Preparing for College Theatre Auditions Without Feeling Overwhelmed

AdviceAudition Tips
Written By Denise Simon

Are you a theatre kid who can’t imagine majoring in anything other than theatre or musical theatre? That was me. I only applied to two colleges, which made the whole process feel pretty simple. Honestly, everything seemed easier back then.

Fast forward to 2026, and the college theatre audition process is an entirely different ball game. These days, students aren’t just filling out college applications They’re also expected to meet a huge set of requirements just to apply.

You’re choosing two contrasting contemporary monologues, one or two classical pieces, and making both one-minute cuts and longer versions of each. Then come the self-tapes, each with different intro slates depending on the school. Add song and dance videos, wild card or “Who Am I?”/glimpse videos, and personal statements tailored to each program. And don’t forget keeping track of prescreen deadlines for early and regular decision.

To make things even more complicated, every school has its own upload system, and college websites don’t exactly make it easy to find or understand what they want. It’s a lot. And it’s completely normal to feel stressed and overwhelmed.

When I work with students preparing to matriculate into college theatre programs, one of the first things I do is help them get organized. I create a detailed spreadsheet that tracks every requirement, deadline, and submission platform in one place. It takes the chaos and turns it into a clear plan so nothing slips through the cracks and students can focus on doing their best work.

If you’re beginning the college theatre audition process and feeling overwhelmed, you don’t have to do it alone. Organization is one of the most powerful tools you can have during this season, and the sooner you put a system in place, the smoother the journey will be. Whether you’re just beginning to research programs or deep into prescreens, now is the time to get organized and set yourself up for success.

Feel free to reach out to set up a discovery call and see how I can help make the process easier for you.

Denise Simon

Denise has a gift for speaking the language of young actors , communicating in a way that instills confidence and builds skill sets. Her classes and industry workshops attract both established and emerging talent. She has coached hundreds of children and young adults, privately and on-set, who appear regularly on Broadway, TV and film.

A veteran of the industry as an actress, teacher, director, casting director and personal talent manager, Denise has expertise not only with coaching performers in the craft through private lessons, but also through weekly classes, group workshops, summer productions, industry showcases and college teleseminars. Denise provides private consulting to guide young actors and their parents through the challenges inherent to show business. She works with high school students on their college auditions and guides them through the performing arts college admission process.

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