school help: I’m considering applying for a Drama and Performance college program in a year or so.. - Help.com

Yes there’s bound to be an audition if there’s acting involved, but I know college courses around where I live that don’t require a formal audition, so it depends on the course really. Look it up on the net if you’re not sure.

Is it a college program at say a State University, or is it a Fine Arts Academy? There is a distinction. You could start a drama program at UCLA - an excellent college for the performing arts, and not have to audition (except for the higher level degree classes)… however on the other hand, you’d never get into Julliard without an audition.

I think it’s a regular university…It’s Queen Margaret’s University in Scotland.. At least it’s not solely concentration on drama and performance. It’s got loads of other programmes as well.
I hope there’s no audition because I’ve never done real theatre or acting before, just in school plays, and I’d rather learn at the program and then audition for plays or something when I know what it’s all about…
Anyway, what is an audition all about? What are they really looking for? I know I can act, lots of people have encouraged me to go into acting and it comes out so naturally and all, but I don’t know the “rules”, what you can and cannot do and such.. It’s difficult to put down in words without it looking cheesy, but do they look for raw talent or schooling? And what is the best way to prepare for a possible audition? :S

The best way to be prepared for an audition is to know what is expected. They should tell you completely… for example, you might have to recite by memory a monologue, Sing a song (again my memory) and / or dance a piece. Usually, dance auditions are learned on-the-spot. I would expect you’d have to do all three if this were a Performing Arts Academy, like Julliard in New York. Since this is a regular University I don’t think you’d have to audition, but you’d want to confirm that with the Director of the Performing Arts Department…. or Proctor or whatever you might call them over there :) Part of the program should be to teach you the ‘rules’ of auditioning. Basically, you need to look at it as a professional job interview (even if you are not getting paid)… meaning dress nice, but make sure you either have a change of clothing for comfort or your dress clothes are flexible enough to move in.

You’re audition piece should be fully memorized. Cold readings are asked for at times from the director, but you never go to an audition without an appropriate, memorized monologue.

Always have a theatrical resume prepared to give to the director or stage manager. Along with an 8×10 glossy head shot (if you are looking to be an actor). You may have to fill out some sort of application, but give them the resume anyway. Actor resumes are different than a normal business resume, so make sure you know how to write one out.

BUT…. I’ll reiterate, I don’t think you’ll need any of this to apply for the University. What you might need for the University, is to write an essay telling them what you have done, and why you want to enter into the program. Again… check with the Director/Proctor/Headmaster of the Performing Arts / Drama Department.
~Richard