1. Degrees Offered
  2. Acting
  3. BFA Acting Audition Day Information

BFA Acting Audition Day Information

Acting-BFA Admissions Process:

Admissions to the School of Fine Arts as a BFA Acting Major is a three-step process. 

  • Apply to UConn
    • Deadline: January 15 
    • However, we recommend you apply by December 1 for automatic University Merit Scholarship & Honors Program consideration. 
  • Submit an Acting-BFA SlideRoom Application
    • Deadline: January 15
  • Register for an In-Person Audition

Acting Audition Day:

In order to schedule an audition, you must first complete the SlideRoom application. After submission, you will be prompted to schedule an audition via the Acting SlideRoom confirmation page. It is to your advantage to sign up for one of the earlier audition dates.

You will perform your audition for and be interviewed by members of the performance faculty. We will video record your audition so that we can share it with all performance faculty members. This being said please bring a printed out copy of your resume and headshot. 

Your audition will consist of a 50-minute Group Call and a 10-minute Individual Audition. 

Group Call

We will do a group warm-up, some improvisation work, and some cold reads of text which we will provide you on the audition day. Please wear clothes that allow you to move freely and breathe deeply, like gym clothes. You will have time after the group session to change into your audition clothes.

 

Individual Audition

Present two contrasting monologues that are within your casting age and range. The two pieces must be thoroughly memorized and not longer than 3.5 minutes total between the two monologues. Contrasting pieces may be contemporary, classic, comic or dramatic. You may use the same monologue that you submitted to SlideRoom for one of your pieces, if you wish.

In addition to the two monologues, you are required to sing an accompanied song no longer than 30 seconds. We are interested in how you handle a lyric and melody, even if you do not consider yourself a singer. You must provide your own accompaniment which may be pre-recorded. We will have a Bluetooth speaker available for you, or you may bring your own. If you are using your phone for accompaniment, place it on a table we will provide, rather than holding it while you sing.

You may perform your monologues and your song in any order you wish. Announce your pieces in the order in which you will perform them. Before you begin, give us the following information: your name, and (for each piece), the character’s name, and the title and the author of the play from which your material is taken.

Do not use dialects or accents other than your own in your audition, even if the script calls for such accents. We want to hear your own voice as we evaluate your audition. 

BFA Acting Audition Dates:

  • Saturday, December 7, 2024
  • Sunday, December 8, 2024
  • Sunday, January 19, 2025
  • Saturday, January 25, 2025
  • Sunday, January 26, 2025

For questions, please contact dramarecruiter@uconn.edu or call 860-486-1635.

*If you require accommodations, please contact us.

Acting BFA FAQs

    • Q: How do I apply to UConn as an Acting BFA major?
      • Please see the Undergraduate Admission Process. Applying to the Acting BFA program is a three-step process: 1. You must first apply to UConn via either the Common Application or the Coalition App. 2. You must submit a SlideRoom Acting BFA application. 3. Attend an in-person audition.
      • Steps 1 + 2 must be completed BEFORE you receive a confirmed audition slot.
    • Q: When is the application deadline?
      • Auditions are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is to your benefit to apply by Dec. 1.
      • Otherwise, you must submit your UConn application and SlideRoom application by Jan. 15 to be eligible for a mandatory audition.
    • Q: How do I sign up for an audition?
      • After submitting your SlideRoom Application (Step 2), you will be prompted to schedule an audition via the Acting SlideRoom confirmation page. To be considered for the Acting BFA, you must attend an audition.
    • Q: When will we receive our results?
      • UConn Admissions decision notification begins early March, which will state if you were admitted to the Acting BFA program.
      • The Department of Dramatic Arts distributes annual scholarships for talent and financial need.
      • UConn participates in the New England Regional Student Program. The New England Board of Higher Education provides New England residents with a tuition reduction when they pursue certain majors at New England public colleges and universities. Due to its unique nature, UConn’s Acting BFA is one of the approved degree programs. Students from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont are eligible for a significant discount on out-of-state tuition when they choose Acting BFA as their major.
    • Q: What is the acceptance rate?
      • This varies greatly year to year based on the number of applicants both within the department and at UConn.
    • How can I increase the likelihood of admission to the Dramatic Arts department?
      • If you are applying to any of our BFA programs, we recommend you select Theatre Studies BA as your second choice major. It doubles your opportunity to engage with our program.

     

    SLIDEROOM APPLICATION

    • Q: How long can my SlideRoom video monologue be?
      • A: SlideRoom video monologues should be 60 seconds or less.
    • Q: Is SlideRoom a screening before you get an audition?
      • No, these are not screenings. However, we may call your references, review your resume, and watch your video monologue before your live audition to get to know you better.
    • Q: What happens if I make a mistake in SlideRoom or want to update my SlideRoom after I submit?
      • You cannot make edits to your application once it is submitted. No edits are necessary! We look at these at a broad level. Once you complete your SlideRoom and your Common App (or Coalition App), you will be able to schedule your in-person live audition.
    • Q: I am a current UConn student. How do I become an Acting BFA major?
      • Current UConn students who wish to either change their major or add a second major of Acting-BFA must submit an online application through SlideRoom: "CURRENT UCONN STUDENT | Acting, BFA."
      • It is also important to know, you will most likely be required to stay an additional semester or more to complete your Acting BFA degree.
      • Please know that due to the competitive nature of our program, we are extremely limited in the number of major change students we can accept. Therefore, get your portfolio submitted as early as possible. Meet with your current academic advisor to select classes for the upcoming fall semester and be willing to adjust your schedule accordingly should you be approved for the major change/add.

     

    AUDITION PROCESS

    • Q: What happens during the audition?
      • Auditions consists of two contrasting monologues totaling no more than 3.5 minutes plus 30 seconds of a song. After you share your audition with us, we may work with you on one of your pieces. We will also take a few minutes to talk with you.
      • Additionally, before or after your audition, there will be a Group Call during the day. All auditioners are required to attend. 
    • Q: What happens during the Group Call?
      • The Group Call will take place on the day of your audition. This will be before your individual audition slot. All auditioners are required to attend. Wear clothes that allow you to move easily and breathe freely (like clothes you might wear to the gym). You will have time to change into or out of your audition clothes. The call will be about 50 minutes and will involve a group warm-up, some improvisation work, and some cold reads of text which we will provide you on the audition day. 

     

    ABOUT THE ACTING BFA PROGRAM

    • Q: What are class sizes?
      • Class sizes are 10-15 students.
    • Q: Is an MFA required to get jobs?
      • No, an MFA is not required to get jobs. Our intensive, conservatory-style program prepares students for direct entry into the profession or for continuing study in an MFA acting program. You can see some of our notable alumni here.
    • Q: What is the London Experiential Global Learning Program?
      • BFA Acting Students study abroad at Theatre Academy London. The program is an amazing opportunity for our actors to continue their performance training and to see affordable, professional theatre in one of the theatrical centers of the world. The semester in London is a requirement of our program. UConn Experiential Global Learning has excellent resources to assist students who may need additional financial support to participate.