Theatre Arts – BFA Musical Theatre Auditions

For more detailed information about the Musical Theatre program including: national honors, detailed curriculum, and a sample 4-year plan of study, please visit the BFA - Musical Theatre webpage here.

Students wishing to pursue a BFA Musical Theatre degree in the Department of Theatre Arts must adhere to the following criteria for admission:

Perform and pass a prescreen audition, and an in-person audition, for members of the faculty. The student, through this audition process, must exhibit the standards and skill sets required for entry into the Musical Theatre program, including:

1. Ability to effectively perform with accompaniment two songs. One song should be written prior to 1970, either uptempo or ballad. One song should be written after 1970 and contrast the style of the first.
2. Ability to perform a 60-90 second contemporary monologue
3. Ability to learn and perform a short dance phrase that demonstrates movement skills.
4. Provide two copies of a picture and resume at the time of your audition.
5. Fulfill general admission guidelines found in the catalog for the university, school, and department

To Submit a Prescreen: 

Please fill out this PRESCREEN GOOGLE FORM, which will ask you for the following:

1. Headshot (labeled LastName_FirstName_Headshot)
2. Theatrical Resumé (labeled LastName_FirstName_Resume)
3. Prescreen videos via Unlisted YouTube links.
4. Whether or not you are also auditioning for BFA Acting (Additional requirements here).
5. Whether or not you have applied to the University.
6. Which audition date(s) you are available to attend.

Prescreen Requirements & additional information can be found below!

Please direct any questions to bfasubmissions@wcsu.edu

Admission Auditions for Musical Theatre Degree Program

Acceptance to the Program

Dance: ‘Option A’ on the Common Prescreen Criteria

• Show us your best version of dancing or moving. Please include at least one turn, one jump and one kick (or other suitable rotation, elevation, and extension that works for your body).
• Dance sample should be in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident.
• Dance media can be “self-choreographed”, but it must be a solo video of you.
• Please use steps, movement, and physical vocabulary that you are familiar with and can execute well. Fully move your body to the best of your ability.

Wildcard (Optional):

Think about the wild card section as an opportunity to show your personality or share something about you. This media can be ANYTHING you want - a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, an instrument you play, etc. “What do you want us to know about you?”

Below is a list of ideas that have been successful in the past:

• Singing or playing an original composition/song/poem or choreographed dance.
• Performing your own Saturday Night Live-styled skit where you create a comedic character
• Sharing a hobby or activity that means something to you
• Performing in a language other than English in which you are fluent
• Playing an instrument
• Making a “how-to” video on something you are good at, baking, calligraphy, gymnastics

PRESCREEN DEADLINES:

Prospective applicants will receive notice of their on-site audition status within 2-3 weeks of the submission of their prescreen video.

For the 12/5/26 audition, prescreens must be submitted no later than 11/1/26

For the 1/30/27 audition, prescreens must be submitted no later than 1/1/27

For Unifieds auditions, prescreens must be submitted no later than 1/1/27

For the 2/26/27 audition, prescreens must be submitted no later than 2/1/27

Prescreen General Information & Tips:  

• Students are encouraged to use standard technology/recording devices available to them (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc.)
• Solid-colored walls are ideal, but any background that does not steal the focus from your performance is desired.
• Take care that your space allows for adequate lighting. Having a lamp or window directly behind you will cast a shadow over your face. Keep the lighting source behind your recording device or to the side of you so that your face is lit.
• When using pre-recorded music, place the music source (the speaker) closer to you than it is to the device on which you are recording. By having the accompaniment near you, your voice and music will reach the microphone on your device in a more balanced manner.
• Before filming, do a trial run to test both your audio & visual presentation. Watch your video back to ensure everything looks AND sounds okay.
• Ensure the camera portion of your device is at eye level (see example). You can use a tripod built for a smartphone or tablet. If you do not have a tripod, consider using a stack of books on a desk or box. Filming in “landscape” (horizontally) is recommended.

Monologue Tips:

It is recommended to choose monologues that are age-appropriate (generally within 5-10 years of your actual age) and that feel authentic to your culture, background, and lived experience.

Active monologues are often better for auditions; an active monologue takes place in real time and focuses on what you want and puts you in direct communication with an imaginary scene partner. This is often more successful in an audition situation than pieces that are a story or remembrance. Additionally, it can be helpful to avoid monologues that rely on extreme emotions as it can be hard to believably justify those responses in a short piece.