The pressure is on for people auditioning for the Theatre VCU program, as only 60 out of hundreds of applicants are accepted each semester. The program is looking for applicants who have at least a high school level of acting or community theater experience.
The audition process can be quite competitive with the limited amount of spots open, so theater-student hopefuls must prepare themselves in order to be ready for the big day.
Theater major Margaret Mills, 19, said the audition process completely depends on how prepared students are.
“The process is extremely competitive,” Mills said. “It’s completely impossible to please each teacher entirely, because they are each looking for different aspects that they think make an appealing and successful actor.”
After each student submits an application to the program, he or she is interviewed and then asked to perform two one-minute contrasting monologues.
The applicant then receives a score from one to five, one being the best. Depending on the score, some people receive acceptance or rejection notices within a week or two. Others don’t find out for months.
Theater major Matthew James, 19, said coming into the major he and his classmates all had varying degrees of experience and different levels of professionalism.
“Not really knowing how to prepare for a college audition, it was quite nerve-wracking,” James said.
James knew as a senior in high school that he wanted to pursue a theater degree. After his interview and audition for the program, he was one of the lucky candidates accepted within weeks of his audition.
Janet Rodgers, head of theater performance, voice and speech at VCU, said the department is looking for the strongest candidates. She says each candidate should carefully select and prepare their audition pieces.
“We are always hoping that each student will be excellent and are disappointed when they are not,” Rodgers said.
Once students are admitted to the program, they undertake a rigorous course schedule. Some of the classes underclassmen take are: Acting I and II, Stagecraft and Costume Construction, Intro to Drama, and Stage Voice and Speech.
Upperclassmen are required to take more complex classes, such as: Acting III and IV, Advanced Stage Voice and Speech, Advanced Movement for the Actor, History of Theatre and Senior Showcase.
Rodgers said each applicant should have an evident interest in the theater arts and acting experience. When auditioning, the applicant is expected to portray the character to the best of his or her ability, paying particular attention to focus and awareness of the other character in the scene.
“Anytime one auditions, it is challenging,” Rodgers said. “If one is prepared, it should not be difficult.”