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Home » Programs » Undergraduate » BFA – Music Theatre » Prescreen Guidelines – Music Theatre

Prescreen Guidelines – Music Theatre

Florida State University has adopted the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen Criteria:

Overall Guidelines

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

Slate

There should not be a separate “slate” video. Instead, slates are to appear at the beginning of each piece.

  • The proper slate for a song is to share your name, the song title, and show in which it appears.
  • The proper slate for a monologue is to share your name, the title of the play, and the playwright.
  • The proper slate for a piece of dance is to share your name, the title of the song you are dancing to, and the name of the choreographer. If the piece is “self-choreographed”, you should share your own name as choreographer.

Songs

Students should prepare two contrasting pieces:

  • One song should be a ballad and one song should be uptempo.  One song should be written prior to 1970. This song can be either the uptempo or the ballad. The second song should be written after 1970 and contrast the style of the first.
  • Each song file should be 60-90 seconds (this time limit includes the slate at the beginning of the piece and is strictly adhered to; please do not upload media files longer than 90 seconds).
  • Students must sing to live or recorded accompaniment. No “a cappella” singing.
  • One of the two songs (student’s choice) should be filmed in a full frame shot (top of the head to the floor should be visible in the frame) to see your full range of expression, and the other one in a close-up shot (top of the head to the chest should be visible in the frame).

Monologue

Students should prepare one monologue:

  • One 60-90 second contemporary monologue (written during the 20th Century-present) from a published play. (This time limit includes the slate at the beginning of the piece and is strictly adhered to; please do not upload media files longer than 90 seconds.)
  • The contemporary monologue should be filmed in a “close-up” shot which means the top of the head to the chest should be visible in the frame.
  • Monologues cannot be from musicals, television shows, or movies.

Dance

Students should prepare two videos:

  • 30-60 seconds of dance, in whatever dance discipline you are most comfortable with: jazz, ballet, modern, African, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary (no tap). Please use steps, movement, and physical vocabulary that you are familiar with and can execute well. Regardless of which style of dance you execute, the choreography and the movement should be story-driven and connected to the music where the applicant is dancing with a sense of purpose. 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.
  • Ballet media should be no more than 60 seconds. Execute a brief series of plié, tendu and grande battement; and also pirouette en déhors (to both sides), and grand jeté across the floor.
  • All dance media should be filmed in a “full body” shot taking care to keep the student’s entire body in the frame at all times.
  • Applicants do not need to slate in any dance media.
  • HELPFUL HINT: Applicants are encouraged to keep a full-length mirror behind the filming device so as to see themselves as they execute choreography.