Apply ACTING

The Acting Program at the University of Illinois is committed to providing a dynamic training experience for actors. There are three options for auditioning for a BFA in Acting at Illinois Theatre: Unified Auditions in Chicago, Theatrefest (housed at U of I this year), or through our on-campus auditions. For those auditioning through our on-campus option, we ask prospective students to attend in-person on-campus auditions rather than virtual auditions to give you a deeper understanding of our program and community.

Our on-campus audition days offer an opportunity to experience our program and include meetings with faculty, students, and department leaders, as well as interactive workshops with faculty. Our hope is that on-campus audition days will provide you with the opportunity to get to know us better as you make this important decision. We look forward to supporting you in learning about US as much as we want to learn about YOU.

In addition to your official university application you will present two contrasting monologues that best represent your experience and abilities as an actor. Each monologue should be two minutes or less. The monologues should be selected from different plays and each should be a speech of one character only, not several different characters speaking to each other. If you wish to sing, you may also present a song no more than one minute in length. For this song, you should bring a recorded accompaniment and the means to play it.

Choose monologues from characters similar to your own age and experience. Contemporary characters without dialects are best. If you feel comfortable presenting material from Shakespeare or another classical playwright, you are welcome to do so, but one selection should be from a contemporary text.

Please bring a photograph of yourself and a resume with a list of your theatre experiences, educational background, and other appropriate interests, such as hobbies, special skills, and employment history. A simple listing with this information and your name and address will be sufficient. You'll also be asked to upload an electronic version of this when you register for a specific day but we recommend also bringing a paper copy when you come.

Please also bring some movement appropriate clothing (including closed toed shoes) and be prepared to have your monologues coached and explored.

Applicants for whom attending in person auditions marks prohibitive travel from great distances or the need for specific financial considerations should contact Prof. Cindy Kocher at ckocher@illinois.edu