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HOW TO AUDITION AND APPLY AS A NEW STUDENT

(Excludes Arts Management – No additional requirements upon acceptance into university.)

The Department of Theatre & Dance partners with Acceptd so you can view application, audition and interview detail, submit your application and materials online, and schedule the location and date of your audition/interview. The department accepts a limited number of new students each year so, if you want to learn, work and perform with a select group of students under the guidance of our world-class faculty: 

  1. Submit your university application for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at University of Wisconsin Online Application (All students must be accepted to UW-Stevens Point prior to being accepted into the Department of Theatre and Dance.)
  2. Submit your Department of Theatre and Dance application and schedule your virtual audition/interview on Acceptd.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

BFA ACTING & BFA MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM APPLICATION DEADLINE

We advise all students applying to the Department of Theatre and Dance must submit their Acceptd applications one week before their preferred audition/interview date. Auditions for the BFA Musical Theatre and BFA Acting programs are February 16 and March 2, so Acceptd applications are due February 9 and February 26, respectively. We do not host auditions for the BFA Musical Theatre and Acting program after March 2, so the final cut-off to submit your Acceptd application is February 26.

BFA THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY AND BA DRAMA APPLICATION DEADLINE

We advise all students applying to the Department of Theatre and Dance must submit their Acceptd applications one week before their preferred audition/interview date. Interviews for the BFA Theatre Design & Technology and BA Drama program February 16 and March 2. We prefer your materials to be submitted one week before your preferred interview date (February 9 and February 26, respectively), but we are flexible and can offer interviews after the final March 2 interview day. 

You will be notified of the status of your Department of Theatre and Dance audition by April 26, 2024.

Current UW-Stevens Point Student Application

Drama – Design & Technology – Acting – Musical Theatre
Dance

Theatre Audition and Interview Requirements

Guidelines

To schedule an audition/interview the candidate must submit in advance, via Acceptd:

  • A two-page essay summarizing your reasons for wanting to pursue a major in theatre
  • A resume listing your experience in theatre
  • A sample of scholarly writing from a history or English course
  • Two letters of recommendation

Interview Requirements

After you have submitted all the above required information via Acceptdyou will schedule an appointment to meet with the BA Program Coordinator to discuss your background, goals, and interests, as well as questions you may have regarding the program.

  • Two contrasting, contemporary monologues – one comic, one serious – both of which should be relatively age-appropriate.
  • Total time of audition (both monologues together) must not exceed 3 minutes.

Before scheduling an interview, you must submit the following materials to Acceptd:

  • An essay summarizing your reasons for wanting to pursue a major in design/technology
  • A resume listing your experience in theatre
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Portfolio materials may be submitted online or you may bring them to your interview.

Interview Requirements

  • You will meet with the Design & Technology Staff to review your portfolio materials and discuss your background, goals, and interests.
  • Perform two contrasting songs from the Musical Theatre Repertoire – one ballad and one up-tempo; each lasting no longer than one minute. One of these songs should be written before 1975. Both songs should be appropriate for your age, vocal range, and personality.Learn how to prepare here:
    Preparing Audition Song for Musical Theatre
  • Perform one prepared monologue from a contemporary realistic play – either comic or serious, one minute or less. Selection should be appropriate for your age, personality and character type.
  • Total time of audition (songs and monologue) must not exceed 3 minutes. You will be timed.
  • On-campus auditions will include a short dance audition at the mid-point of the day. Please bring appropriate shoes & clothing for this portion of the audition. If you are auditioning virtually, no formal dance audition will be required but students are encouraged to submit a short video demonstrating their dance abilities. These can be included in your materials on  Acceptd.

For BFA Acting and Musical Theatre

  • Select monologues/songs that showcase “your best you.”  We’re interested in seeing the truth of who you are and what you bring to the theatrical space.  Select characters that are relatively close to your age, and trust that the way you honestly move and speak/sing is sufficient to express those characters.  Don’t select monologues that require a major vocal or physical characterization choice (like a dialect, or a non-human physicality).
  • If you are auditioning in NYC or Chicago and want to be considered for both the Musical Theatre and Acting programs, the Musical Theatre audition requirements should be followed.  BFA Acting faculty may request a second monologue if time permits – you should have one ready.

For BFA Acting Auditions…

  • If you feel you are particularly skilled at dialects or strange/broad/over-the-top characterizations, it’s not a bad idea to have a third monologue (or more) memorized and ready to go – just in case we ask if you have a third monologue.  Select these “extra” monologues based on the special skills you want to showcase.  Extra monologues are not required in any way, but good actors are always ready to show off their skills…
  • If you have experience with classical text (Shakespeare, Greeks, “heightened language”) and feel it is a strength, you may want to have a monologue ready as back-up, or you may use it as one of your two required monologues, in place of a contemporary one.  Again, only do this if you feel strong about the material.
  • Read plays and musicals.  Select monologues/characters from plays that you find compelling or hilarious.  Read and know the whole play to understand the character.  Know the playwright.  Don’t pick monologues out of a monologue book, or that you saw a clip of on YouTube, without knowing the larger story it comes from.  Monologues from movies, TV, or any other medium, tend to not be as effective.

​ Please contact the Theatre and Dance Academic Department for additional program and audition information. theatre-dance@uwsp.edu 715-346-4429

“UWSP’s Dance Program aspires to create a dynamic culture in which students are inspired to achieve full physical expression, technical and stylistic range, and anatomical efficiency. We are dedicated to artistic experimentation and contemporary inquiry that is culturally relevant and historically grounded, preparing students to communicate, contribute and lead as global citizen artists.”
Dance Mission Statement

BA Dance Application and Audition Requirements

Admission Requirements*

The dance faculty considers the following elements of your application and audition:

*All current UWSP students applying to the dance major and minor programs must successfully complete an on-campus performance audition and interview with the UWSP dance faculty. Several tuition scholarships will be awarded to students accepted as dance majors.  The faculty selects scholarship recipients during the on-campus audition; an additional scholarship application is not required.

The dance faculty considers the following elements of your application and audition:

    • In your written application – your ability to clearly and completely communicate your ideas and goals;

    • During your audition – your ability to engage with new ideas and information, your capacity to embody the material presented, both physically and intellectually, and your knowledge of and ability in at least 2 of the 4 techniques offered at UWSP (ballet, modern, jazz and tap);

    • In your prepared solo – your ability to communicate through movement; and

    • During your interview – your ability to articulate your reasons for studying dance at the university level.

*All current UWSP students applying to the dance major and minor programs must successfully complete an on-campus performance audition and interview with the UWSP dance faculty. Several tuition scholarships will be awarded to students accepted as dance majors.  The faculty selects scholar

  • Resume listing dance training, performance experience, and awards
  • Recent photograph – either a headshot or dance photo

Typed, double-spaced, and carefully proofread for spelling, grammar and completeness of ideas. Your answers should be thoughtful and detailed.

Essay content:  

  • Considering UWSP’s Dance Program Mission Statement, your reasons for pursuing a dance major or minor in our program.
  • Describe what most interests you about studying dance at the university level.
  • Describe the ways you see yourself as a leader in the field of dance now, and in what ways you envision yourself leading in the future.
  • Two letters of recommendation (signed and dated) from individuals able to assess your abilities. We accept email letters of recommendation (mail to: dance@uwsp.edu).
  • One letter should be written by an academic teacher or advisor who is able comment on your ability to be successful in university-level academic coursework; the second letter should be written by a primary dance teacher who is able to comment on your ability and potential to be successful in a university-level dance program.

Upload your completed application, including all required materials, Acceptd.com two weeks prior to your audition date. Applications will be accepted in advance of the deadline. Any applications received after this deadline may not be considered. Please direct questions regarding this application to:

Professor Michael Estanich, Department of Theatre & Dance, Noel Fine Arts Center, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI 54481 | Voice: 715/346-3978 | email: dance@uwsp.edu

Meet Your Faculty and Staff

UW-Stevens Point faculty members are accessible and happy to help majors get the most out of their educational experience. Our experienced faculty integrates acting, voice and movement into a rigorous professional training program. They have directed and performed nationally and internationally throughout their careers.
Michael Estanich

Michael Estanich

  • Department Chair – Theatre and Dance
  • Professor – Dance
  • Program Coordinator BA Dance
Department of Theatre and Dance
715-346-2500

Danielle Wyatt

  • Administrative Assistant II
College of Fine Arts and Communication, Department of Theatre and Dance, School of Performing Arts
715-346-4429
Mark Hanson

Mark Hanson

  • Associate Professor – Musical Theatre
  • Program Coordinator BFA Musical Theatre
College of Fine Arts and Communication, Department of Theatre and Dance, School of Performing Arts
715-346-3891
Jeannie Hill

Jeannie Hill

  • Professor – Dance
College of Fine Arts and Communication, Department of Theatre and Dance, School of Performing Arts

ACCREDITATION

Study with an accredited program

The Department of Theatre and Dance is is accredited by the following professional associations.

National Association of Schools of Dance

Founded in 1981, the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD) is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 83 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for dance and dance-related disciplines and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other dance-related endeavors.

National Association of Schools of Theatre

Founded in 1965, the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 193 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for theatre and theatre-related disciplines and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other theatre-related endeavors.