B.A. Musical Theatre

Cal State Application Deadline is December 2

Acceptd Application Deadline is December 31

Prospective students wishing to major in Musical Theatre must audition. Students who wish to apply to SDSU with a General Theatre Arts emphasis are not required to audition.

For prospective performance majors, the application is a two-step process:

• First, you need to apply to SDSU using the Cal State Apply application during the SDSU filing period between October 1- November 30. At the time of the application, select your Pre-Major as Musical Theatre (662509). Visit the Office of Admissions website for information about applying to the school. There is a non-refundable filing fee of $70 that must be paid at the time of your SDSU application.
• Next, you need to upload your audition through the Acceptd audition website platform between October 1- December 31. There you will be asked to upload a headshot, a resume, and the videos of your audition. .

SDSU is a member of the Musical Theater Common Prescreen (MTCP). The Musical Theater Common Prescreen is an agreed upon set of criteria used for the videos that are required as part of the application process to musical theater programs. These institutions settled on given guidelines to initiate a streamlined process for both applicants and schools as well as to promote inclusivity in the admittance process. For more information visit Musical Theater Common Prescreen. 

General Information and Tips

• Each piece should be filmed/uploaded as a separate piece of media. No continuous videos.
• Students are encouraged to use standard technology/recording devices available to them (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc.)
• Solid-colored walls are ideal, but any background that does not steal the focus from your performance is desired.
• Take care that your space allows for adequate lighting. Having a lamp or window directly behind you will cast a shadow over your face. Keep the lighting source behind your recording device or to the side of you so that your face is lit.
• When using pre-recorded music, place the music source (the speaker) closer to you than it is to the device on which you are recording. By having the accompaniment near you, your voice and music will reach the microphone on your device in a more balanced manner.
• Before filming, do a trial run to test both your audio & visual presentation. Watch your video back to ensure everything looks AND sounds okay.
• Ensure the camera portion of your device is at eye level. You can use a tripod built for a smartphone or tablet. If you do not have a tripod, consider using a stack of books on a desk or box. Filming in “landscape” (horizontally) is recommended.

Prescreen Introduction "SLATE" Video

• Record one introduction "slate" video stating your name. If you would like to include your pronouns, state them as well. Please speak loudly (project your voice) and clearly (articulate) directly at the camera.
• This is an opportunity for the auditors to get a sense of your personality and to learn the pronunciation of your name.
• There is no need to slate your individual performance videos & pieces. Instead, clearly label each video with your name and the title of the piece you are performing (see more details below).

Labeling Guidelines for All Videos

Label each video file with the piece you are performing, the show or playwright, and your first & last name.

• Title of Song – Musical/Show – Your First & Last Name
• Title of Play – Playwright – Your First & Last Name

Examples:

• Slate – James Smith
• Your Daddy’s Son – Ragtime – Minnie Mouse
• Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare – Luke Skywalker

Song Requirements

• One musical theater song from any time period.
• One song of your choice from any time period and in any style that best suits you (musical theater, pop, hip-hop, folk, rock, rap, soul, country, punk, etc.). This song should contrast the style of the first selection.

Song Tips:

• Some examples of contrasting songs are fast tempo vs slow tempo, sustained melodic singing vs speech-like singing, dramatic vs comedic, belt vs head/falsetto mix.
• Many accompaniment tracks are available on YouTube and other websites. If you do not have a way to work with a live accompanist or don’t have access to a recorded track of your music, consider using an app that will play the piano part for you. Harmony Helper is one such app that allows you to take photos of your sheet music, upload them to the app and then generate a piano track that you can use.

Monologue Requirements

• One monologue from a published play or written by a professional writer.
• A professional writer is someone whose plays have been produced, but may not have been professionally published.

Monologue Tips:

It is recommended to choose monologues that are age-appropriate (generally within 5-10 years of your actual age) and that feel authentic to your culture, background, and lived experience.

Active monologues are often better for auditions; an active monologue takes place in real time and focuses on what you want and puts you in direct communication with an imaginary scene partner. This is often more successful in an audition situation than pieces that are a story or remembrance. Additionally, it can be helpful to avoid monologues that rely on extreme emotions as it can be hard to believably justify those responses in a short piece.

NOTE: For SDSU, your Acceptd application takes the place of a live audition. There are no live auditions offered at SDSU.

There is a non-refundable application fee of $35 that must be paid at the time of your Acceptd audition upload. If the $35 application fee is burdensome, there is a limited amount of scholarship assistance to help defray this cost. Please contact Robert Meffe for more information at [email protected].

If you are denied admission based on your performance audition, you cannot apply to SDSU again until the following academic year.

 For questions about the audition process, please contact:

Robert Meffe

Professor, Graduate AdvisorHead of Musical Theatre[email protected]DA 005A

For more information contact the Academic Advisor:

Stephanie Garibo Alday

Undergraduate Academic Advisor[email protected]6195945456DA 204B

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The Theatre Arts major is an impacted program. Students are admitted as Musical Theatre pre-majors, and must complete the following requirements before advancing into the major:

Students must satisfy the following requirements before advancing from pre-major into the major:

• Performance majors are required to participate in Musical Theatre Auditions each semester, attend callbacks, and perform as cast in Department productions
• THEA 111, 120, 130, 231, and 240 must be completed with a grade of C or higher
• THEA 111, 130, and 332 must be completed with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Check for prerequisites: You must have completed the prerequisites for the course for which you are registering

For additional curriculum details, please consult the University Catalog.

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