A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a specialized degree reflecting a more extensive study of Theatre than one would experience in a Bachelor of Arts (BA). For this reason, faculty in the Department of Theatre conduct auditions as part of the admissions process.
All students interested in pursuing a BFA will be considered “pre-BFA” until they have successfully auditioned for the program.
For more information or to schedule an audition, please contact Christie Maturo (cmaturo@ccsu.edu) and Wesley Broulik (wesleybroulik@ccsu.edu).
You will present your material to at least two full-time, theatre performance focused faculty from CCSU.
Application Process:
- Apply to CCSU anytime and state your intention is to major in theatre.
- Declare yourself pre-BFA – meaning you intend to audition for the BFA program.
Audition Process:
- If you are an incoming student, you can audition on Admitted Students Day (for students joining CCSU in the fall of 2023, those dates are March 25 and May 25th). Please contact cmaturo@ccsu.edu to set up an audition.
- Or, any student (new or existing) can audition during the semester. These auditions coincide with our season show auditions.
Audition Preparation:
- 2 Contrasting Pieces:
- The pieces must be from published/produced plays.
- The need to be fully memorized.
- Both pieces should be approx. a minute each (totaling approx. 2 minutes)
- One piece should be from a contemporary play (written in the last 20 years). The other should be from a Shakespeare play or a plays that uses heightened text.
- 16-24 bars of a song, sung acapella (musical talent is not necessary, just a willingness to try)
- If you have a headshot and resume, please bring them with you, however, they are not required.
Audition Scoring Criteria:
To successfully complete the audition requirement for admittance into the BFA Program, a student must attain “Yes”-es for at least five of following eight criteria:
- Did the applicant follow the audition instructions?
- Was the material memorized and has the appearance of being prepared and worked on?
- Was the applicant able to appear (either the first time or with adjustment/direction) as if they were speaking to someone in their pieces?
- Was the applicant audible and able to be heard by auditors? (Audibility is irrelevant to the language spoken).
- Did it appear as if the applicant had a strong understanding of the material they prepared, demonstrated by choices made with the piece or by being able to answer questions about it?
- When given adjustments, was the applicant able to receive the feedback as a professional, “play,” and implement the notes, exercises, or adjustments given.
- Did the applicant appear to have an emotional connection to the material presented, either the first time or with direction?
- Was the applicant able to articulately answer questions regarding their intentions to enroll in a pre-professional, BFA program and why they intend to study theatre?
Additional Information:
- Students can audition up to two times. After the first audition, students can request feedback. Because of this, some people feel comfortable declaring themselves pre-BFA and auditioning once they are on campus.
- Because of how the classes are structured, all incoming freshman students take the same core courses regardless of being BA, BFA, or pre-BFA; with this, no time is lost or wasted if you select to audition once the school year has begun.