differently, and/or have a different set of values). If you feel comfortable with a classical piece, you may choose to do one classical and one contemporary.
• Choose monologues that are well written and from published plays. Avoid monologues from movies, monologue books (unless you have read the play), musicals and the internet. Never attempt an audition monologue without reading the entire play and understanding your character in the context of the play.
• Monologues should have a beginning, middle, and end with a journey, discovery, or change.
• Choose characters that are within five years of your playable age range.
• Do not choose monologues that require accents, eccentric characterizations, props, or costumes.
• Portray one character per monologue.
• Avoid material that is overly sexual, violent, or offensive (i.e. there are a number of monologues about suicide, rape, and abortion; we advise against using those.)
• With monologues, we are fine with you taking certain liberties, like shortening a monologue to fit within the 1 min. time limit, or even cutting and pasting a scene together to create a monologue. With that said, we are big believers in being true to the playwright and not substituting words. We get a lot of questions regarding whether one should cut out any expletives, cursing, etc. The answer is no; do not change the words of your monologue. How a character speaks defines them.
• Avoid climactic material that requires great depth or intensity of emotions. There is not enough time to achieve these emotional peaks effectively and honestly. 
• Finally, choose material that you connect with and love. Choose a character and a play that you are passionate about. We want to get to know you through this material and the characters you are portraying. We are looking for you to create an honest relationship with the person you're speaking to in your monologue, as well as clear given circumstances outlined by the playwright.

Your monologue audition should be preceded by an introduction including only the following items:

• your name
• the name of the play
• the playwright for each piece you are doing

You will decide which piece to do first, so come in knowing that; no need to ask us which piece you should start with.

Example

"Hi, my name is Jane Smith; my first piece will be from ‘Summer and Smoke’ by Tennessee Williams, and my second piece will be from ‘This is Our Youth’ by Kenneth Lonergan."

We are often taping the auditions for other faculty members to watch at a later date, so do not be thrown off if you see a camera. You will need to wait for the person operating the camera to give you a go-ahead before you slate your name and pieces.

This is our first impression of you! Practice your introduction so you feel confident. Find out how to correctly pronounce the play titles and playwrights' names.

• During the monologues, choose focal points slightly above and/or to the side of those you are auditioning for. Don’t look us in the eye or use us as your scene partner (unless you ask, but it is generally best not to do this). We need to be focusing on you vs. being in the scene with you.
• Those auditioning you may be writing notes (or typing on a laptop) while you’re introducing yourself and also while you’re doing your pieces. Don’t let this distract you, and no need to wait for us to look at you before you start. Because of time, we need to take notes while you are performing. We assure you, we are watching you, seeing you, and are very supportive of you and your work.
• Practice transitioning from one piece into the other. Students will often ask us, “Just go right into the next one?” The answer to that is always “yes.” So build your transition into your work and decide how you’ll move from one piece to the next.

• Choose clothing and shoes that are simple and comfortable. Be sure clothes fit well and are not too baggy or too tight. Clothes should be clean, ironed, tasteful, and allow us to concentrate on your work rather than your outfit. Please avoid large jewelry, and uncomfortable or hard-to-stand-in high heels.
• Please make sure your hair is out of your face (so we can see you!).

• Creating a list of questions you ask every university for which you are auditioning may allow you to compare programs more specifically. However, the answers to many of your questions will be on the various departmental websites and in printed materials, so we cannot emphasize enough how important it is to research the programs prior to your audition. It's possible that you will be asked what you are looking for in a program and why you're interested in our program in particular. Having a sense of what differentiates one program from another is one of the best things you can do prior to your college theatre audition.
• If you haven't been able to find an answer to your question(s), please feel free to ask the faculty or the theatre students who will be present on your audition day. We want to make sure you get the information you need!

This is a time for us to find out a bit more about you, and for you to learn more about our program and us. Relax, breathe, and be yourself. We look forward to meeting you!