Auditions and Interviews

Auditions and interviews for prospective M.F.A. students in the areas of acting and directing are held annually in January-February via the University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA) in New York and Chicago. Applications for directing opportunities are generally accepted through December, but those who wish to participate in U/RTA's National Unified Auditions and Interviews (NUA/I) and avoid additional fees should complete the online application by U/RTA's deadline in late October. Please see U/RTA's guidelines for additional details.

Those students not participating in the U/RTA auditions, but wishing to audition for representatives of Indiana University in New York, Chicago, or on the Bloomington campus, should submit a letter requesting an interview/audition at the desired site, along with a resume, headshot, and statement of purpose to:

Graduate Secretary
Indiana University
Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance
275 N. Jordan Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405-5551

Inquiries for a non-U/RTA audition or interview should be received NO LATER THAN THREE WEEK BEFORE the requested interview date. It is the prerogative of the department to deny or grant an interview or audition request based on resumes and any other supporting materials. Please contact us with questions regarding the application process.

Specific Requirements

1. Apply to attend the University Resident Theatre Association's National Unified Auditions and Interviews OR schedule a private audition/interview in New York, Chicago, or on Indiana University's Bloomington campus.
2. Be prepared to discuss in depth a production concept, the analysis of a script, rehearsal procedures, and potential directorial problems for either The Tempest or King Lear by William Shakespeare AND one of the following contemporary plays: Intimate Appare lby Lynn Notage or Angels in America: Part One by Tony Kushner. (Students interviewing through U/RTA should be prepared to discuss those plays on the U/RTA list only.)
3. Prepare two 2-minute acting pieces. One should be a selection from a verse drama (preferably Shakespere), and the other should be a contemporary selection. (All potential directing students must prepare an acting audition as described above, unless they are going through the U/RTA interviews.)
4. Provide a photograph and resume that lists your creative work in the theatre and related areas.
5. Provide copies of reviews, photographs, prompt books, and other materials that demonstrate your technical skill and creative ability in the theatre.
6. At a second interview, be prepared to discuss in depth a production concept, the analysis of a script, rehearsal procedures, and potential directorial problems for two plays to be designated by the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance.