Tips for Theatre Scholarship Auditions

If you love being a part of theatre and you’re planning on applying/auditioning for one of PLU’s theatre scholarships (which range from $1,000-$7,500 per year), we’ve got some tips for you to apply and best prepare!

You must be a theatre major OR minor to receive a theatre scholarship

• There are 3 areas for theatre scholarships:
  • Acting/Directing – requires audition & interview
  • Musical Theatre – requires music audition, theatre audition & interview
  • Design/Technical – requires portfolio & interview
• If you’re interested in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre degree (BFA), your scholarship audition can also count as your BFA program audition!

Get your applications/forms squared away (and tell us you’re interested in theatre)

• To even get access to the audition form (aka the Artistic Achievement Award application), you have to apply to PLU first.
• Make sure that you’ve listed Theatre or Musical Theatre as either your first or second academic interest or a co-curricular interest.

Complete the audition/interview form (AKA the Artistic Achievement Award application) by the deadline

• You’ll find the Artistic Achievement Awards application on your PLU student applicant portal, under the ‘Application Checklist’ section.
• Not seeing the form? Connect with your PLU Admission Counselor, who can add it to your portal.
• The deadline to complete this form is February 11, 2025.
• In addition to getting info about your specific interests, the form will also require a theatre resume (but gives you a great example for reference!).
  • If you’re doing Acting/Directing or Musical Theatre, you’ll also need to attach a headshot or bodyshot to the form.
  • If you’re doing Design/Technical, you’ll have the option to upload your portfolio as an attachment or webpage link on the form (we’ll give you information about what the portfolio should include).

Prepare for your audition/interview

• Review carefully this Theatre Scholarship webpage, as it will have the most up-to-date information about audition and interview requirements.
• Acting/Directing: Prepare a memorized 60-90 second contemporary monologue from a play or musical.
• Musical Theatre: Prepare a memorized 30-60 second contemporary monologue from a play or musical AND prepare 5 minutes of music – two selections representing contrasting styles from the musical theatre repertoire that showcase your vocal range and musicianship.
  • If you’re planning on auditioning for both musical theatre and music scholarships, the music selection requirements are slightly different, so read up on those requirements and be ready.
• Design/Technical: Have your portfolio ready! You can either submit it on the form ahead of time, or bring it with you to your interview.

In-Person Auditions/Interviews are strongly encouraged

• Scholarship auditions/interviews will be held on campus February 21-22. You’ll be asked which of those days you’re available, and starting in January (if you applied early), the School of Music, Theatre & Dance will start scheduling and emailing you your audition day and time.
• For Acting/Directing and Musical Theatre, you’ll have an interview with theatre & dance professors after your monologue, including time for you to ask questions. The whole process for the theatre side will take about 15 minutes.
  • For Musical Theatre, your singing audition will be with music faculty – so you’ll have two different auditions in two different locations. This also means that you’ll get two different audition scheduling emails – one for Musical Theatre and one for Music.
• For Design/Technical, you’ll have about 3 minutes to present your portfolio then interview with theatre & dance professors, with time for you to ask questions. The whole process will take about 15 minutes.

If you’re doing a Virtual Audition

• Acting/Directing & Musical Theatre: Take video(s) of your performance(s) and upload to an online video platform that has a weblink (e.g. a private YouTube video). If you’re performing more than one piece, you can create more than one video.
  • You will also have a virtual interview scheduled with professors – don’t miss that!
• Design/Technical: Upload your portfolio to the scholarship form via attachment or a weblink.
  • You will also have a virtual interview scheduled with professors – don’t miss that!

How we award Theatre Scholarships

• Once faculty have made their decisions, your scholarship decision letter will be posted to your PLU student applicant portal.

Last Tip

• Check your email regularly! Anytime a decision (scholarship, application, etc.) is posted to your portal, you’ll be sent an email from PLU Office of Admission (admission@plu.edu). The subject line starts with “An important status update has been made to your applicant portal”, and the “important” actually is…important.