Drama Artistic Review Digital Submission Guidelines

WHAT IS A DIGITAL SUBMISSION?

We understand that we have applicants from all over the country and all over the world who may not be able to travel to one of our regional artistic review locations.

A digital submission consists of performing your monologue(s) (if required), discussing your portfolio (if required) and having a conversation with your evaluator on Zoom, a free video conferencing platform. Some candidates will be required to upload singing and dance videos or a portfolio to the Drama Artistic Review portal as well.

Digital submissions are considered just as seriously as in-person artistic reviews and the same team of evaluators reviews our digital candidates.

You may only participate in one artistic review as part of your application.

HOW DO I BEGIN?

1. Apply for admissions to New York University

You must submit the Common Application BEFORE you can schedule an artistic review session.

2. Access the Drama Artistic Review portal

All candidates will access the Drama Artistic Review portal to schedule their artistic reviews and provide artistic review materials, which include:

  • photo and résumé
  • information about your monologues, songs or portfolios
  • answers to some basic questions
  • artistic review fee
  • If you are a digital applicant, you will upload a media portfolio (e.g., required videos or portfolio material) to the Drama Artistic Review portal

An artistic review fee must be submitted along with material outlined above. If you received a Common App fee waiver or are a current NYU student, you will not be required to pay the artistic review fee.

Digital submission candidates must submit their media portfolio according to the corresponding deadlines listed below under "When Do I Submit". If your media portfolio is not received by the deadline listed, your artistic review will be considered incomplete, you will not be able to participate in an artistic review sessions, and you will forfeit your application to NYU.

3. Schedule an artistic review Zoom session

After you have completed the Personal Information form and chosen a discipline, you will be led to the artistic review scheduler.

When scheduling a digital artistic review session, you will choose a date and a 3-hour session time during which you will perform your monologue(s) (if required), discuss your portfolio (if required) and have a brief conversation with your evaluator via Zoom, just as you would in an in-person evaluation. Zoom is a free video conferencing platform.

The day before your artistic review, you will receive an email from the department with a link inviting you to your artistic review Zoom session. When you click that link at your check-in time, you will join a “meeting” with other applicants who are also participating in the same digital session. Your host will give you a short presentation about the department, and will then tell you what to expect during the session. After that they will invite you to your own “breakout room.” Once in your “breakout room” you will wait for your evaluator to join you for your artistic review. Your evaluator will ask you to perform your monologue(s) and songs (if required) and have a brief conversation with you. Acting evaluations (for Acting and Musical Theatre candidates) take about 15 minutes. Directing and Production & Design evaluations take about 20-30 minutes.

WHAT DO I SUBMIT?

ACTING

Upload your photo and résumé to the Drama Artistic Review portal, following the artistic review guidelines for the material. Please note you will be performing your monologues live on Zoom.

MUSICAL THEATRE

Upload your photo, résumé, two individual song videos (as a back-up), and one dance video to the Drama Artistic Review portal, following the artistic review guidelines for the material. Please note you will be performing your monologues and songs live on Zoom.

DIRECTING

Upload your photo, résumé, and portfolio (in PDF format) to the Drama Artistic Review portal, following the artistic review guidelines for the material. Please note you will be performing your monologue live on Zoom.

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

Upload your photo, résumé, application essay, and portfolio (in PDF format) to the Drama Artistic Review portal, following artistic review guidelines for the material.

WHEN DO I SUBMIT?

We strongly encourage you to submit your application well ahead of the deadline, as sessions are filled on a first come, first served basis. There is a tight turnaround between the application deadline and the start of artistic reviews. In order to secure your desired date and to have ample time to prepare your digital submission, we encourage you to follow the recommended application deadlines.

Your Zoom session must be scheduled and your supporting materials uploaded to your Drama Artistic Review Portal by 9:00AM EST on the dates below:

EARLY DECISION  NOV 6
EARLY DECISION II JAN 6
REGULAR DECISION JAN 13
INTERNAL TRANSFERS (current NYU students)   MAR 7
EXTERNAL TRANSFERS APR 8

Please see the Important Dates tabs below for application and material upload deadlines.

These are final deadlines. No exceptions. If your material is not received by the deadline listed above, your artistic review will be considered incomplete and you will forfeit your application to NYU.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

Early Decision

NYU Application Deadline (Recommended)   OCT 15 
NYU Application Deadline (Actual) NOV 1
Materials Must Be Uploaded By NOV 6
Zoom Session Must Be Scheduled By
NOV 6

Early Decision II

NYU Application Deadline (Recommended)   DEC 1 
NYU Application Deadline (Actual) JAN 1
Materials Must Be Uploaded By JAN 6
Zoom Session Must Be Scheduled By JAN 6

Regular Decision

NYU Application Deadline (Recommended)  DEC 1
NYU Application Deadline (Actual)  JAN 5
Materials Must Be Uploaded By JAN 13
Zoom Session Must Be Scheduled By JAN 13

IMPORTANT DATES FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS

Internal NYU Transfer

NYU Application Deadline (Recommended) FEB 1
NYU Application Deadline (Actual) MAR 1
Materials Must Be Uploaded By MAR 7
Zoom Session Must Be Scheduled By MAR 7 

EXTERNAL TRANSFER

NYU Application Deadline (Recommended) MAR 1
NYU Application Deadline (Actual) MAR 15
Materials Must Be Uploaded By APR 8
Zoom Session Must Be Scheduled By APR 8

 

PORTFOLIO MEDIA UPLOAD GUIDELINES

Applicants to our Musical Theatre, Directing or Production & Design track are required to submit additional media of various forms. Follow the recommendations below if it applies to you. 

SONG VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS

MUSICAL THEATRE PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

  • Two individual song selections submitted as recorded videos.
  • One dance video in which you will perform a combination created by the Department.
  • A link to the dance combination can be found in the Dance Video Instructions in the Drama Artistic Review portal.

ARTISTIC REVIEW GUIDELINES

HOW TO MAKE YOUR SONG VIDEOS

1. Make two separate videos, one for each song selection.

  • Video should be shot from the waist up.
  • Each song selection should be 32 bars—no more, no less.
  • Each song selection must be shot in one take—no editing.
  • You must use live piano accompaniment or a recorded instrumental version.

2. Begin each video with an introduction, which should be shot separately, stating:

  • Your name
  • Song Title
  • Musical
  • Composer/Lyricist
  • Character

Make sure to answer the following questions in your introduction:

  • Do you want to be considered for ALL STUDIOS or MUSICAL THEATRE ONLY?
  • Have you been taking voice lessons? If so, for how long?
    - Introduction should be 15 seconds or less.
    - Introduction shot should be of you from the waist up.

3. Check each video to make sure that:

  • You appear upright in the frame—not sideways or upside down!
  • Video quality is good and you can see yourself clearly.
  • Sound quality is good and you can hear yourself clearly.
  • Your introduction and entire song selection are in the video.
  • You are the star of your video and are the only person in it.

4. Props and costumes are not permitted.

5. Each song selection must follow the Singing Evaluation guidelines.

Dance Video Instructions

Digital musical theatre applicants must include a dance video as part of their application.

Please note that the department will NOT consider clips from a show you have previously performed in or a video of your own choreography. You must perform the provided combination.

For the dance portion of your digital artistic review, you will learn a combination by watching a teaching video and then record yourself doing the combination. We recommend that you be ready to record yourself BEFORE beginning to learn the dance combination.

HOW TO USE THE DANCE TEACHING VIDEO:

  • You can only watch this video TWICE. Once to learn the combination and once to use as a guide while you record yourself.
  • You can only PAUSE or PLAY. There is NO REWIND or FAST FORWARD.
  • Use the music in the teaching video as the music for your recording.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR VIDEO:

1. Set up your camera so that your entire body is upright and in frame.

2. Mark the floor with the viewing area to ensure you are always in frame.

3. Make sure the sound quality is good and you can hear the music clearly.

4. Make sure you are wearing comfortable fitted clothes that provide ease of movement.

  • Ballet slippers, jazz shoes or no shoes are fine (but no high heeled character shoes).
  • Props and costumes are not permitted.

5. Make an introduction (45 seconds or less) with the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Make sure you answers to these questions:
    - Have you taken ballet? If so, for how long?
    - Have you taken jazz? If so, for how long?
    - Have you taken classes in other styles? If so, which style and for how long?

6. Watch the teaching video, pausing when necessary, to learn the combination.

HOW TO RECORD YOURSELF:

1. When you are ready to record yourself, press RECORD and play the teaching video again.

2. Practice the routine during the learning segment.

3. Dance along with the combination each time until the video ends.

3. Open the video footage in your video editing software (e.g., iMovie).

4. Choose ONE combination to use for your dance submission.

  • Please note: The combination must be ONE TAKE. You may not edit together different parts of combinations.

DIRECTING PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS

MEDIA PORTFOLIO UPLOAD

  • Directing portfolio in PDF format.

ARTISTIC REVIEW GUIDELINES

HOW TO MAKE YOUR DIRECTING PORTFOLIO

HOW TO UPLOAD YOUR PORTFOLIO

  1. Review portfolio to ensure it meets the artistic review guidelines.
  2. Upload portfolio to the Drama Artistic Review portal.

PRODUCTION & DESIGN PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS

MEDIA PORTFOLIO UPLOADS

1. Production & Design application essay.

2. Production & Design portfolio in PDF format in your chosen discipline(s) of specialization:

  • Scenic Design
  • Costume Design
  • Lighting Design
  • Sound Design
  • Stage Management

ARTISTIC REVIEW GUIDELINES

HOW TO MAKE YOUR PRODUCTION & DESIGN PORTFOLIO

  • Follow the guidelines for the Production & Design Portfolio.
  • Compile all pieces into one PDF file.

HOW TO UPLOAD YOUR PORTFOLIO

  1. Review essay and portfolio to ensure they meet the artistic review guidelines.
  2. Copy and paste your essay in the corresponding field in the Personal Information form in the Drama Artistic Review portal.
  3. Upload portfolio to the Drama Artistic Review portal.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR ZOOM SESSION

A couple of days after you submit the Common App, you will receive an email from NYU with a personalized link to the Drama Artistic Review portal. The portal will allow you to upload digital material and schedule your digital artistic review Zoom session. The Zoom session itself is the final part of the process.

BEFORE your Zoom session

Create an account and download Zoom, the free video conferencing platform, at http://zoom.us. Once complete, you will be all set for your artistic review on your selected date.

  • You must download Zoom on a laptop or desktop computer, as it is not compatible with phones or tablets.
  • Test the sound with another laptop/desktop in your house to make sure it is working.
  • Mark out the floor with the viewing area to ensure that you are always in the frame during your monologues.

ON THE DAY OF YOUR ZOOM SESSION

1. The day before your check-in time, you will receive an email from tisch.drama.ug@nyu.edu with a link inviting you to your artistic review Zoom session.

  • Remember the check-in time is NEW YORK TIME (EST).

2. When you click that link at your check-in time, you will join a “meeting” with other applicants who are also participating in the same digital session. Your host will give you a short presentation about the department, and will then tell you what to expect during the session. After that they will invite you to your own “breakout room.” Once in your “breakout room” you will wait for your evaluator to join you for your artistic review.

  • To ensure a seamless connection, please close all other browser windows.
  • If possible, use an ethernet connection instead of WiFi.

3. Accept the invitation from the host to your breakout room.

  • Make sure your laptop or desktop is set up so that your whole body is in the frame.
  • Feel free to do work while you wait for your evaluator to join your room.

4. In turn, your evaluator will join you in your breakout room.

  • Your evaluator will ask you to perform your monologue(s) and songs (if required) and have a brief conversation with you.
  • Once your artistic review is completed, you may leave the meeting.

 

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Will I perform my pieces live on Zoom?

Monologues and singing (where required) and conversations will occur live on Zoom. Singing (as a back-up) and dance videos, along with portfolios, must be uploaded to the Drama Artistic Review portal.

I’m an international applicant in a different time zone. What session should I book?

We offer sessions in the morning and the afternoon to accommodate applicants from different parts of the world. Morning sessions are usually from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM New York Time (EST) and afternoon sessions are usually from 2:00pm – 5:00pm New York Time (EST).

If your local time zone would make it challenging for you to attend either of those sessions, please do the following:

1. Book any digital session in your decision period and discipline as a placeholder.

2. After you have booked a placeholder session, contact our Session Coordinator at tisch.drama.ug@nyu.edu and let them know it would be challenging for you to attend the session due to your local time zone.

  • Please put “Time Zone Challenge” as the subject line.
  • Please include your name, Common App ID, decision period, and discipline in the body of your email.

ASSISTANCE

Questions about Tisch Drama, the Artistic Review Process, or the Drama Artistic Review portal:

  • Phone: +1 212 998 1850
  • Email: tisch.drama.ug@nyu.edu
  • Office hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM New York Time (EST)