The College Audition Process

The College Audition Process

Available for Grades 11 & 12 (10th Grade students may also join with special approval).

Thursdays, 8:00-9:00 PM

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This class is designed for rising juniors and seniors (and sophomores with special permission) who want to explore their options for pursuing theatre beyond high school. Whether you are aiming for a BFA, a theatre minor, or simply want to keep the arts a part of your life, we will help you map out the paths to the college experience you want.

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In addition to coaching audition materials and preparing for audition days, students will engage in peer-to-peer discussions about what this next chapter means for them and what truly matters at this stage of their personal and artistic development.

Topics Explored Include:​

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Exploration and assessment of how theatre fits into your next chapter:

• “Do I want to go to school for theatre?”

• “What do I want to learn?”

• “What do I want out of my college/young adult experience?”

• “Am I prepared for the financial realities and hidden costs of the audition circuit and a theatre career?”

• “How do I protect my mental health, identity, and boundaries?”

 

Overview of collegiate theatre programs + related courses of study:

• “Do I want a BFA, a BA, or a BM? What’s the difference?”

• “Do I want a conservatory-style program or a university/liberal arts-style program?”

• “How do I assess program culture, faculty, and institutional fit?”

• “How do I build a balanced school list of Reaches, Targets, and Safeties?”

 

Audition/application process + techniques:

• “What is my timeline from junior spring through senior winter?”

• “How do I film my pre-screen self-tapes? What’s the standard regarding framing, lighting, audio, and slates?”

• “How do I format an industry-standard theatrical resume and select headshots?”

• “How do I navigate application portals and choose between Unifieds and on-campus visits?”

 

Coaching of audition materials:

• “How do I curate a diverse, age-appropriate book of audition cuts?”

• “What contrasting monologues should I select for contemporary and classical requirements?”

• “How do I apply beat analysis, objectives, and moment-before work to my songs and text?”

• “How do I collaborate with an accompanist and take live redirection in the room?”

 

Navigation of audition and interview process:

• “How do I craft authentic, specific answers to common interview questions?”

• “How do I handle conversational interviews and unexpected faculty questions?”

• “How do I manage audition-day nerves and maintain mental resilience through multi-school cycles?”

 

Jena Sugai is the Director of Communications for Littelfuse, where she leads Internal Communications and Brand. Patrick Hill is an associate therapist at QSTherapy in Chicago, where he works with young and emerging adults and queer identities. Both received undergraduate degrees in theatre and draw on their theatrical training and industry experience to understand how people connect—not just with audiences externally, but with each other and themselves. Leveraging their distinct backgrounds in storytelling, corporate communication, and mental health, they coach from a truly holistic perspective, using each student’s unique wants and goals as the ultimate guidepost.

 

This class is structured as a group seminar for the dates outlined below. Students have the option to schedule individual sessions with the coaches based on their availability throughout the school year.

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Program Timeline and Additional Details:​

All sessions meet 8 - 9pm

Thursday, September 17

Thursday, September 24

Thursday, October 1

Thursday, October 8 

Thursday, October 15

Thursday, October 22

Thursday, October 29

Thursday, November 5

Thursday, November 12

Thursday, November 19 

Thursday, December 3

Thursday, December 10​

 

Tuition is $495

If desired: individual coachings with 1 coach present - $90/hour; with 2 coaches present - $170/hour