You are here

Auditions in Theater Arts

SPRING 2024 PRODUCTIONS AND AUDITION INFORMATION

Spring 2024 General Auditions will take place on the first Thursday and Friday of Spring quarter (4/4 and 4/5). Directors for our upper division THEA 151 production courses will be casting.

AUDITION DETAILS

Audition Sign ups:

  • Signups for General Auditions will be posted on Monday, April 1st. Sign up sheets will be posted at 9:00 AM outside the Mainstage/A Building Green Room (behind the Theater Arts Center Mainstage). Signups are on a first-come, first served basis.

Audition Dates, Times & Location: 

  • Somewhere written by Marisela Treviño Orta and directed Kinan Valdez; all welcome!
    • Thursday and Friday, April 4th and 5th, 6:00 - 10:00pm

Callbacks:

  • Somewhere written by Marisela Treviño Orta and directed Kinan Valdez; by invitation only 
    • TBA   

Upper Division Production: THEA 151
The Great Garrison directed by Mike Van Zandt

Auditions have PASSED. See General Audition Information for more audition opportunities.

It is about a group of soldiers who have just returned home after fighting in a war overseas. They play contains themes of gun violence, and suicide.

The cast calls for 6 male identifying characters and 2 female identifying characters. Willing to cast actors outside of their gender identification if they wish to take on that kind of acting challenge. The cast also consists of an ensemble which I would like to be as big as possible. There are a few speaking roles for the ensemble and moments to have a large cast all present on stage. The ensemble will most likely also function as a run crew. 

The Great Garrison will begin rehearsals on April 2nd. The production will have tech on April 20-21st, with dress rehearsals the following week and three performances on April 26-28th.

Upper Division Production: THEA 151
Somewhere by Marisela Treviño Orta
Directed by Kinan Valdez

Audition Requirements: See General Audition Requirements below

Somewhere summary and casting info: https://newplayexchange.org/plays/409350/somewhere  

Somewhere will begin rehearsals on April 8th. The production will have tech on May 11-12th, with dress rehearsals the following week. It will have 7 performances -- May 17-19 and then May 23-26, with a pickup rehearsal on May 22.

General Audition Requirements:

  • 90 second monologue
  • 60 second movement piece *
  • 30 second music piece (voice and/or instrument) **

MOVEMENT PIECE: Unless any of the auditioning shows are 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 offers you an opportunity to demonstrate any particular movement or 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 sign up sheet or instructions will be given for those invited to callbacks.

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

MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED BUT STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. 

 

Lower Division Productions: 
Barnstorm Theater Company–THEA 55A/B

As per tradition, Barnstorm Theater Company will not be active during Spring Quarter. The following information concerns Winter quarter activity and upcoming shows:

  • The BARNSTORM first official meeting is required for students who have been cast in the Barnstorm show(s) and people interested in signing up for or learning about tech/design work opportunities.

  • Questions or concerns about Barnstorm Theater Company? Email the Barnstorm Director: Shelly Horn <cfhorn@ucsc.edu>

Show details:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 
By Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn
Directed by Izzy Pedego 

An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.

Girl Blood
Written and Directed by Gillian O'Leary 

First periods, puberty, queerness, and the struggles of growing up all erupt from this original play about girlhood. Set entirely in bathrooms, our characters challenge what it means to be raised as a girl and deconstruct the narratives around their bodies. Funny, nostalgic, and endearing, Girl Blood is a story for anyone who holds a permanent grudge against puberty.

Secret Family (PASSED)
Directed by Maddie Jones

Student written and directed sketch comedy shows! 

Instagram: @SECRETFAMILYUCSC

24-Hour Theater (PASSED)

A one-act theater festival where participants divide into groups to write, rehearse, and perform an original piece in 24 hours. The inspiration for these one-acts will come from a poll on the Barn’s Instagram account based on a topic (previous topics have included poetry and paintings). 

24-Hour Theater is on a sign-up basis, no audition is required.

BARNSTORM REQUIREMENTS NOTES: 

  • Units earned for Barnstorm will be determined by the number of hours a student commits to (5 or 2 credits). 
  • ONLY the THEA 55A (5-unit) class may be used toward the Production Requirement for the THEA major.

Questions about Barnstorm?

Musical Theater Cabaret (previously known as Musical Theater Scenes)​  has left Barnstorm and is no longer a THEA 55A/B classMusical Theatre Cabaret (previously known as Musical Theater Scenes) will be operating as a club this year! MTC is a variety show-style compilation of various musical theatre performances including song, acting, and dance. Flexible schedules may be an option in order to allow students of all majors to participate. The theme for this year's show will be "Miscast!" Audition date TBD. For MTC details, contact the directors: Izzy Pedego: ipedego@ucsc.edu and Eleven Turoff: eturoff@ucsc.edu.

MORE AUDITION INFORMATION

Questions or concerns about Auditions?

QUESTIONS ABOUT PRODUCTION AUDITIONS?

Contact the Theater Arts Student Production Liaison: theaspl@ucsc.edu.

DESIGN WORK & STAGE MANAGEMENT FOR PRODUCTIONS

Please see the “Tech Interest Form”/ Production Experience & Interest Form section in the Theater Arts Undergraduate Handbook.

BARNSTORM GENERAL INFO

General information about the student-run Barnstorm Theater Company can be found on the Barnstorm website: http://theater.ucsc.edu/production/barnstorm 

To learn about auditioning, doing technical or design work for Barnstorm, see their website and/or contact the Barnstorm Director, Shelly Horn, at cfhorn@ucsc.edu. The Theater Arts advisor can also answer basic questions about Barnstorm: theater-ugradadv@ucsc.edu.

RANDOM WITH A PURPOSE GENERAL INFO

Auditions for the annual student-choreographed, student-performed, student-produced dance showcase Random with a Purpose (RWAP) usually take place the quarter BEFORE the production, separate from General Auditions. Students who are accepted via audition enroll in THEA 139 (THEA 139 fulfills an upper division requirement elective for the Dance Minor or Theater Arts major, or an upper division studio requirement for the Theater Arts minor). Please email randomdirectors@gmail.com with questions. The Theater Arts advisor can also answer basic questions about RWAP: theater-ugradadv@ucsc.edu.

RELATED INFORMATION

BY-AUDITION OR INSTRUCTOR PERMISSION 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).

PRODUCTION REQUIREMENT FOR THE MAJOR

One of the requirements for the Theater Arts major is participation in a 5-unit THEA production. 

  • Please see the Production Requirement for the Major section of the Theater Arts Undergraduate Handbook for more information on fulfilling this requirement as a performer, designer or dramaturg. Questions about degree requirements? Contact the Theater Arts Academic Advisor via email, theater-ugradadv@ucsc.edu, or schedule an appointment through Navigate Slug Success.

TICKETING INFORMATION 
Current and upcoming performance and ticketing information can be found here.