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Undergraduate Admissions
Chubb Hall 120
1 Ohio University Drive 
Athens, OH 45701
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 740.593.0560

Theater Audition and Interview Registration

Because the School of Theater considers artistic talent in the review process, students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) major must audition, interview, and/or submit additional materials for admission and scholarship consideration. BFA applicants who do not audition, interview, and/or submit additional materials but who are admissible to the University will be admitted to the BA in theater. Applicants pursuing the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in theater major are not required to audition, interview, or submit additional materials, though they are strongly encouraged to interview for scholarship consideration.

Performance BFA Major Auditions

Acting | Musical Theater

Students applying to a theater performance BFA major must audition for consideration for the program. Applicants who do not complete this step but who are admissible to the University will be admitted to the BA in Theater.

Audition Dates & Registration

Choose from any of the on- or off-campus audition dates below! If you aren't able to make it to any of the following audition dates, please email Jessica Fox at foxj5@ohio.edu to schedule another audition time.

On-Campus
  • School of Theater Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review Day, Athens, OH | January 18, 2025 - Sign up now!

Note: To register for the School of Theater Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review Day, you must first apply to OHIO and then use your OHIO email address and password to log in to access the registration page. Visit our Application Status web page for instructions to activate your OHIO ID. For questions, please contact Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@ohio.edu or 740.593.4100.

Off-Campus

Students may choose to audition at any of the following off-campus audition events. Note: Be sure to register for the event with the hosting organization (if applicable) AND register with OHIO so that we know to expect you!

Audition requirements: Acting
Monologues

Prepare two contrasting, contemporary monologues lasting no more than three minutes in total.

  • Monologues must be from a published play written after the year 2000.
  • Monologues cannot be from musicals, television shows, movies, stand-alone monologue collections or one-person shows.
  • They should contrast in style, revealing two sides of the student’s abilities and be characters that are close to the student in age.
  • Each monologue should be 60-90 seconds in length.

Audition requirements: Musical Theater
Songs

Prepare two contrasting pieces.

  • One song should be a ballad and one song should be up-tempo so as to contrast style.
  • Each song should be 60-90 seconds. Please do not exceed this time limit.
  • Students must sing to musical accompaniment, which could include live or pre-recorded accompaniment. No “a cappella” singing (meaning singing without music).
Monologue

Prepare one piece.

  • Monologue must be from a published play written after the year 2000.
  • Monologue cannot be from a musical, television show, move, stand-alone monologue collection or one-person show.
  • Monologue should be 60-90 seconds in length.
Dance

Dance calls will be held at on-campus auditions and at National Unified Auditions in NYC and Chicago.

Students may also choose to submit an optional dance video to supplement their audition. Submissions can include up to one of each of the following:

  1. A dance video that adheres to the following guidelines:
    • Regardless of which style of dance you execute, the choreography and the movement should be story-driven and connected to the music where the applicant is dancing with a sense of purpose.
    • 30-60 seconds of dance in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident. This may include, but is not limited to jazz, ballet, tap, modern, cultural dance styles, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary.
    • No barre work. A ballet solo is acceptable.
    • Please use steps, movement, and physical vocabulary that you are familiar with and can execute well.
    • Dance media can be self-choreographed, but must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
    • All choreography must be performed to music; no “a cappella” dance media please.
  2. A wildcard video that showcases anything you'd like us to know about you: a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, an instrument that you play, etc. Wildcard videos should not exceed 60 seconds. 

Non-Performance BFA Major Interview/Supplementary Materials

Playwriting | Production Design & Technology | Stage Management

All Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) majors require an interview with faculty for admission to the program. Some majors also require supplementary application materials. See below for more specific requirements and details about submitting your materials and registering for an interview.

Materials Submission and Interview Registration
Interview registration
  • School of Theater Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review Day, Athens, OH | January 18, 2025 - Sign up now!

Note: To register for the School of Theater Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review Day, you must first apply to OHIO and then use your OHIO email address and password to log in to access the registration page. Visit our Application Status web page for instructions to activate your OHIO ID. For questions, please contact Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@ohio.edu or 740.593.4100.

Materials Submission

Supplementary materials are required for admission to the production design & technology and playwriting majors. Supplementary materials are optional for students pursuing the stage management major.

Submit supplementary materials

Requirements: Production Design and Technology
Required:
  1. Interview: Interviews are designed to provide you with an opportunity to get to know theater faculty and learn more about the programs and opportunities available to you in the School of Theater. During your interview, you will get to talk about your work and share with us your big ideas and goals.
  2. Portfolio: Submit a portfolio of work. In addition to light plots, costume renderings, set designs, painters elevations, photographs, or slides of any theatrical work you have done, your portfolio can include: sketches, drawings, paintings, doodling, poetry, short stories, or collages. In short, include anything that you have created that represents your aesthetic and/or your creative impulses.

Requirements: Playwriting
Required:
  1. Interview: Interviews are designed to provide you with an opportunity to get to know theater faculty and learn more about the programs and opportunities available to you in the School of Theater. During your interview, you will get to talk about your work and share with us your big ideas and goals.
  2. Writing sample: Submit a writing sample of at least 10 pages in length (up to 30 pages in total maximum). Though dramatic writing samples are typically preferred, writing samples can be any creative writing or academic/scholarly writing that you believe best represents your voice as an artist.

Requirements: Stage Management
Required:

Interview: Interviews are designed to provide you with an opportunity to get to know theater faculty and learn more about the programs and opportunities available to you in the School of Theater. During your interview, you will get to talk about your work and share with us your big ideas and goals.

Optional:

Creative resume: Submit a creative resume, which should list all appropriate high school and, if applicable, community experience. You may bring a production book if you have one, but it is not required. You may also bring a portfolio of other production work you have done; anything that represents your experience with stage production is appropriate.

BA Major Interview

Students applying for the theater BA major are encouraged to participate in an interview for scholarship consideration. An interview is not required for admission to the BA program.

Interview Registration
  • School of Theater Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review Day, Athens, OH | January 18, 2025 - Sign up now!

Note: To register for the School of Theater Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review Day, you must first apply to OHIO and then use your OHIO email address and password to log in to access the registration page. Visit our Application Status web page for instructions to activate your OHIO ID. For questions, please contact Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@ohio.edu or 740.593.4100.

Interview Requirements

Interviews for theater BA scholarship consideration are designed to provide you with an opportunity to get to know theater faculty and learn more about the programs and opportunities available to you in the School of Theater. During your interview, you will get to share with us your big ideas and goals.

Other Opportunities to Connect with the School of Theater

Students who are admitted to the School of Theater for fall 2025 — or prospective fall 2026 applicants who want to get a head start on the audition/interview process — are invited to join the School of Theater at this additional event! Note: If you plan to join us, be sure to register for the event with the hosting organization AND register with OHIO so that we know to expect you!

Questions

For questions about theater auditions or materials submission, email Jessica Fox, assistant director of recruitment for the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts.

Ohio University operates on a holistic, selective review and looks for evidence of academic preparation when reviewing applications for admission. Additionally, because the School of Theater considers artistic talent in the review process, students pursuing certain academic programs must audition, interview, and/or submit additional materials for admission and scholarship consideration. Ohio University and the School of Theater do not discriminate against any applicants because of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ethnicity, national ancestry, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, military service or veteran status, mental or physical disability, or genetic information.