What We Do
Our Mission
Working to make college theatre program auditions accessible and college attendance viable for underrepresented young artists.
Our Values
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Equity is a verb; change requires action.
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Cultivating a community of peers and mentors promotes success.
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All education should be tailored to support individual artists' identities.
Our Vision
By supporting talented young theatre artists who may not otherwise have access to the resources needed to succeed in the highly competitive college audition process, we are expanding access to theatre training and therefore helping to foster greater diversity in professional theatre, film, and television.
Why Are We Needed?
Based on current admissions statistics, the college audition process for acting and musical theatre programs is more competitive than any undergraduate Ivy League university admissions and most medical school admissions.
For a student who aspires to attend college for acting or musical theatre, talent and passion aren’t enough. Students with sufficient financial resources are able to invest in the following:
Experience and Training:
In the hyper-competitive college theatre audition process, auditioning students need well-developed artistic skills and informed visions of where they see themselves in the professional world. Voice lessons, dance lessons, theatre classes, performing in full productions, theatre summer camps, and experiencing a wide range of professional productions as audience members all help pre-professional students grow as artists. However, this specialized training and exposure throughout a young artist's developmental years is cost prohibitive for many families.
Audition Year Costs:
There are many expenses that come with the college audition process. Some of these include: dance attire and shoes; audition clothing; headshot photography and printing; pre-screen dance choreography; professional piano accompaniment tracks; audition travel; food; lodging; vocal health aids (humidifier, personal vocal steamer); mock auditions; master classes; audition and application fees that are unable to be waived; audition clothing; ring lights; studio space; bluetooth speakers; luggage; warm winter gear; reusable water bottles; sheet music; and studio rental. Altogether, these upfront expenses—combined with the cost of fully supporting each Scholar throughout the audition process—typically range from $14,000 to $18,000 per student.
Professional Guidance:
The college theatre audition process is complex and confusing, and there are no comprehensive guides tailored to meet individual student needs. Is a pre-screen required? What does a pre-screen involve? What makes good audition material? What do schools mean when they say to show off my uniqueness? What is this extra material they want me to film, sharing something about myself? Is my audition material “ready?” The teaching artists who work with our Scholars are experts in helping students and their families navigate every aspect of the college audition process.