| AUDITIONS & INTERVIEWS |
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Training and Preparation Requirements
Freshman applicants interested in Musical Theatre at Michigan should have training and experience in musical theatre techniques and production. Ability to read music fluently and training in ballet are assets.
Transfer applicants considering Michigan must have the prerequisites of recent ballet training and college coursework (or its formal equivalent) in voice, piano and music theory. If invited to audition, transfer applicants must audition in Ann Arbor, rather than in New York or Chicago.
Written Requirements
- Resume: Bring to the audition a typed résumé which includes any training and experience you have had in music, theatre and dance. Staple the résumé to a recent 8"x 10" photograph of yourself.
- Brief Personal Statement: Bring to the audition a short essay describing an artistic event which was memorable and/or influential to you personally (this does not need to be an event in which you participated). This is a different essay from the ones required for the University's application and should be no longer than two typed pages.
Performance Requirements (updated June 2008)
General Overview:
- At the beginning of every audition day faculty members and MT majors speak to the applicants as a group, discussing the Musical Theatre Department and answering questions. Parents are encouraged to attend these sessions, but may not observe the auditions.
- Applicants should choose carefully what to wear for the audition day. An audition is similar to a job interview, in terms of apparel. The clothes for the acting/voice/piano segments of the audition should be somewhat dressy, appropriate, tasteful and generally conservative. We suggest that applicants practice and prepare in the shoes they plan to wear. Women should be careful of wearing heels which are extremely high.
- Auditioning can sometimes be a stressful situation, and though we do as much as possible to put applicants at ease, be sure to choose songs and monologues with which you can be comfortable in all situations. Get as much experience as possible in rehearsing and performing the songs with a skilled accompanist before any of your college auditions. It's also helpful to rehearse all of your material in different sizes of venues, from small rooms to large theatre stages. That way, whatever the situation at each school, you will feel comfortable and can easily adapt.
Acting: Prepare two short, contrasting monologues from plays. Combined they must not exceed two minutes. Each monologue must be memorized and should be performed in the context of the entire play. The emphasis is on simple reality. Note: Auditionees will present one monologue only. The faculty panel will determine which one will be presented.
Preparation Suggestions:
Choose monologues which are appropriate for your age and experience.
Be able to discuss the play as a whole. It’s best to select monologues from plays, as opposed to special material written for monologue books.
Avoid historic styles, such as Shakespeare, and verse or poetry. Avoid dialects.
Exercise taste in selecting the monologues, avoiding pieces that may be inappropriate because of language or situation.
Voice: Prepare two contrasting 16-bar selections. Both songs must be memorized, and one must be traditional (written before 1965). An accompanist will be provided. Note: Auditionees will present one song only. The faculty panel will determine which one will be presented.
Preparation Suggestions:
Choose songs with which you can communicate a specific situation in a clear context with an objective (goal). Make the situation as honest and specific as possible.
Even though a 16-bar song is very short, do as much as you can to give the song a progression. What happens or changes as the song proceeds?
Select material which is suitable for your age and experience.
Explore the lyrics of the song as carefully as you explore the music. Be absolutely certain that you are singing correct words, notes, and rhythms.
Adhere carefully to the 16-bar maximum. It is not in your best interest to include more measures, even if the tempo of the song is fast.
Include a 2-bar or 4-bar introduction to the songs, and mark the introduction carefully and clearly in the music. Remember that the measures of introduction do not count in the 16-bars you will be singing. Be sure to rehearse the song with the introduction prior to your audition!
If you are not starting at the top of the song, write the title of the song at the top of the music, along with the time signature and key signature.
Do not try to sing too high or too loudly. Volume and range can be explored separately if the faculty have questions. Choose songs which fit comfortably in your range. If you are using a transposition of a song, be sure that you have correctly printed the melody, lyrics and accompaniment in the new key. Note: It's to your advantage to put the song in a key which best suits your voice. An enormous number of applicants present songs in keys which are too high for them to show themselves at their best vocally.
You must audition with the accompanist provided by the Musical Theatre Department and may not bring your own accompanist. This will usually be a faculty member. Advance rehearsal time will not be available.
Be cautious of choosing songs which have complicated accompaniments, or those which can be difficult to perform without prior rehearsal with the accompanist.
It's wise to work with a skilled accompanist at home before you begin your college auditions, making sure that all elements of your printed music are presented clearly and correctly. You will have very little time to discuss the music with the UM accompanist at the time of the audition, so the clarity of your music can have an enormous impact on the success of your audition.
Do not sing a cappella. Always sing with an accompanist, not a recording. It is never to your advantage to sing with recorded accompaniment.
Put your music in a binder. If you use plastic covers, these should be non-reflecting. Taping the pages for the accompanist is also acceptable. Be prepared to give the tempo to the accompanist by singing a few phrases and/or clapping the accompaniment. Think of the tempo carefully ---- most auditionees tend to give the accompanist a tempo which is too fast.
Do not use a chair or props in the vocal audition.
When you enter the audition room, leave your water bottle outside.
Dance: All applicants will participate in a dance class emphasizing ballet technique and including a short combination from a musical. The faculty will evaluate your technique, incorporation of choreographic intent, performance vitality, acting/communication skills, and potential for growth.
Preparation Suggestions:
Apparel: Women should wear character or jazz shoes (and can bring ballet slippers), leotards, tights and/ or dance skirts. Men should wear jazz shoes (and can bring ballet slippers), tights, jazz pants, t-shirts or shorts, and a dance belt. 
Be sure to start warming up as soon as you come into the room.
Though it isn't possible to prepare specifically for the dance audition, applicants generally have better success if they have had some training in ballet. While most auditionees have danced to various degrees in productions, the specific skills acquired in ballet training are invaluable preparation for this portion of the audition.
Piano: The piano audition consists of sight-reading and an interview. The faculty will evaluate your music reading skills and your understanding of rhythmic notation. The ability to read music is an important factor in the evaluation of your application. It isn’t necessary to prepare a piece.
Preparation Suggestions:
Playing another instrument can be extremely valuable for your overall understanding of music. However, it's still important to begin studying piano before and/or during high school. Leaning to play the piano immediately before this audition is fine, but generally of limited value. It's best to begin a steady, organized process of piano study long before your senior year. While playing by ear is of value, it's not a substitute for music reading skills.
WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR IN A MICHIGAN APPLICANT?
Someone who…
- has intellectual curiosity and recognizable talent.
- is prepared, confident, sincere, courteous, ambitious, and is clearly a team-player.
- appreciates and takes pride in the artistic growth of fellow students.
- is comfortable physically.
- can communicate very specific ideas and choices in dialogue/lyrics, music, and dance.
- sings the correct notes, rhythms and words, with a clear sense of pitch, an understanding of musical line, and a healthy approach which doesn't push the voice higher than is appropriate. In addition, applicants should have music reading skills, especially at the piano.
- has interests apart from the arts.
- is engaged in the culture of community, ranging from politics to public service, and is excited to find ways in which the arts can impact and enrich American culture.
- has a passion for writing, and a desire to express personal ideas and points of view.
- has done his/her homework about the Department and the University by reading official publications and speaking with faculty, students, School officials, and graduates, rather than relying only on internet opinions or YouTube postings.
- is committed to a university environment and has given careful thought to the reasons for pursuing a BFA in a university as opposed to a conservatory.
Audition Schedule and Application Deadline Dates
Because the exceptionally large volume of Musical Theatre auditions in a season, candidates should apply early in the fall of the senior year. Audition dates will fill quickly and applicants who wait until Thanksgiving weekend to apply may find their options quite limited.
Audition Date |
Application Deadline |
Notes |
11/21/2008 |
09/15/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
01/09/2009 |
11/01/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
01/23/2009 |
11/01/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
01/30/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
02/06/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
03/06/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
03/27/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
Ann Arbor |
02/02/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
Chicago, IL |
02/03/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
Chicago, IL |
02/28/2009 |
12/01/2008 |
New York, NY |
The staff of the Admissions Office and the Musical Theatre faculty are not able to provide individual feedback from student auditions, again, because of the volume of candidates to consider. We ask your understanding, and thank you in advance.
  
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