Department of Theatre & Dance

 

The Audition Process for the BFA Acting Program

Students may audition only after they have applied and have been accepted to Millikin University. The Millikin University Application for Admission is online

To be admitted into the B.F.A. program in Acting, you must audition.
Performance auditions are held on Mondays and Fridays on the dates listed below. The process begins at 11:00 a.m. and goes until 1:00 p.m. There are a limited number of audition spaces available for each day, so please arrange for your audition as soon as possible, and at least one week in advance. Auditions cannot be scheduled until a student has been accepted for admission by Millikin University.

To arrange a date for your audition, please contact Mary Spencer, audition/interview coordinator of the Department of Theatre and Dance. Her e-mail is mspencer@millikin.edu. Or you may call the department at (217) 424-6282 or toll free (800) 373-7733.

Audition appointment may be made for:

For your audition, you should prepare pieces which highlight your strengths as a performer. Specific requirements include:

• Two memorized monologues, each no longer than 30 seconds to one minute in length. Material should be from two different published plays, contrasting in style, with a character close to your own age, and with no dialect of any kind. Shakespeare is acceptable for one of the acting monologues, however, no Puck monologues from A Midsummer Night's Dream will be allowed. Pick monologues from full length published plays; please do not prepare solo monologues that are more appropriate for Speech Team performances.
  

Your audition day will consist of three important components:

• Check in -- Upon arrival on campus you will need to check in with the audition coordinator in the Theatre and Dance office, located in Shilling Hall, Room 211.
  
• Warm up and Audition -- After check-in, you will be escorted to your audition location where you will be given time to warm up and to prepare for your audition. After your warm up period, an audition team will view and evaluate your audition. Your monologues may be performed in any order you choose.
  
• Exit Interview -- Following your audition, you will meet with a member of the audition team and/or the department chair to discuss your audition and the degree program to which you have been admitted, as well as to answer any specific questions you or your parents have regarding the degree program.
  
  Optional: After the interview, we invite you and your parents to have lunch with some of the theatre performance majors who have been escorting you through your audition process. They are the prime resource for information on what it is like to be a student at Millikin. They can answer many questions about student life, living in the residence halls, and campus experiences and activities.

The audition team is made up of faculty members who teach in the areas of music, dance and acting. Based on your audition performance, they will place you into the degree program that best suits your abilities.

Your parents/guardians are encouraged to come to campus with you. While they will not be able to listen to your audition, they will have an opportunity to get acquainted with Millikin and have many of their questions answered with you in the Exit Interview.

To make the most of your campus visit, we also recommend making appointments with the Admissions and Student Service Center offices. They can arrange a campus tour, lunch and dinner on campus, and with a week's notice, even an overnight stay either before or after your audition. You are also welcome to attend classes, athletic events or performances.

Talent Awards are monetary awards given to students who show significant talent and potential based on the audition. These awards are recommendations only. Financial aid packages are not determined by the Department of Theatre and Dance. Talent awards become part of a larger financial aid package offered by the Student Service Center at Millikin

Please also read our Frequently Asked Questions page concerning auditions for further information.

Other Degree Programs

• BA Theatre
• BFA Musical Theatre
• BFA Design/Technical
• BFA Stage Management
• BFA Theatre Administration
• Theatre Minor
• Dance Minor