Auditions

Information + instructions about auditions

The Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance allows any IU student to audition for all theatre productions. Auditions for dance concerts are open to dance majors only. While the department models professional guidelines in conducting auditions, we also acknowledge that care must be taken when dealing with students in this process.

Please read these general instructions and policies before signing up to audition.

See what auditions are currently open.

View open auditions

Basic guidelines for safe, open, + inclusive auditions

  1. All students are welcome to audition for theatre productions. Auditions for dance concerts are open to dance majors only, except with permission from Contemporary Dance faculty.
  2. The department firmly believes in diversity and inclusion when choosing material and casting productions and concerts. By definition this means considering and casting actors of color in any role and/or production presented by the department. The department is also dedicated to exploring and implementing non-traditional casting.
  3. No performer shall be called upon to perform any material at an audition or callback which cannot safely be executed without rehearsal, such as choreography, acrobatics or other movements. The audition process must be safe and welcoming to all students.
  4. No performer shall, as an audition requirement, be called upon to provide personal information, participate in activities, or dress in a way that could be construed as sexually or personally demeaning or inappropriate except as called for by a scene in a script, and only then with prior announcement. A student's willingness to participate in any potentially inappropriate activity is not considered—but it is the duty of the faculty and staff to provide and model safe and non-harassing audition, rehearsal, and performance environments.
  5. Any pictures or video taken in auditions or callbacks should be approved by the chair of the department. All students auditioning must be made aware prior to auditions that they will be filmed or photographed. Any photos or video are to be kept confidential and never used in publicity, on the web, or in any other public way without written permission of the student and approval by the department chair. All photos WILL BE deleted upon completion of casting.
  6. In accordance with the university’s Sexual Harassment Policy, no student shall be subjected to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature as explicit or implicit terms of the audition process.
Any faculty, staff, or student who feels that these policies have been violated should report their concerns to the department chair within one week of the event. If the chair is directing, concerns can be expressed to the head of acting/directing.

General audition + casting policies

  1. Auditions for regular season IU Theatre productions in the Halls and Wells-Metz Theatres are open to all registered students of Indiana University Bloomington. With the exception of thesis roles for M.F.A. actors, no role is pre-cast.
  2. Directors and other members of a production team will not invite an actor or actors to audition for their production. If, after open auditions, a director cannot cast a role, that director may contact students to audition or to consider performing a role in that production.
  3. If a director who is not yet auditioning knows he or she may want to consider using an actor who is auditioning for another director, he or she may contact that director to discuss the actor's casting.
  4. In IU Theatre productions, three M.F.A. acting students should be cast in any one production, if possible.
  5. M.F.A. acting students with acting fellowships will audition for all regular season IU Theatre productions for which they are available.
  6. M.F.A. acting students with teaching fellowships who are teaching a full load must perform each year in at least two regular season IU Theatre productions. Beginning with the first production of the year, they must audition for all productions until this requirement is met.
  7. While M.F.A. acting students may express role preferences at the time of auditions, they must accept roles as cast.
  8. The first six productions of the season will be cast during the first semester. Because the first three productions usually audition during the first two weeks of classes, directors may hold group auditions if they so choose. The fourth, fifth, and sixth productions may audition separately. The seventh and eighth productionis will be cast during the spring semester, and auditions may be held together or separately. Note that this schedule is subject to change.

General Note: You must sign up online, following the instructions for each audition notice below. Note that there is a specific opening date for signup, listed in each notice. Once the lists fill up, the online signup will close, with instructions provided for anyone who missed the signup. If you have questions, please click on the signup links for contact information.

Be advised: On occasion, the department will invite associate producer level donors to sit in on auditions as a special perk for supporting our productions. Auditioners should be prepared to have people other than the director(s) in the auditioning room. Advanced notice of additional people in the auditioning room will be listed on this page and on other postings announcing departmental auditions.

The Indiana University Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance is committed to diversity in its production seasons and casting of roles. By definition this means considering and casting actors of color in any role and/or production presented by the department. The department is also dedicated to exploring and implementing non-traditional casting.