1. Apply to the University

You must apply for admission to the university prior to scheduling an interview for the theatrical studies program. Interview requests are made by filling out the supplemental theatre application that is part of the online application to the university.

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2. Schedule an Interview

While the BA/BS theatrical studies program has an open admission policy, and an interview is not required for admittance, it is strongly recommended that you interview with the faculty for scholarship consideration.

When you fill out your online application to Ball State, you will need to complete a supplemental application where you can schedule your audition.

You can interview at one of our Department of Theatre and Dance on-campus interview days.

Dates

  • Saturday, November 4, 2017 – on campus
  • Saturday, February 3, 2018 – on campus
  • Saturday, February 24, 2018 – on campus

Process and Guidelines

The on-campus interviews for the bachelor of arts/bachelor of science (BA/BS) in theatrical studies program will begin with registration and a meet and greet at 8 a.m. in Ball Gym on the Ball State Campus.

At approximately 9 a.m., our chair, Bill Jenkins, will give a brief presentation and introduce you to all of the theatre and dance faculty.

You will then have the opportunity to see one (or more) of our graduating seniors perform.

Next, your parents, guardians, or friends will meet with the chair and a few theatre and dance parents for a Q&A about the program, admission, financial aid, etc., while you are escorted by current students to the location where you’ll be interviewing.

What to Bring

  • a resume that outlines your theatre activities and experience
  • a portfolio or folder of materials that illustrates your work, if applicable (Depending on your past experiences, you may submit drawings, designs, promptbooks, plays, or perhaps a notebook containing program copies and stage photographs of productions you wish to document.)
  • a short statement of purpose that addresses what you want to do in the area of Theatrical Studies (In the statement, please explain clearly why you have a passion for your area of interest, as well as what skills and values you possess which will make you a successful student for the next four years, and a working professional later.)

Please be prepared to discuss and answer questions about your portfolio/folder/notebook, and statement of purpose, as well as your past theatrical experiences.

You will be interviewed by members of our theatrical studies faculty who will welcome you and be eager to learn more about you.

Note

We do not expect every student to have physical representation of work done in the past, or to be at a particular level of knowledge or experience. You are strongly encouraged to bring anything you think will help the interview process, as outlined above, but if you only have the required resume, that is acceptable.

Creating a list of questions you ask every university for which you are interviewing may allow you to compare programs more specifically. However, the answers to many of your questions will be on the various departmental websites and in printed materials, so we cannot emphasize enough how important it is to research the programs prior to your interview. It's possible that you will be asked what you are looking for in a program and why you're interested in our program in particular.  Having a sense of what differentiates one program from another is one of the best things you can do prior to your college theatre interview.

If you haven't been able to find an answer to your question(s), please feel free to ask the faculty or the theatre students who will be present on your interview day. We want to make sure you get the information you need.

Finally, this is a time for us to find out a bit more about you, and for you to learn more about us and our program. Relax, breathe, and be yourself. We look forward to meeting you!