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.
To schedule a Zoom audition appointment email the Department of Theatre Arts at theatre@towson.edu
We advise prospective BFA candidates not to make your audition appointment until you
have been accepted by the university.
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 and 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 in 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. Audition dates for the Incoming class of 2021 are listed
below.
Saturday, December 6, 2020 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Recommended for Spring transfer students)
Saturday, February 6, 2021 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saturday, February 13, 2021 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saturday, February20, 2021 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Saturday, February 27, 2021 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
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.
Please note: To meet the university deadline for recruitment scholarships, you must
audition before Feb 22. Scholarships are not always available depending on budgets.
Email the Theatre Office at theatre@towson.edu during business hours for an appointment.
The audition is via zoom and it includes:
Memorize, rehearse and prepare a 1-2 minute monologue from a contemporary published
play.
Be prepared for faculty to work with you on their monologue by giving you an adjustment.
There will also be a brief interview where faculty will ask some questions in order
to learn more about you.
You will also have a chance to ask us questions about the program.
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
Auditions are held on Zoom. We will send you a zoom appointment when you contact
us to schedule your audition. Email theatre AT_TOWSON to schedule your audition for the BFA.