"Sign Up and Show Up" - Engaging New Students in the Audition Process

This week’s Cameo is written by Amanda Murray, from Freeland Schools.

We wanted to bring more students into our theatre program and our audition motto became simple:  Sign Up and Show Up.  Our goal was to spread the word, spark interest, and increase involvement from our middle and high school population and grow our program.

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To make this happen, we embraced the motto Sign Up and Show Up. The goal was to ease students in and relieve the pressure that comes from having to prepare a perfected audition. Our student leaders had the idea to generate interest during school lunches by going around with small flyers with QR codes, making it quick and easy for students to sign up and share their contact information.

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On audition day, our student leaders were in the lobby to greet new students, show them the ropes, and ease any anxieties they had about auditions. New students were able to walk into auditions with a monologue in hand. We held some of our more experienced students to a higher standard, encouraging them to come fully prepared with a memorized monologue.

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As a result, nearly 40 students auditioned, almost doubling our middle and high school participation from last year’s audition. We now have close to 60 actors and tech students working to bring this show to life—a huge step forward for our growing program!

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