All SUNY Oneonta students are encouraged to audition for department productions. Roles are not reserved for theatre majors only. In fact, Theatre Department productions commonly include a cross-section of students pursuing a variety of majors.
Audition Dates
Auditions for Theatre Department and Mask & Hammer club productions are usually held at the same time. Auditions for fall semester productions are held immediately when classes start at the beginning of the year. Auditions for spring semester productions are held later in the fall semester.
Fall 2024 Auditions
Auditions for Proof and The Tempest will be held September 9 and 10 with callbacks September 11.
Spring 2025 Production Auditions
Auditions for The Alleged Children of Darkness and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will be held in November 2024. Check back for more details.
Sign-Up
To sign-up for an audition time for Novecento, please visit the callboard outside the theatre office in the Fine Arts Center room 106. Students wishing to audition who are not currently in residence should contact the show’s director or department admin at kaitlin.webster@oneonta.edu.
Learn more about this season's shows or shows previously produced
Instructions
Please read all instructions carefully.
Who can audition: Any currently enrolled SUNY Oneonta student.
All theatre majors interested in performance are STRONGLY encouraged to audition for ALL productions. Students planning to transfer to Oneonta may also contact the department about auditioning, so long as they will be an enrolled student during the semester when the production rehearses/performs.
When: See above or check the callboard outside the theatre office, (FAC 106) for specific audition dates and times. Auditions are generally held at the beginning of the fall semester, the end of the fall semester, and the end of the spring semester. Callbacks are generally scheduled the day after general auditions. Please do not attend callbacks without a directors' invitation.
Where: Fine Arts Center
Auditions are generally held in the Hamblin Theatre, the Goodrich Theatre and/or Fine Arts Room 103. Look for a sign-up table in the Fine Arts Theatre Lobby area.
How:
- Schedule your audition in person by visiting the callboard. If for some reason you cannot visit the callboard in person, contact the theatre department admin.
- Come early and bring a list of your known conflicts to fill out the audition form. Conflicts include your classes, work schedule, and any personal commitments you have made personally that cannot be rescheduled or altered. Be prepared to communicate ALL conflicts.
- Prepare for your audition referring to the materials provided by the Director on the callboard below. Please contact the Director if you have any questions.
- Come to the Fine Arts Building for your audition. Please arrive at least 5-10 minutes early and check-in with the Stage Manager when you arrive. You will need this time to fill out your audition forms.
- Call-back announcements will be made via email and/or posted on the callboard. Only students contacted should attend callbacks.
What: Individual directors may request different audition formats including monologues, cold reads, scene work, singing and/or dancing and movement. See the callboard for audition materials.
What to Expect
The specific requirements of each audition are posted above. For most auditions, expect to read from a provided script or present prepared material, such as a short monologue or a short song with sheet music. Calls for acting, movement, and singing may be included as appropriate. Theatre majors and advanced students are encouraged to develop a range of prepared material suitable for auditions.
Directors typically hold call-back auditions to help clarify decisions prior to the final selection of a cast. When casting, many factors are considered beyond talent and appropriateness for a role. Experience, availability, attitude, and a readiness to commit significant time and energy to rehearsal are all important. Students interested in participating in a theatre production should realistically consider their ability to commit to the production while still prioritizing other campus responsibilities.
Participation
To participate in auditions you must be a current SUNY Oneonta student. If you are not a student but you have accepted admission to SUNY Oneonta and will be a student at the time the rehearsal process begins, you are encouraged to participate in auditions. If you fit these criteria and would like to sign-up for an audition time please contact the department.
Only under very limited circumstances may non-students be cast in shows; non-students may be auditioned or invited to join the cast if the regular audition process does not sufficiently fill the roles available. Occasionally, a guest artist may be cast if there is a significant educational benefit from their participation in the show.