The MTA College and University Undergraduate Audition Workshop are specifically designed for students who are interested honing their auditions skills in preparation for Regional Auditions for Graduate Programs and Professional positions.  This is an opportunity to receive a broad range of new opinions and perspective on your work and growth as an actor.  Each participant will receive feedback from many adjudicators that can be used to improve your audition prior to participating in Regional auditions.  Participation is limited to students from two or four year colleges or universities. This will be in conjunction and prior to the High School College/University Auditions.  This will give those students an opportunity to see your work and the level at which they will need to be when they enter college.

REGISTER HERE

Audition Guidelines

1. The Undergraduate Audition Workshop will take place on Thursday, January 12th in Gulfport, MS.
2. Applications for Undergraduate Auditions are done online. Review the Undergraduate Application Instructions.
3. Auditionees are required to fill out the entire application and upload a current photo.
4. Applicants are encouraged to register for and attend the full festival, but are not required to do so in order to participate.
5. You must have a working email in order to receive information, audition numbers, etc. Please make sure to add MTA to your safe lists.
6. Your school need NOT be a institutional member of MTA; however, the student MUST be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program in the state of Mississippi.
7. Students MUST pre-register for this competition.  No “walk in” entries will be accepted.  Application forms for EACH entry must be postmarked no later than January 2, 2012. (or Apply Online)

The Audition

These auditions are intended to be Very similar to those of the SETC, U/RTA, UPTA, etc… to negate extra work for students preparing for those auditions.  However, the MTA Undergraduate Audition Workshop is not intended to be a “screening process” for any of those regional competitions.

If acting only, the time limit is sixty (60) seconds; if singing only, the time limit is sixty (60) seconds; if singing and acting, the time limit is a total of ninety (90) seconds.

An audition accompanist will not be provided.  Accompaniment Music must be on a CD or cassette tape.  A CD/Tape player will be
provided.  A capella singing is permitted, but discouraged as it does not adequately showcase a performers abilities.

Time limits are not to be exceeded.  TIME BEGINS WHEN YOU SAY YOUR NAME and NUMBER.

Prepare your audition piece to fit the time limits allowed.  If you go over time, the Timekeeper will say, “Thank You!”  You should stop, say your name and number, leave the stage, and return to your seat.  Those who keep going when time is called appear to be unprepared. EVERY AUDITION SHOULD BEGIN AND END WITH YOUR NAME AND NUMBER.

No props are allowed. A chair may be used and will be provided.

The Procedure

1. You must attend the mandatory briefing at 5:00pm.
2. Auditionees will report to the holding area to be assigned a number.  Auditionees will be taken into the audition room at the appropriate time.  When signaled by the Timekeeper, the first person in the group will proceed to the stage; state name and number, and present audition piece, repeating name and number at the end.
3. While the preceding auditionee moves to the stage, you will sit by the CD/Tape player operator and quietly indicate where your selection begins and ends.  It is preferable that you have your music as a single track as to avoid difficulty in cueing up your Accompaniment.  As the preceding auditionee returns to his/her seat, you should move into position.  NOTE:
   Each auditionee should wait briefly for a signal from the Timekeeper before beginning.
4. After everyone has performed, there will be a brief break before the adjudicators begin their
   verbal feedback responses.  Written comments will be available to the auditionees at the conclusion of the evening.
5. These Undergraduate Auditions are to be followed immediately by the High School Scholarship Auditions.  During the High School Auditions, the ballots from the adjudicators will be tabulated to determine the winning audition.  At the conclusion of the High School
   Scholarship Auditions, the winner of the Undergraduate Audition and Design Competitions will be announced.

Following the announcement of the winners, each participant will receive a packet of written response sheets from the adjudicators that can be used to improve your audition prior to participating in Regional auditions.

If you have any other questions about entering the MTA College and University Undergraduate Audition Workshop Competition, you may contact:

Dex Edwards
Chair, College/University Division, MTA
(662) 915-5816
dedwards@olemiss.edu