Fountain School of Performing Arts

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Acting Auditions for New Students


Application Deadlines  

  • Scholarship deadline:  February 15, 2024
  • Non-Scholarship deadline:  April 5, 2024

Audition Process

We actively encourage submissions from appliants of all genders, ethnicities, and abilities.

a) Scholarship Auditions:  In-person, March 1 and 8, 2024, Dalhousie University Arts Centre OR via video submitted by March 1, 2024.

b) Non-Scholarship Auditions: accepted on a case-by-case basis until April 5, 2024, both in-person and video as arranged by applicant.

  • When applicants indicate their interest in the Acting program on their online application to Dalhousie University, they will be asked to include/upload the following supplemental materials:
    • a one-page declaration of why you wish to study to be an actor in Dalhousie’s Fountain School of Performing Arts Acting Program;
    • a current photo and resume of relevant work and experience;
    • 2 names of referees (preferably a former drama teacher, director, community leader or someone with whom the applicant has worked in a creative capacity) who will provide letters of reference directly to the Fountain School. Reference letters must be received at least two weeks prior to the audition date.
  • Applicants are asked to prepare three pieces that exhibit their range in performance, each no longer than two minutes in duration:
    • One monologue from a modern play (20th Century or later). This can be any speech but must be from a published play. After choosing your monologue, read the entire play from which the speech was chosen.
    • One piece of poetic text.  This can be from a play that uses heightened language, or from a standalone piece of poetry, but must be performed as a monologue from the character’s perspective.  We encourage you to pick something you connect to personally.  Some examples: contemporary poetry, Shakespeare, classical Greek, spoken word, slam, ASL, etc.
    • One Song, unaccompanied, or self-accompanied on applicant’s own instrument. Can be any form and should be something the applicant connects with personally.  Some examples: traditional, cover, standard, rap, folk, original song written by the applicant, etc.
  • For the purposes of this evaluation, we prefer you perform or present your pieces memorized rather than reading from a script or improvising.
  • Applicants may be asked to do a cold reading (a sight reading of a passage provided by the panel).
  • Applicants may be asked to demonstrate imagination and spontaneity by being asked to re-do their piece or improvise if given direction.
  • Wear comfortable clothing and footwear that allows for freedom of movement.
Video Audition Guidelines
  • Video Auditions must be submitted as part of your online application to Dalhousie University.
  • Video files must be provided through web link to an online video sharing platform (YouTube or Vimeo). 
  • Videos should be no longer than 10 minutes in total.
  • Please record three pieces that exhibit your range in performance, each no longer than two minutes in duration: as detailed in the requirements for in-person auditions (above).
  • For the purposes of this evaluation, we prefer you perform or present your pieces memorized rather than reading from a script or improvising.
  • All video should frame the applicant’s full body to best capture their performance.
  • Once your package has been received and reviewed, applicants will be contacted to schedule a 10-minute follow-up teleconference interview with the Auditors, where discussion will centre around the applicant’s goals, interests and expectations.
  • During the follow-up interview, applicants may be asked to do a cold reading (a sight-reading of a passage provided by the panel) or to demonstrate imagination and spontaneity by re-doing one of their pieces with direction.

If you have any questions about these requirements, please contact us at performingarts@dal.ca. 

Auditors for the Acting Program: