Scholarship Auditions for the Marshall University Department of Theatre

 Audition Requirements

You will need to memorize and prepare an audition monologue from a one act or full length play.  Be sure you have read the entire play and have the script with you.  Monologues should be a no more than two minutes in running length.  The monologue should have strong objectives that allow you to play actions that connect you with another character.  Most importantly, it should be a selection that you enjoy performing. 

• Make sure you have rehearsed your monologue in front of other people.  Read the play and make sure you understand what is at stake for your character.
• You may also prepare 16 bars of a song (a verse and a chorus) to be sung unaccompanied.  Try to choose a song that allows you to play an action, and brings your focus out rather than inward.  If you are not used to singing in front of people, don’t worry, we are more concerned about how you deal with the size of emotion required to sing than whether you are a “good singer.”

The Day of Your Audition

Please bring a copy of your resume and a current photo (a digital copy is fine). Dress comfortably and professionally.  You may be asked to try different approaches to one of your monologues, to see how you respond to direction.  There will also be a brief interview after the audition, where we will ask you about your goals and previous experiences in theatre have been.

Audition by DVD

Because an in-person audition will give us a chance to actively work with you and better judge your improvisational skills and your ability to work with an ensemble, it is to your advantage to audition in-person at Marshall University. It’s also a great opportunity to see our campus, talk with current students, sit in on one or more of our classes and attend one of our productions. If circumstances make an in-person audition difficult, you may submit DVD or post your audition on line.

 Send link or DVD to:       

Nicole Perrone, Assistant Professor of Theatre
Marshall University Theatre
One John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25755.

 Taped auditions must be accompanied by a completed scholarship application.   

 When putting your audition tape together, use the following guidelines:

• Record your audition in a theater space or rehearsal hall (not required as long as the emphasis remains on you).
• Make sure that the acoustics are good (in other words, no echo) and that there is sufficient light.
• No costumes, makeup, or background sound effects should be used. Feature your whole body on the tape, though it is permissible to zoom in to a waist-up view once you have begun a monologue.
• Introduce your tape by stating your name, age and place of residence. Briefly discuss your goals and experience. Introduce and then present the two contrasting monologues each no longer than two minutes. Then, sing 16 bars of a song unaccompanied.

 Finally, answer the following questions, in as much depth as you can:

 Who is one of your heroes – either in life or in the performing arts – and why?

• Imagine that you got a grant to produce a play that you would either commission or write yourself. It could be in the theater of your choice, with the cast of your choice. The only condition is that it has to be about some issue – personal, social, political, environmental – that you care strongly about. What would you want your play to be about and what would you want the audience to take away from the experience of seeing your play?

 Portfolio Requirements

We are not looking for a professional portfolio.  Collect any evidence or documentation of design and tech work that gives us an idea of your interests and accomplishments.  This might include anything from the homecoming float you engineered to the elaborate costume you designed and made for a Renaissance Faire.  Graphic design and art work, stage management notes, budget proposals are all acceptable if they show something of your potential as a production area theatre major.   

Helpful Hints for Design/Tech Interviews

• Dress and present yourself in a professional manner.
• Have your work organized and ready to be presented.
• If you do not have a formal design portfolio, bring any materials that you feel reflect your sense of artistry and your interest in theatrical technology and design.
• Don’t apologize or make excuses for your work.
• Your presentation materials may contain art work not directly related to the theatre—sketches, drawings, paintings, photographs, journals, promptbooks and accompanying paperwork, technical drawings, etc.
• Be concise in your explanations of the material.  Lengthy anecdotes are distracting and diffuse your presentation.
• Plan out your presentation in an organized manner.
• Electronic portfolios are acceptable (technical arrangements to show the material must be made in advance).
• Don’t be nervous.  We want you to do well!
• In addition to a recommendation letter from your theatre teacher, you may bring letters from other teachers, pastors, counselors, or directors you have worked with.