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DD is getting organised and planning for Autumn 13 & spring 14 auditions

So the big questions are:
1) do any of the musical theatre colleges suggest songs/monologues or do you pick your own?

2) if you pick your own how on earth do you pick (is it better to pick obscure stuff or do you go popular)?

3) when do you start practising? (does it get stale if you keep on at it?)

4) do you ever have to produce your own dance or are auditions generally "join in a class" type thing?

Sorry if these are naive but DD wants to know

One of the most difficult aspects is that all the colleges have their own methods - there is not a "one size fits all" audition. However I can amswer some of your questions:

1. Some places suggest monologues (e.g.Central have a classical list to choose from). I know GSA have a list of songs for the recall stage. It is advisable to check EACH colleges auditionn requirements carefully.

2. As to how you pick thts is a tricky one to answer. generally it is best to pick a character that is near to your own age/same gender etc that you can relate to. You need to be familiar with the whole play, not just the monolgue. It's a good idea to start early, see/read lots of plays to find one. Avoid books of monologues though simon Dunmore does a good one on less wellknown Skaespearean ones.

3. A good start is to read the whole play bfore learning the monologue. Get to klnow the lines so thoroughly that they are second nature to you. You can avoid getting stale by playing around with it and trying different approaches. In an audition being re-directed is very common, so you should not get fixated on only delivering it a certain way.

4. Most dance auditions are in the form of a group wher you get shown a routine and then perform it - you have to pick it up quickly, and perform it even if you go wrong. I know that GSA ask you to prepare a dance for the recall but my DD did not even get asked to do hers (she still got offered a place).

Hope some of this helps. A good book is "So You want To Tread The Boards" by Jennifer reischel. Look at Simon Dunmore's website as well.

Thanks for that info; I'll make sure DD reads it!!

If you're applying to urdang, they send you a list of four monologues I think and you have to learn one of them

Last year the colleges that DD applied to all ran the auditions in a very similar way....it was a full day and comprised (in varying order!)
Ballet class
Jazz class
Acting workshop and Monologue (own choice, the only stipulation was that it must be age appropriate and Bird said PLEASE don't do "Like a Virgin"!!)
Solo song (own choice but preferably Musical Theatre and again age appropriate)
Physio check
Interview

I can't remember exactly but I think the only college that asked for a solo dance at initial audition was Laines.

When my ds went through the process of auditioning for Musical Theatre (Arts Ed, Mountview, GSA & Central), he took part in a group dance audition which was jazz/modern in style and was aimed at seeing how easily you could pick up a routine more than anything else. They then performed a solo (musical theatre and not one of the over popular ones - one college auditioner told somebody they really did not want to hear another Andrew Lloyd Webber number). Probably best to go armed with a few options for which you need to take the sheet music to the audition. If they got through to the afternoon then it was the monologues (can't remember whether both were asked to be performed or not now), more singing and then the interview. Most of the colleges said they required two monologues (one classic and one post 1950 something if I remember correctly, but did not give a specific list). Central was the only place that had and "acting workshop" as such. He didn't have a physic check either - sounds as though that would be more relevant to a dance course. Once offered a place, he needed to provide the college with a letter from his doctor stating he was fit to take up his place though. He is now in his second year at Arts Ed and from what he tells me, the process is unchanged from when he did it. Hope this helps a bit and best of luck to your DD.

Yes...my DD's experience is for dance/musical theatre courses (Bird, Laines, Urdang etc....)...but I think that's also what Katymac's DD is applying for?

Definitely second taking additional song options.....DD was asked if she had others prepared when they didn't like her first choice!!

xx

We will also be looking with dd for September'14 entry. Have already booked an Open Day visit for GSA in June, so am following entry for this year thread with interest.

Thanks everyone - yes it is musical theatre or dance (which exactly.......the jury is still out )

Lots of lovely stuff for her to cogitate over - I can see us coming back for advise over & over again until we have it sorted

She thought to audition for local Btec colleges too as both a back up plan and a practise

Has she given up the CAT scheme now Katymac ?
How did it go and what is she doing now ?

Yes - she gave it up & after 3 or 4 days wobble she is fine; we do think it was the right decision.

She has added a standard 7/8 class, started Grade 5 Modern, another Jazz & another Tap for the time beingj but se doesn't know what to do come September.

But she does feel disheartened and down occasionally as she enjoyed the focus and committment of it all. But onwards and upwards...

Tbh I wonder if they were glad to see her go (which is very uncharitable of me & quite uncharacteristic)

She did a show recently & that focused her again I think

I'm glad things are more settled now Katymac as I know it was a great worry for both of you.

Best wishes in all she does for the future - we follow you closely as we are 12 months behind with many of the same dilemmas and decisions.
Thanks for letting us know x

Thanks - it's so hard making decisions for/with them - esp knowing that we might not know if it was the right decision for several years

If you are a years behind I'd say start looking at colleges now - I think we really missed the boat starting to look in Oct of yr10

And things change too, we inherited some money when my dd was in yr 10. So I was going to put it away for college. She then insisted she was NOT going to dance college. Yr 12 all change..........after we had moved home and spent it!!!!

Katymac wrote: If you are a years behind I'd say start looking at colleges now - I think we really missed the boat starting to look in Oct of yr10

Can you expand on this Katymac as DD has just taken her GCSE options and will be going into Yr10 in Sept ?
In what way do you feel you have missed out ?