To be considered for admission to the BFA Acting program, students must first submit an online application to Montclair State University, then proceed to the Pre-Screen Audition Preparation FOR ON CAMPUS AUDITIONS ONLY section for your video audition guidelines.
Zoom options are available for auditions. Please email Theatre Auditions Coordinator for more information.
For All BFA Acting Applicants
Applicants should be an incoming freshman or sophomore.
The University application will request the documents below.
- $65 Application fee
- Audition submission (if applicable)
- Transcripts
- Personal Statement
- Resume of Acting Experience
- Headshot or 8×10 Color Photo
- Two Letters of Recommendation. One must come from an academic teacher, one from an acting teacher, coach and/ or director
- $65 Audition fee
- Pre-screen Video (See details under Pre-Screen Audition Preparation)
You will not receive information regarding the outcome of your application if your submission materials are incomplete. If an applicant is not accepted based on the pre-screen, they will receive an email letting them know and will not proceed with the full audition on campus or by Zoom.
You may view your required items anytime and upload materials at apply.montclair.edu/apply.
You must first activate your Montclair State account through the email you received from Undergraduate Admissions with subject line Thank you for Applying to Montclair State!, if you have not already done so.
FOR STUDENTS AUDITIONING THROUGH A PARTNER ORGANIZATION ONLY:
If you have participated, or plan to participate in an audition through a partner organization (such as the NYC, Chicago or LA UNIFIED auditions), you are not required to upload a Pre-Screen Video, but you must register here and choose your event. This registration allows us to connect your audition result to your university application. This registration does not take the place of registering for the audition itself with the partner organization. You are required to submit all of the other required materials listed below. After your audition with the partner organization, you will be contacted by the BFA Acting admissions coordinator, Lisa Grimes, thauditions@montclair.edu.
If you have any questions about your audition process please contact Lisa Grimes at thauditions@montclair.edu.
ON CAMPUS AUDITION COVID GUIDELINES
- Only the auditioning student should enter Life Hall. Accompanying parents or friends should plan to wait elsewhere or drop off and pick up.
- Completing Hawk Check prior to your visit is necessary for everyone who will be entering campus
- Masks are to be worked worn on campus, in auditions (unless stated) .
- Vaccination Cards & Hawk Check clearance email will need to be presented at your scheduled audition date.
PLEASE BRING HEAD SHOT AND RESUME TO AUDITION
The pre-screen video submission will consist of two monologues.
- Each segment should be filmed/uploaded to your University application as a separate piece of media. No continuous videos.
- YOUTUBE or VIMEO link for submission.
- Please be sure to ATTACH the link to your YOUTUBE or VIMEO pre-screen video in the appropriate section on the audition registration form.
- NO OTHER VIDEO PLATFORMS ARE ACCEPTED.
- DEADLINE FOR PRE SCREENS ARE 4 WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF DESIRED ON CAMPUS AUDITION DATE
- There should not be a separate “slate” video. Instead, slates are to appear at the beginning of each piece. The proper slate for a monologue is to share your name, the title of the play, and the playwright.
- Prepare two contrasting monologues (one contemporary, one classical) of not more than two minutes each.
- All monologues should be from full length plays.
- Please choose age appropriate material that you are passionate about, and that you have a personal connection to.
- Monologues should be filmed in a “close-up” shot which means the top of the head to the chest should be visible in the frame.
The full audition is by invitation only after faculty review.
After acting faculty review the pre-screen video submission and other materials, applicants will be notified if they have not been accepted and then will not attend the full audition on campus or over Zoom.
Applicants who move past the pre-screen will proceed to a full audition on campus or over Zoom. These applicants will move through each section of the full audition process with no “cuts.”
The in person audition days will last 3 hours and include a group movement call, a working session of 2 monologues with faculty (can be the same monologues from the pre-screen), and opportunities to speak with faculty and students. The Zoom audition will follow the same schedule but occur on Zoom.
The Acting audition is judged in terms of the following:
- Presence: exhibits the ability to work with a grounded, focused awareness and an authentic use of self.
- Connection: exhibits the ability to connect to the given circumstances and create personalization.
- Choices: exhibits the ability to work with an objective and actions in a dynamic way.
- Thoughts: exhibits the ability to connect to the movement of thought (questions, realizations, discoveries, decisions, etc.).
- Point of View: exhibits an understanding of the point of view of the character.
- Body/ Voice Application: exhibits the ability to work with a released, breathing, impulsive and dynamic instrument.
Note: no applications are accepted for Spring enrollment. The BFA Acting program can only be applied to for the Fall semester of each year.
