Fountain School of Performing Arts

Acting Auditions for New Students

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

a) Scholarship Auditions: In-person, March 3 and 10, 2023, Dalhousie University Arts Centre OR via video submitted by March 1, 2023.

b) Non-Scholarship Auditions: accepted on a case-by-case basis until April 7, 2023, both in-person and video as arranged by applicant.

Applicants are required to submit an Acting Supplemental Application Form to the Fountain School of Performing Arts along with additional materials including:
- 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.

In-Person Audition Guidelines

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 (20^th 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 to performingarts@dal.ca
Video files must be provided through private web link with password 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.

Audition Application Deadlines:

Auditors for the Acting Program: