Audition-Based Programming
Overview
AUDITION-BASED PROGRAMMING
Paramount School of the Arts (PSA) is excited to announce Season 7 Auditions for our Audition Based Programs. You can find all you need to know about our Audition Based Programs (ABP) programs here!
We encourage our students to audition IN PERSON for our yearlong audition-based programs in musical theater, acting, and improvisation.
In Person Auditions will be the weekend of August 15th-17th. Please see the sign up information below and find the program that you will be auditioning and click the link to sign up for the auditions.
Interested students must sign up for an open call audition time slot and can do so by clicking these links:
Friday August 15th from 5:30-9:00 PM MTS, YTC, MTI ONLY
Saturday August 16th from 10:00-2:00 PM MTS, YTC, MTI ONLY
Sunday August 17th from 10:00-11:00 AM Improv Institute ONLY
Sunday August 17th from 11:00-12:30 PM AC & AI Only
Sunday August 17th from 1:00-2:30 HHC & HHI
Improve Institute
Improv institute is for our students in grades 9-12 who want to focus their studies on improvisation and sketch comedy.
In-Person Auditons
Improvisers will be:
- Warmed up through a series of exercises that focus on making big choices and ensemble building. Be fun to play with and stay grounded in who you are.
- Split into partners for scene work. This is your chance to show off both your active LISTENING and creative choices/characters. “Make the other actor look good, so you look good” -Bill Murray
- Finish with multiple group sequences. This is where being brave and taking chances will really pay off. “..the people who aren’t afraid to fail to get to the comedy, are the ones that stand out” – Matt Hovde (The Second City Artistic Director)
MTS, YTC, & MTI
For our Musical Theater Audition Programs we have programs for students in grades 4-12. Please see a breakdown of each program and their included grades below:
MTS= Musical Theater Studio Grades 4-5
YTC = Youth Theater Conservatory Grades 6-8
MTI = Musical Theater Institute Grades 9-12
AI = Acting Institute Grades 9-12
In-Person Auditons
MTS, YTC and MTI Students: Please note that by signing up for your session you will be called at the start time for the entire session in order to be present for a formal dance call.
After the dance call is completed, students will have a 15-minute break to get ready for their individual calls. Each student will be seen one at a time in order of their assigned numbers that will be picked up upon arrival.
**Students will be dismissed after their individual call.
MTS, YTC and MTI please prepare:
- 1 age appropriate 1 minute monologue
- 16-32 bars of age-appropriate song – please bring sheet music we recommend utilizing our live accompanist.
AC & AI
Acting Conservatory and Acting Insitute are our acting only focused programs for students in grades 6-12. Please see the breakdown of each program by grade below:
AC = Acting Conservatory Grades 6-8
AI = Acting Institute Grades 9-12
AC & AI
- Prepare Two 1-minute age appropriate monologues in contrasting themes
Students will come to the audition and be called in to the room one at a time to present their audition materials. They will be dismissed after they have presented.
Students who cannot make the in-person audition dates may submit a video audition for consideration by Monday August 11th at 5:00 pm. Please note that NO video submissions will be accepted after Monday August 11th at 5:00 pm.
HHC & HHI
In Person Audition Only
HHC = Hip Hop Conservatory Grades 4-6
HHI= Hip Hop Institute Grades 6-12
Students will come to the audition and participate in an open dance call that will review basic technical skills, choreography, and include an element of freestyling.
SELF TAPE VIDEO SUBMISSION AUDITIONS:
Please email videos or links to your videos to school@paramountarts.com with the following information:
Subject line (Student’s Name, Grade in Fall 2024, and Program which they are auditioning for)
Example: Jessica Coy, 8th grade, YTC
Please send videos via attachment or link to youtube/dropbox/google drive.
Each video should be labeled with the student’s name, program auditioning for, and content of the video. Example:
Jessica Coy YTC – Dance Video
Jessica Coy YTC – Song Video
Jessica Coy YTC – Monologue Video
Please make sure you have updated the videos sharing permissions to allow anyone with the link to view the video(s).
Self Tape Audition Requirements Per Program:
Improv Institute
1 minute: Introduce 3 separate characters that you love to play (each with their own names, unique voice, distinct physicalization) then tell me a little fun fact about each one. Have fun and show off your creativity/range.
1 minute: Pick up an item in your room at random. You can spin around and point, have someone else pick it out for you, however you want to accomplish this is fine. Bonus points for creativity ALWAYS. Then tell a completely UNTRUE and fully DETAILED account of how you got that item and how much it truly means to you.
MTS, YTC and MTI
- 1 Video of 90 seconds of choreography to highlight your dance skills.
- 1 Video of a 1 minute age appropriate monologue
- 1 Video of 16-32 Bar Cut of an age appropriate song of your choice.
AC & AI
- 1 Video with 2 1 minute age appropriate monologue in contrasting themes.
Improv Institute
Improv Institute
$300 PER SEMESTER UP TO 2 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION/WEEK.
Students participating in our Improv Institute are guided through a 4 year program developed for high school students who are looking to enhance their improv acting skills, collaborative creating, scene development, and more. Students in the II program will also be given opportunities to attend performances, community programs, workshops, talk backs, special field trips, and private mentoring from Paramount industry experts. This program is designed to help prepare students to audition for university theater programs or enter the world of professional Improv.
AUDITION INFORMATION (CLICK HERE)
SCHOOL YEAR COURSEWORK
Improv (Thursdays 7:10-9:10)
FREEBIES AND DISCOUNTS FOR II MEMBERS
- Select discounted public and private workshops with Guest Artists
- 10% off PSA merchandise
- 10% off PSA voice lessons
- 25% discount on select additional acting, dance, and vocal classes
- Invite to Paramount Theater Productions dress rehearsals (when production allows)
- Vouchers to each Broadway Series Show at Paramount Theater
- Talk-backs with the creatives of Broadway Series shows
- Featured roles in annual Spring Showcase
- Enhanced Work In Progress Showing performance opportunities
- Available mentor sessions with teaching artists throughout the semester
Youth Theater Conservatory
Youth Theater Conservatory
$450 Per Semester – Including 4 hours of instruction/week
Students participating in our Youth Theater Conservatory program will experience musical theater training like no other. Meeting each student where they are, YTC students will spend dedicated hours each week exploring the ins and outs of musical theater which will blend acting, vocals, and dance. Students in the YTC program will also be given opportunities to attend performances, community programs, workshops, talk backs, special field trips, and private mentoring from Paramount industry experts. By the end of this 3-year program students will be prepared to audition for our high school program Musical Theater Institute (MTI).
Age Range
- Grades 6–8
Description
- For students who have serious interest in singing, dancing and acting
- Intermediate to advanced classes
- Good prep for Musical Theater Institute
- Full year commitment
Audition Information (Click here)
School Year COURSEWORK
Musical Theater (acting, vocals, and more) Mondays 5:30-7:30
Dance Technique (required – no charge a $250 value) Mondays 7:30-9:00
FREEBIES AND DISCOUNTS FOR YTC MEMBERS
- Select discounted public and private workshops with Guest Artists
- 10% off PSA merchandise
- 10% off PSA voice lessons
- 25% discount on select additional acting, dance, and vocal classes.
- Free Required Dance Class (a $250.00 value)
- Invite to Paramount Theater Productions dress rehearsals (when production allows)
- Vouchers to each Broadway Series Show at Paramount Theater
- Talk-backs with the creatives of Broadway Series shows
- Featured roles in annual Spring Showcase
- Enhanced Work In Progress Showing performance opportunities.
- Available mentor sessions with teaching artists throughout the semester
Musical Theater Institute
Musical Theater Institute
$450.00 per semester – this includes 4 hours of instruction every week
Students participating in our Musical Theater Institute program will experience musical theater training like no other. Meeting each student where they are, MTI students will spend dedicated hours each week exploring the ins and outs of musical theater which will blend, acting, vocals, and dance. Students in the MTI program will also be given opportunities to attend performances, community programs, workshops, talk backs, special field trips, and private mentoring from Paramount industry experts. This program is designed to help prepare students to audition for university theater programs or enter the world of professional acting.
Audition Information (Click here)
School Year Coursework
- Musical Theater (acting, vocals, and more) Monday’s 7:00-9:00 pm
- Dance Technique (required- no charge a $250 value) Monday’s 5:30-7:00 pm
Discounts and Freebies for MTI Students
- Select discounted public and private workshops with Guest Artists
- 10% off PSA merchandise
- 10% off PSA voice lessons
- 25% discount on select additional acting, dance, and vocal classes.
- Free Required Dance Class (a $250.00 value)
- Invite to Paramount Theater Productions dress rehearsals (when production allows)
- Vouchers to each Broadway Series Show at Paramount Theater
- Talk-backs with the creatives of Broadway Series shows
- Featured roles in annual Spring Showcase
- Enhanced Work In Progress Showing performance opportunities.
- Available mentor sessions with teaching artists throughout the semester
Acting Institute
Acting Institute
$300 per semester up to 2 hours of instruction/week.
Students participating in our Acting Institute are guided through a 4 year program developed for high school students who are looking to enhance their acting skills, on-camera presence, and prepare for auditions, college, and more. Students in the AI program will also be given opportunities to attend performances, community programs, workshops, talk backs, special field trips, and private mentoring from Paramount industry experts. This program is designed to help prepare students to audition for university theater programs or enter the world of professional acting.
Audition Information (Click here)
School year COURSEWORK
- Acting (Thursdays 6:00-8:00)
FREEBIES AND DISCOUNTS FOR AI MEMBERS
- Select discounted public and private workshops with Guest Artists
- 10% off PSA merchandise
- 10% off PSA voice lessons
- 25% discount on select additional acting, dance, and vocal classes
- Invite to Paramount Theater Productions dress rehearsals (when production allows)
- Vouchers to each Broadway Series Show at Paramount Theater
- Talk-backs with the creatives of Broadway Series shows
- Featured roles in annual Spring Showcase
- Enhanced Work In Progress Showing performance opportunities
- Available mentor sessions with teaching artists throughout the semester
Submit Your Audition
Students who cannot make the in-person audition dates may submit a video audition for consideration by Friday August 9th at 5:00 pm. Please note that NO video submissions will be accepted after Friday August 9th at 5:00 pm.
Video Audition requirements:
Please email videos or links to your videos to school@paramountarts.com with the following information:
Subject line (Student’s Name, Grade in Fall 2024, and Program which they are auditioning for)
Example: Jessica Coy, 8th grade, YTC
Please send videos via attachment or link to youtube/dropbox/google drive.
Each video should be labeled with the student’s name, program auditioning for, and content of the video. Example:
Jessica Coy YTC – Dance Video
Jessica Coy YTC – Song Video
Jessica Coy YTC – Monologue Video
Please make sure you have updated the videos sharing permissions to allow anyone with the link to view the video(s).
Self Tape Audition Requirements Per Program:
Improv Institute
1 minute: Introduce 3 separate characters that you love to play (each with their own names, unique voice, distinct physicalization) then tell me a little fun fact about each one. Have fun and show off your creativity/range.
1 minute: Pick up an item in your room at random. You can spin around and point, have someone else pick it out for you, however you want to accomplish this is fine. Bonus points for creativity ALWAYS. Then tell a completely UNTRUE and fully DETAILED account of how you got that item and how much it truly means to you.
MTS, YTC and MTI
- 1 Video of 90 seconds of choreography to highlight your dance skills.
- 1 Video of a 1 minute age appropriate monologue
- 1 Video of 16-32 Bar Cut of an age appropriate song of your choice.
AC & AI
- 1 Video with 2 1 minute age appropriate monologue in contrasting themes.