Musical Theatre Artistic Review

MONOLOGUES

Two contrasting monologues — both contemporary — presented in English

• We define “contemporary” as anything written from around 1900 to now.
• Each monologue must be under 90 seconds in length.
• All monologues must be from published plays (no musicals; no film/TV scripts; no original material).
• Each monologue should be written as such, not a dialogue pieced and edited together to make a monologue.
• Please choose material that is within your age range (roles you would be cast in now).
• The gender of the character need not be a determining factor when choosing a monologue.
• Props and costumes are not permitted.
• We want to hear your natural voice. Please do not add an accent to your monologues.

In our musical theatre program, we are training actors who sing and dance. The acting evaluation portion of your musical theatre artistic review lets us see your potential as an actor. Therefore, we encourage you to explore the great depth and breadth of material in the field of theater to find engaging and challenging material.

Please know that you may be asked to perform one or two monologues during your artistic review. 

CONVERSATION

You will have an opportunity to converse with your evaluator before or after presenting your monologues. This is a chance for us to get to know you a little bit more; in addition to watching your work as an artist, we want to learn about who you are as a person.

Two contrasting 32-bar song selections    

• One 32-bar cut must be from the published musical theatre canon
 
      Standard Broadway repertoire would include: Rodgers and Hammerstein, Rodgers and Hart, Kern and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, Cy Coleman, Jules Styne, Bock and Harnick, Kander and Ebb, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Stephen Schwartz, Jonathan Larson, Jason Robert Brown, Michael John LaChiusa, Andrew Lippa, Adam Guettel, Noel Coward, Rupert Holmes, Jeanine Tesori, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jerry Herman, Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen, Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Menken, Galt MacDermot, etc.   
• One 32-bar cut from either musical theatre or a published contemporary piece
      Pieces may be from rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, gospel, country, opera, classical, etc. 

• An accompianist will be provided for the singing evaluation
• Please bring sheet music for the accompianist
• Each 32-bar cut must be clearly marked
• Sheet music must be double-sided and placed in a three-ring binder
• Evaluator may test your vocal range
• Please be prepared to sing an additional selection, if requested

Candidates submitting digital artistic reviews will be required to submit two song videos, as well as perform them live during your Zoom session. Please prepare and provide your own accompaniment. See more details below.

FOR DIGITAL SUBMISSION CANDIDATES: 

As a back-up, you will upload videos performing both your song selections to the Drama Artistic Review portal, as well as perform them live during your Zoom session. Please prepare and provide your own accompaniment. You will find specific instructions on how to create your singing videos, as well as prepare for your Zoom session in the Digital Submission Guidelines.

* A note on song videos: These videos are being uploaded for backup purposes only. These videos are not for a pre-screening process. Every Musical Theatre applicant will be required to sing their song selection(s) live via Zoom. Only in cases of technical difficulties will the evaluators be asked to consult the videos provided by the applicant. Uploading videos is not a replacement for completing the live singing portion of the Artistic Review.

All musical theatre candidates must participate in a dance evaluation. The purpose of this evaluation is for us to learn where you are in your own dance/movement life. Are you a serious dancer with years of experience and training? Have you never taken a dance class but like to groove to your favorite song when it comes on the radio? Are you somewhere in between — perhaps you learned some choreography for a musical at school? We just want to know where you are right now.  

Incoming musical theatre candidates attending artistic reviews in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, along with transfer musical theatre candidates in New York, will participate in a dance call where they will be taught a combination incorporating elements of Ballet, Jazz, and contemporary dance.

• In small groups, candidates will be taught one combination
• You will have the opportunity to rehearse the combonation several times
• You will perform the combination several times in smaller groups for the evaluator
• Please where comfortable, fitted clothes that provide ease of movement
• Ballet slippers, jazz shoes or barefoot is fine–but no high-heeled character shoes
• You will have time to change into another outfit for your acting and singing evaluations

Candidates submitting digital artistic reviews will be required to submit a dance video. See more details below.

FOR DIGITAL SUBMISSION CANDIDATES:

You will upload a video of you performing a combination to the Drama Artistic Review portal. You will find specific instructions on how to create your dance video in the Digital Submission Guidelines.

You are required to bring THREE copies of your photo and résumé to the artistic review, in additon to uploading them digitally to the artistic review portal. A snapshot is preferable, as long as you are recognizable in the photo. Please use the industry standard for a performing arts résumé (example here). Your evaluator will not accept material beyond the phot and résumé.

For your acting and singing evaluations, please wear clothing and shoes that allow you to move comfortably in your audition. For those inclined to wear heels, please keep them at a resonable height. You are welcome to perform barefoot.

For dance attire, please wear comfortable, fitted clothing that provides ease of movement. Ballet slippers, jazz shoes or barefeet is fine–however, high-heeled character shoes are not permitted. Please refer to the Dance Evaluation description above.

You will reserve either a morning or afternoon session for your artistic review. You should expect to be with us for the entire session. Sessions are approximately 3.5 hours. All candidates arrive at the same time to check in. For the most part, check-in for morning sessions begins at 9:00 and afternoon sessions at 2:00.