Audition Information

The Department of Theatre Arts requires an entrance screening audition for the BFA in Acting. Students who wish to pursue the Design and Production Track or the Theatre Studies Track must be admitted by Towson University but do not need to audition for entry into their track.

Monster

You must have been accepted to Towson University before you can sign up to audition for the BFA Acting program. 

Students who audition and are not initially invited into the BFA in Acting may attend Towson University and pursue another degree in the Department of Theatre Arts. Those students may also audition for the acting program again in their first year of study. 

Transfer Students and the BFA in Acting

Students transferring from other acting programs who wish to pursue the BFA in Acting at Towson must be admitted to the university and must audition for the BFA in Acting. They can – if accepted into the BFA Acting – petition for advanced placement in the track. This decision will be made by the acting faculty evaluating the student’s audition. It should be noted that the BFA in Acting program will take a transfer student a minimum of three years (three fall and three spring semesters) to complete if a student transfers in all university Core credits. The program cannot be compressed further.

Transfer students who wish to be waived from the Theatre Arts Department core requirements based on credits earned at other institutions must meet with the department chairperson.

Students who wish to transfer from other institutions after the final audition date for the year or who wish to begin the BFA in Acting mid-year should contact the Theatre Arts Department at 410-704-2792 to determine the best time to audition. If you wish to begin in the fall, it is best to apply and audition by the March audition date.

Audition Dates

Auditions for students who wish to join the BFA in Acting take place between December and March each year. Auditionees are required to be in attendance for the entirety of their scheduled slot.

Screening decisions will be made within two to three weeks of the final audition date and students will be notified via email and/or telephone. Offers/further contact cannot be made with students who have not been admitted to the university.

Email the Theatre Office at theatre@towson.edu if you have any questions.

Regarding Monologues

Time: Your monologue should be between 1 to 2 minutes long. You will be timed and you will be cut off at 2 minutes. We begin timing from the first word of your monologue, not from your introduction.

Choice of material: Choose material which you understand, enjoy and which touches something meaningful in you. You may choose any contemporary play. 

The best monologues are pieces in which your character is talking to another person who is there in the room with them, and in which your character wants something from that other person which is very important to them in that moment.

We ask that you read the entire play from which your monologue was taken.

We ask that you do not do any of the following:

  • Do not do original (unpublished) work.
  • Do not do a stand-up comedy routine or a piece that sounds like one.
  • Do not do anything from a film; if you are doing a piece from a play which was made into a film, do not do an imitation of the actor in the film.
  • Do not play a small child.
  • Do not play a character with serious mental deficiencies.
  • Do not play a character under the influence of mind-altering substances during the piece.
  • Avoid straying too far from your own age – if you are 17, a character over 30 is most likely too far removed from you.

About the Interview

At Towson we are looking for well-rounded, well-read students. We are interested in your understanding of theatre as an art form, the books and people that have influenced your life, your involvement in your community, the things you are curious about, and the things you are passionate about.

We want to see who you are and what makes you tick. Be yourself. Think about things like why theatre is important to you and why the arts are important to the world. Tell us what you really think, not what you think we want to hear or what you think will sound impressive. You may be asked to discuss other interests you have, to discuss a recent play or movie you have seen, or to articulate your current set of goals for your life or career.

This is also the time to ask us a few questions which were not addressed in the informational session or which are very specific to your situation or interests.

Remember: This is also YOUR time to determine if Towson meets your needs and if you could be happy here.

Audition Location Information

Center for the Arts, Room number to follow.