2012-13 Department of Theatre Arts & Dance
Scholarship Guidelines
Evert B. Person Scholarships in Acting, Dance, and Theatre Design
The Department of Theatre Arts & Dance at Sonoma State offers a substantial number of scholarships to promising freshman and transfer students in the performing arts, as well as continuing SSU Theatre majors. These scholarships are made possible by the Evert B. Person Endowment fund and range from $2000-$4000 for the academic year. Sonoma State University is a liberal arts and sciences university located 50 miles north of San Francisco in beautiful Sonoma County.
The Performing Arts Program at Sonoma State University is an intimate and lively department with a nationally respected professional faculty. Its’ 475-seat Evert B. Person Theatre, with its state-of-the-art technical equipment, provides an excellent showcase facility for our main stage season of dramas, comedy, dance, and music theater productions. Classes in acting, dance, and technical theatre offer individualized instruction, personal challenges, and many opportunities for hands-on learning. With the support of the Person Endowment, the Theatre Arts programs are growing. Through a rigorous and individualized approach to the development of theatre artists and crafts persons, we are committed to educating the whole person through the performing arts exposure and practice.
TO APPLY, return a completed scholarship application scholarship application by Friday, February 3, 2012
Scholarships are granted only to those students who have been admitted to the University and are declared Theatre Arts & Dance Majors.
Applications to the University are accepted beginning November 2011 and until maximum enrollment is achieved. Applicants are urged to pay particular attention to the narrative essay.
Acting, Playwriting, Dramaturgy and Design/Tech auditions/ interviews / portfolio reviews will be on the SSU campus on Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 10am –12 noon
Dance Auditions will be on the SSU campus on Saturday, March 3, 2012 10am-noon
Auditions or Portfolio Review are required for all applicants.
Audition/ Portfolio Prep Guidelines
Actors: Auditions will consist of 2 contrasting monologues totaling no more than 3 minutes. Applicants are free to choose a song as one of their audition pieces, and may bring a CD accompaniment, or request at time of application a live accompanist. Examples of contrasting monologues that show of the applicant’s versatility are:
- contemporary/classical monologues
- comedy/drama monologues
- dramatic monologue/16 bar song
Dance: Applicants will perform a 2-4 minute dance choreographed either by you or someone else. We will have a sound system available for you.
Tech / Stage Management / Design: Presentation of a portfolio…
Playwriting: applicants must submit in with the application a play or plays they have written (ideally 2 different plays), each at least 10 pages long, along with any programs from any performances the plays have had.
Dramaturgy: applicants should present as many of the following as they have:
- a completed dramaturgical casebook (a notebook including research and if possible program notes) from a classroom project or production.
- A critical paper or papers (ideally 2 different papers), each at least 5 pages long, on a topic related to drama that you have written for a class, with program notes if available.
A brief interview with Faculty follows the formal audition/portfolio presentation for all applicants.
The Person Scholarship opportunity is intended primarily to support promising students pursuing degrees in performance and theatre design. However, at the discretion of the Faculty, a Person Scholarship application from a gifted student in other areas of study within the theatre may be accepted. If accepted, in lieu of an audition applicants will be required to present an appropriate portfolio of scholarship, or otherwise demonstrate exceptional aptitude within the applicant’s chosen discipline, as determined by the Faculty. Normally, this type of scholarship opportunity is reserved for continuing students, and is not intended for incoming freshmen and transfer students.
The Department will acknowledge receipt of applications by phone. At that, time applicants will be given an audition time, directions to the campus and audition location.
We encourage applicants to plan a full campus visit at the time of their auditions. In addition to audition times, the Department invites applicants to attend:
- Applicants are cordially invited to attend a performance of Joe Orton’s mature comedy Loot on Friday, March 9 or Saturday, March 10.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 2012-13 THEATRE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION (PDF)
