Audition take place on the Saturday of each weekend. Friday is optional but will provide an opportunity to see the our spectacular performance venues, attend a performance, and have a meal with current performing arts students and faculty. Audition requests are made in the Theatre and Dance Application, you will gain access too after completing your general university application.

There is no “pre-screen” for Samford Theatre & Dance, everyone who completes a Theatre & Dance application will be invited to audition in person.

Some degrees require introductory videos which are due 10 days prior to the audition date requested in the theatre application.

• Audition Weekend I November 22-23, 2024
• Audition Weekend II February 7-8, 2025
• Audition Weekend III February 14-15, 2025

Apply to the University

Apply for admission to the university and declare a major housed within the Department of Theatre and Dance on your application. Your university application will give you access to a Samford-specific “Application Status Page.” Only when you submit the university application will you gain access to the Theatre and Dance Application.

Apply to Theatre and Dance

Submit the Theatre and Dance Application through your Samford-specific “Application Status Page.” You will select an audition date here. You may submit your application and reserve your audition slot prior to uploading your supporting materials, but all materials are due no later than 10 days prior to your audition.

All theatre prospects are required to provide an artistic resume and headshot as part of the Theatre and Dance Application.

Complete an Audition and Interview

Attend your audition and interview date. Live, in-person auditions are dramatically preferable. Virtual auditions and alternate audition dates will be accepted in a limited capacity.

Samford Theatre will be attending the College Audition Project and may be at additional unified auditions. Please contact arts@samford.edu to see if we will be at the unified audition you are planning to attend.

BFA Musical Theatre

Introductory videos should include:

Songs – 3 pieces

• Each song should be a 60-90 second cut
• One song should be a ballad, one song should be up-tempo, and one song should be the student’s choice of tempo
• One song should be from a musical written prior to 1970, one song should be from a musical written after 1970 and one song should be from an Italian Art Song
• Applicants must sing to live or recorded piano accompaniment. No “a cappella” singing.

Monologues – 2 pieces

• Each monologue file should be 60-90 seconds in length
• Monologues must be from a published play
• One Contemporary (written after 1900)
• One Classical (written pre-1900)

Dance – 2 videos 

• Dance media can be self-choreographed but must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
• All choreography must be performed to music; no “a cappella” dance media please.
• One 30-60 seconds of dance, in whatever dance discipline you are most comfortable with: jazz, ballet, modern, African, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary
• One 30-60 seconds executing grand battements; pirouettes, chaine turns, sau de chat (to both sides)

Live Auditions

Applicants may be asked to perform all or part of their song and monologues at a live audition. Be prepared to discuss your desire to pursue musical theatre and be directed by faculty on one of your monologues. Be prepared for a vocal and musical assessment through tonal memory exercises, range check and sight reading. The live dance call will consist of learning a musical theatre combo.

BFA in Theatre for Youth

Introductory videos should include:

Monologues – 2 pieces

• Each monologue file should be 60-90 seconds in length
• Monologues must be from a published play
• One Contemporary (written after 1900)
• One Classical (written pre-1900)

Songs – 3 pieces (only required if pursuing voice intensive track)

• Each song should be a 60-90 second cut
• One song should be a ballad, one song should be up-tempo, and one song should be the student’s choice of tempo
• One song should be from a musical written prior to 1970, one song should be from a musical written after 1970 and one song should be from an Italian Art Song
• Applicants must sing to live or recorded piano accompaniment. No “a cappella” singing.

Dance – 2 videos (optional)

• Dance media can be self-choreographed but must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
• All choreography must be performed to music; no “a cappella” dance media please.
• One 30-60 seconds of dance in whatever dance discipline you are most comfortable with: jazz, ballet, modern, African, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary
• One 30-60 seconds executing grand battements; pirouettes, chaine turns, sau de chat (to both sides)

Recommendation Letter

• Upload a recommendation letter from a teacher, minister, arts professional or mentor who can speak to your work with children and/or alternatively abled individuals.

Live Auditions

Be prepared to discuss your desire to pursue theatre for youth, your background working with children or alternatively abled communities and be directed by faculty on one of your monologues. If pursuing the vocal intensive track, be prepared for a vocal and musical assessment through tonal memory exercises, range check and sight reading. If pursuing the dance intensive track, the live dance call will consist of learning a musical theatre combo.

BA in Theatre: Acting and Directing

Introductory videos should include:

Monologues – 2 pieces

• Each monologue file should be 60-90 seconds in length
• Monologues must be from a published play
• One Contemporary (written after 1900)
• One Classical (written pre-1900)

Live Auditions

Be prepared to discuss your desire to pursue acting and be directed by faculty on one of your monologues.

BA in Theatre: Production Design & Tech

Applicants are to upload a pdf or PowerPoint demonstrating work in areas of lighting, costuming, scenic design, sound design, marketing, and stage management as a required part of the application.

Applicants will participate in an interview with production design and technology faculty at the audition weekend. Be prepared to discuss your design process, strategy, and experience. Be prepared to discuss why you want to study production design and technology.

BA in Dance

Applicants will be asked to upload their dance resume as well as a headshot but will not need to submit any performance videos prior to the audition.

The live audition will consist of a 1 hour ballet class immediately followed by a 1 hour moder class.

Each piece should be filmed/uploaded as a separate piece of media. No continuous videos.

Slating

• There should not be a separate “slate” video. Slates should occur at the beginning of each piece.
• The proper slate for a monologue is to speak your name, the title of the play and the playwright.
• The proper slate for a song is to speak your name, the song title, and the title of the show in which it appears.

Songs

• Applicants must sing to live or recorded piano accompaniment. No “a cappella” singing.
• Songs should be filmed in a 3/4 shot which means the top of the head to the knees should be visible in the frame.

Monologues

• Contemporary monologues should be filmed in a “close-up” shot which means the top of the head to the chest should be visible in the frame.
• Classical monologues should be filmed in a “full body” shot which means the top of the head to the feet on the floor should be visible in the frame. Only perform Shakespeare if you feel comfortable doing so.

Dance

• The full body of the dancer should always be in the frame.

Schedule a Campus Visit

The Office of Admission offers on campus visit options most weekdays and some Saturdays. If you would like to schedule an appointment with faculty, staff, current students or sit in on a class within the Department of Theatre and Dance while visiting campus, we recommend scheduling a visit between Monday and Thursday. You may request personalized academic appointments when scheduling your visit.

See a Show

The 2024-25 Theatre Season

Emma Taylor Theatre for Youth Series presents You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Revised)

Oct. 4-6, Harrison Theatre

Special FirstNight event on Oct. 3 by reservations only, contact Laura Byland at lbyland@samford.edu.

Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series presents Silent Sky

Oct. 31-Nov. 3, Christenberry Planetarium

Dr. Chandler and Jane Paris Smith Opera Series presents The Light in the Piazza

Nov. 21-24, Harrison Theatre

Ten-Minute Plays

Dec. 7

Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series presents Annual Dance Concert, Blank Slate

Feb. 14-16, Wright Center

Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series presents Godspell

March 20-23, Harrison Theatre 

Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman Theatre and Dance Series presents William Shakespeare's The Tempest

April 10-13, Harrison Theatre 

One Act Play Festival

April 24-25

If you are a prospective student and would like to see a Samford Theatre production email arts@samford.edu for details.

When will I find out if I am admitted to the Department of Theatre and Dance?

Theatre admission decisions are sent via email one to three weeks following your completed audition. Note that we cannot offer you a place in the program or scholarship award until you have received successful admission to the university. Admission decisions from the university are released as early as the first week of November. Students are encouraged to submit their university application prior to November if you are wishing to attend our earliest audition date.

How many students do you accept each year?

The number of students entering the Department of Theatre and Dance is completely dependent upon our applicant pool.

What kind of scholarships are available?

When you apply to Theatre and Dance and complete an audition and/or interview, you are also competing for Arts Scholarship. Arts scholarship awards will appear in addition to merit scholarships you receive from the Office of Admission and other scholarship programs on campus.

What if I do not know what major to select on my application?

If you are thinking about double majoring, select the major within the Department of Theatre Dance on your application to progress through the admission and scholarship process. Should you declare an alternate major you wish to double in on the university application, you may miss valuable information about audition dates, deadlines and more.

For more answers to questions about the admission process, theatre programs and scholarships, email arts@samford.edu or call 205-726-4111.