Audition Information: BPS and BA in Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre candidates must apply for admission to the college as well as complete an audition for acceptance to the musical theatre major.  If you have not yet completed your application to the college, please visit the Admissions Office.

Musical Theatre auditions for incoming students may be submitted virtually via the link below or performed in person.  In-person audition days are scheduled for January 19, February 9, February 23, and March 1, 2024.  To request an audition date, please contact our department administrative assistant, Danielle Clark, at dclark@geneseo.edu or 585-245-5824.

When to Audition

For a fall semester entrance to Geneseo, it is recommended that high school seniors and transfer students audition before March 5; transfer students intending to transfer for the spring semester should submit audition materials before November 15.  Online auditions will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed monthly.

What to Prepare

All Musical Theatre applicants will audition in the three performance areas of voice, dance, and acting.  Music theory and sight-singing placement exams will be scheduled at the in-person audition or at a later date for those auditioning remotely; an individual entrance interview will be scheduled as needed.  All applicants should prepare the following:

• Voice: Students must prepare two, 32-bar musical theatre songs that demonstrate their ability to sing in tune with good vocal quality and musical intelligence. The songs should be memorized and one should be written before 1970. One of the songs should be a ballad. If a student has significant classical training, an art song or aria may be presented in addition to the other two prepared songs.  For in-person candidates, a pianist will be provided; if you are a remote candidate, please collaborate with a pianist or use a karaoke or piano track as your accompaniment.
• Acting: Students must prepare two contrasting monologues, traditionally a comedic and a dramatic monologue. Each piece should be less than one-and-a-half minutes long and memorized. Select audition monologues that contain characters within five years of your current age. There is no period requirement.
• Dance: In-person candidates will participate in a group dance call.  Remote candidates should use a karaoke or piano track as their accompaniment and will present a 30-45 second clip of themselves performing a style of their choice that represents their current level of experience; styles may range from ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, among others, or a combination from a musical theatre production.  All students should dress in appropriately fitted dance or athletic clothes.
• Resumé: Musical Theatre students must submit a resumé that includes personal goals as a theatre artist, relevant theatre experience, special skills and hobbies, and other performance or athletic experience.  
• Headshot or Photo: Musical Theatre students must submit a current headshot or photo.