Actors
| Irene Ryan Scholarship | Rules | Royalty Information | Tips |
Irene Ryan Scholarship Auditions
Tips
| Selecting Material | Rehearsing the Material | The Audition |
THE AUDITION
- Wear simple, attractive, comfortable clothes and shoes suited to your movement choices. Current Stylistic trends are not necessarily the most professional attire. Remember, your clothes aren't auditioning—you are.
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Minimize jewelry. Style your hair so that it flatters your face, not hides it.
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Warm up your voice and your body. Take time to connect to your partner.
- Assess the acoustic qualities of each performance space and make choices regarding how much vocal energy you will need to be heard.
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Command your space. We are watching you even as you place the furniture in preparation for the audition.
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At the beginning of the audition, state your name, your partner's name, and the titles of the pieces you will perform.
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Do NOT state the name of your university or college.
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You may certainly end your audition with "Thank you."
The screening round is held on Wednesday morning, and approximately 40 of those competing advance to the afternoon semi-final round. Sixteen are then chosen for the finals on Thursday afternoon. Different judges are used for each round. Two winners, an alternate, and a best partner are named at the Awards Ceremony on Saturday night, and the winners advance to the national Festival in April at the Kennedy Center.
All nominees will be asked to fill out a form at check-in listing the following information:
- Nominee contact information
- Name of partner
- Titles of selections
- Authors of selections
- Rights holders (if a piece is not covered by agreements listed on the Region VIII web page, proof of permission must be presented.)
Wednesday Morning
8:30am: Mandatory Orientation Meeting
Wednesday Morning beginning at 9:00am Preliminary Round The Regional Preliminary Round audition shall consist of one (1) two person scene not to exceed a maximum of three (3) minutes in length. If the audition incorporates singing, at least 50% of the scene must be in dialogue or duet with partner and the accompanist will not count as the partner unless singing/performing with the candidate. Approximately 40 Nominees will advance to the Semifinal Round. Semifinalists will be announced approximately one hour after the last round of the Preliminary Round is complete. Announcements are posted in a central location announced at the Orientation Meeting and published in the Festival Handbook.
Wednesday Afternoon
Semifinal Round: The regional semifinal Irene Ryan audition must be composed of the preliminary round audition scene plus a second two-person scene using the same partner in both scenes. Singing may be incorporated in the second two-person scene in the same manner as the preliminary round. The semifinal round audition will not exceed a maximum of five (5) minutes total. Approximately 16 Nominees will advance to the Final Round. Announcements are traditionally made after the opening night Evening of Scenes.
Thursday Afternoon
Final Round: The Final Round audition at the regional and national levels shall consist of the semifinal round audition plus a monologue or solo musical number. The audition will not exceed a maximum of six (6) minutes total. Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony Saturday Night.
