Drama Summer Programs

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Here’s what you’ll need to complete the online application for Academy Drama.

ID Photo

A passport-style photo of yourself from the shoulders up. This will be used as your student ID photo if you are accepted.

Grades and Attendance

A copy of your most recent report card can be uploaded to the application on the Current School page. If attendance is not part of your report card, you will also need to include an attendance report.

Teacher Recommendations

To request recommendations, you will provide the names and email addresses of the arts teacher, academic teacher, and an individual for homeschool/virtual school recommendation (if applicable) on the application. 

Arts Experience

You'll list any classes/training/experience you may have had in the past two years. Limited experience won't hurt your chances.

Monologue and Character Questions

You will be asked to answer the following questions in paragraph form for one (1) of the monologues you plan to use at your audition, not to exceed 300 words total.

• Who is my character? Give information about their age, experiences, cultural background, values, and needs.
• What is the environment where this monologue occurs? (Location, surroundings, etc.)
• Who is my character talking to? What is my character's relationship to this person/these people, and what is the purpose of my character speaking to them in this monologue?
• What is it about this specific play and character that you feel connected to, particularly in terms of your chosen monologue.

Parent/Guardian Contact Information

General contact information for the legal guardian(s).

The Admissions Office will notify you if information is missing from your application. Incomplete applications cannot be processed.

During the Academy Drama audition... 

the student begins by performing two monologues and a song. A panel of theatre professionals will conduct a personal interview with the student following the performance component of your audition.

Two Contrasting Monologues

Select two contrasting monologues from modern playwrights (after 1940) that are 60 to 90 seconds long and reflect your age, experience, and understanding. This should be material you connect with personally.

Check out the list of modern/contemporary plays (published after 1940) below. These plays contain one or more monologues suitable for audition purposes, though some may need to be cut together or edited somewhat. You may use the list as a guide, or choose material not on the list by written by established professional playwrights.

If you have difficulty finding material, note that the modern classics listed below with an * should be easy to find in many school and local libraries. 

For Women 
   The Red Coat, John Patrick Shanley 
   A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry * 
   The Piano Lesson, August Wilson * 
   Jitney, August Wilson 
   Crimes of the Heart, Beth Henley 
   The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams * 
   I Oughta Be in Pictures, Neil Simon 
   Barefoot in the Park, Neil Simon 
   Collected Stories, Donald Marguiles 
   Sight Unseen, Donald Marguiles 
   A Young Lady of Property, Horton Foote 
   A View from the Bridge, Arthur Miller * 
   All My Sons, Arthur Miller * 
   Eleemosynary, Lee Blessing 
   Sally’s Gone, She Left Her Name, Russell Davis 
   You Can’t Take it With You, Kauffman and Hart * 
   Picnic, William Inge * 
   Inherit the Wind, Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee 

For Men 
   Biloxi Blues, Neil Simon 
   Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller * 
   A View from the Bridge, Arthur Miller * 
   The Crucible, Arthur Miller * 
   The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams * 
   The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, William Inge * 
   Picnic, William Inge * 
   Bus Stop, William Inge * 
   The Piano Lesson, August Wilson * 
   Jitney, August Wilson 
   A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry * 
   In a Northern Landscape, Timothy Mason 
   Conversations with My Father, Herb Gardner 
   Sally’s Porch, Russell Davis 
   The Red Coat, John Patrick Shanley 
   Rabbit Hole, David Lindsay Abaire 
   Proof, David Auburn 
   Catfish Moon, Laddy Sartin 
   Master Harold…and the Boys, Athol Fugard 

One Song

Memorize a short selection from a song – preferably 16 bars. Be prepared to sing this selection without accompaniment.

Interview

There will also be a short interview with a panel of theatre professionals. Be prepared to speak about your monologues, and why you would like to participate in the Academy Drama program. 

Helpful Tips

• Dress appropriately for the audition in neat attire (no torn jeans, flip-flops, or t-shirts).
• Read the ENTIRE PLAY from which each monologue is taken, so that you understand what’s happening, where you are, who you are talking to, and why you are talking to them. We may want to talk to you about the play or coach your monologue.
• Prepare and fully memorize your monologues well in advance of your audition so that you are confident and can engage your talent and imagination. This takes many hours.
• Avoid plays written expressly for high schoolers or internet-only sources, as well as accents or characters far from your age and understanding.

Academy Program 

Application Deadlines

• November 30, 2020 - Application fee waiver deadline
• January 6, 2021 - Final application deadline 
• After January 6 - Applications will be processed on a space-available basis.

Teacher recommendations, grades, and attendance must be submitted by the above deadlines in order for your application to be considered complete. 

Audition Dates

• January 30, 2021 - Upstate
• February 6, 2021 - Lowcountry
• February 20, 2021 - Midlands

Admission Decision Notification

• April 1, 2021 - Admission decision notifications sent by email 

Note: Decision status will not be given over the phone.

Arts Odyssey Program

Spaces in the Arts Odyssey program are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you an advantage. Students do not audition for the Arts Odyssey program.

• December 11, 2020 - Application deadline
• After December 11 - applications will be processed on a space-available basis.
• March 1, 2021 - Admission decision notifications sent by email

* Teacher recommendations and other art area specific requirements must be submitted by December 11 in order for your application to be considered complete.