What to Prepare for College Auditions (by Discipline)

Musical theatre

• Two songs, one written before 1970 and one written after 1970, each 60 to 90 seconds.
• One contemporary monologue and one classical monologue, 60 to 90 seconds each.
• One 60 to 90 second dance that includes a turn, an extension, and a jump.

Choose songs that work well within your vocal range, use monologues from published plays, and dance to music you love so your personality shows.

Acting

• Two contrasting contemporary monologues, 60 to 90 seconds each.
• One classical monologue, 60 to 90 seconds.

Pieces are generally required to be from published plays, so always read the play. Choose characters within your own age range, stay away from accents or dialects that are not your own, and pick pieces you connect to and love.

Tech and design

Build a portfolio that shows both the final product and your process: backstage photos, load-in shots, paperwork, prompt scripts, prop lists, sketches, or anything you built, painted, organized, repaired, designed, or managed.

Keep it clean and easy to read with consistent formatting, strong photos, correct grammar, and short captions explaining what you did, what you learned, and why it mattered. You can use Canva, PowerPoint, Word, Publisher, InDesign, or LibreOffice to create a clean PDF.

Dance

• A solo, 60 to 90 seconds.

Choose a piece that feels true to you and shows your strengths as a mover, performer, and artist. Lean into musicality, artistry, confidence, individuality, and range; use the space, vary your dynamics, and make the movement feel like yours.

When you’re ready, explore programs to see exactly what each school asks for.