We are excited that you’ve chosen to audition for UMBC Theatre, and we’re eager to see your work! Here are the guidelines and some things to keep in mind as you prepare a “virtual” audition.
What should I Prepare?
Prepare one 60-90 second contemporary monologue. The piece may be either comic or dramatic. Try to select something that you feel connected to and excited to perform. We prefer monologues from published plays rather than from monologue books.
In addition to the monologues, the faculty will ask you the following questions. There’s no need to prepare scripted answers; we are just looking to get to know you a little better.
- Why are you interested in UMBC’s Department of Theatre?
- Choose one of your recent roles or performances. What did you learn about yourself as an actor and a person from working on this role?
- In addition to acting and performance, what are your other academic and artistic areas of interest?
- When you see yourself working in your craft, where is that?
- What other colleges are you looking at?
What can you expect on your audition day?
Login information for the Zoom audition is sent separately on the Friday before the audition day. Only those candidates who have completed the Linehan Audition Registration form will be sent the link.
You won’t be scheduled for a specific time. Instead, we ask you to attend the entire session, which usually run from 12 noon to approximately 3 p.m. Please bring your questions (and your family, if you want!). We want to get to know you, and we want you to get to know us.
After the information session, you’ll do your individual audition on Zoom. These will be conducted with current UMBC faculty members in breakout rooms. While waiting for your audition, you may chat with current students, ask questions of faculty representatives, or be placed into a “waiting room” to allow you a chance to prepare in private. Immediately after you present your pieces, we’ll conduct the brief interview with you. The whole thing takes about 10 minutes. Once you complete your audition and interview, you may leave the call.
Tips for Zoom Auditions:
Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your at-home audition:
- Set up your camera so that you are framed from head to toe.
- It’s okay if you don’t have a perfect filming set up. We aren’t worried about your background. Pick a spot where you aren’t too cramped so you can do your best work.
- Make sure we can see you. We aren’t looking for professional studio lighting but set up near a window or in a room with good lighting so we can see your work.
- Try to limit background noise. We understand if your dog barks or if a car honks, but see if you can find a relatively quiet spot for your audition.
- Set your camera in one spot and keep it at eye level. No fancy camera work here. Find a table, a sturdy stack of books, a tripod, or a reliable family member to hold the camera steady for you.
Find a printable PDF version of this information here.