Auditions in Theater Arts

INFORMATION FORTHCOMING, to be updated in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus) changes.

AUDITIONS FOR THEA 137 / FACULTY-DIRECTED DANCE PRODUCTION have concluded. THEA 137 Studies in Performance (Dance), the faculty-directed dance production, is titled "A World of Global Street Dance" and will be directed by guest artist/lecturer Rashad Pridgen. THEA 137 fulfills the Faculty-Directed production requirement for the Theater Arts major, an Upper Division Studio requirement for the Theater Arts major or minor, or an Upper Division Elective requirement for the Dance minor. Contact theater@ucsc.edu with questions.

GENERAL AUDITIONS FOR FACULTY AND STUDENT-DIRECTED PLAYS

Department auditions are coordinated by the Student Production Liaison, who can be reached at studenttaucsc@gmail.com. 

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GENERAL AUDITIONS GENERAL INFO

General Auditions for the department’s faculty and/or student-directed productions are held in the first week of each quarter. Occasionally, productions have separate auditions or special requirements for auditions. Audition requirements, signup sheets, and schedules are posted at the beginning of each quarter in the hallway outside the Green Room of the Theater Arts Center Mainstage (A building).

Check with the department for current information (if not posted on this page).

Standard General Audition Requirements*
—90 second monologue
—60 second movement piece
—30 second music piece (voice and/or instrument)

* Requirements may vary. 
  Please also check the UCSC Theater Arts Events and Information Facebook page for additional information.

PLEASE NOTE: Accompanists are NOT provided. If you feel it necessary, you may play music with a portable music device, e.g. a smartphone with speakers or old-time boom-box, though this is not required (singing may be a cappella and movement pieces may be silent).

MOVEMENT PIECE: Unless any of the shows are a musicals, the movement piece is primarily meant to demonstrate that you are comfortable in your body on stage (or at least can act as though you are!), and that you are willing to move on stage (vs. staying in a narrow comfort zone of standing or sitting in one place). The movement section also gives an opportunity to show off any particular movement-performance skill if you happen to have any—e.g., pantomime, clowning, acrobatics, juggling, dance. Otherwise, even jumping jacks, the macarena, running back and forth, etc., can show a basic willingness to move in front of people. If one of the auditioning shows is a musical, and/or if any of the directors want to see specific pieces or skills, there will be details above the signup sheet or instructions will be given for those invited to callbacks.

If you have questions about audition requirements you may ask the Student Production Liaison at studentTAucsc@gmail.com. or email the department office at theater@ucsc.edu. 

OTHER AUDITION INFORMATION:

RANDOM WITH A PURPOSE GENERAL INFO
Auditions for the annual student-choreographed, student-performed, student-produced dance showcase Random with a Purpose take place in FALL QUARTER (separate from General Auditions). Students who are accepted via audition in the fall enroll in THEA 139 in the WINTER quarter. (Thea 139 fulfills an upper-division elective for the Dance Minor but not for the Theater Arts major or minor.) Please email randomdirectors@gmail.com with questions.

BARNSTORM GENERAL INFO
To inquire about auditioning or doing technical work for Barnstorm/Barn Theater productions, contact the Barn Theater Directors—https://ucscbarnstorm.weebly.com/contact.html.

• More information about Barnstorm can be found here: http://theater.ucsc.edu/production/barnstorm

SHAKESPEARE TO GO GENERAL INFO 

• Information about the department's touring theater company, including basic audition information, can be found in the Undergraduate Handbook here.

AUDITION & INTERVIEW STUDIO COURSES
Production auditions are different from those required for admittance into our studio courses (courses which mention "audition" or "interview" in the course description).

• Please see the Audition/Interview Classes section of the Undergraduate Handbook for more information.

RELATED INFORMATION

FACULTY-DIRECTED PRODUCTION REQUIREMENT FOR THE MAJOR
One of the requirements for the major is participation in a Faculty-Directed Production (5-unit THEA 151, THEA 155, THEA 137).

• Please see the Faculty-Directed Production Requirement for the Major section of the Undergraduate Handbook for more information on fulfilling this requirement as a performer, designer, stage manager or dramaturg. Please note that student-directed productions (THEA 45 courses and Barn Theater courses) do NOT fulfill this requirement.

TICKETING INFORMATION

• The current performance season and ticketing information can be found here.