Theatre Arts
Becoming a Theatre Arts Major at Southern Oregon University is a two-step process:
Step 1 – Apply and be admitted to the university. Contact the Office of Admissions for details.
Step 2 – Apply and be accepted to the Theatre Arts Department. Follow the application details below.
Please Note: If you are an active SOU student currently taking classes and you wish to apply to the theatre department, please come to the main office or email your request to theatre@sou.edu.
Please read the following instructions carefully and prepare all your materials before logging on to the Theatre Arts application site. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 541-552-6346. Before logging onto the Theatre Arts online application site, please have the following items ready:
1) An e-mail address where we may contact you.
2) A maximum 250-word essay on “Why do you want to join the SOU Theatre Arts Program?”
3) A maximum 250-word essay on “What was your greatest challenge and how did you overcome it?”
Tips on the essays: We are looking for concise, creative, well written essays. The “Why SOU?” essay should explain just that, why you think a course of study in Theatre at Southern will be the first step in your career. We want to know what you expect and what you have to offer. We already assume you are “passionate about theater”. Don’t waste precious words with flowery phrases. Make the case for why SOU Theatre is the right place for you.
The second essay should let us know something about you. Your greatest challenge may or may not concern the performing arts. Think carefully. Please do not exaggerate or misrepresent. We won’t be impressed by name- dropping or hyperbole. A well-written, honest story about a defining moment of your life is exactly what we are looking for and it may have nothing to do with theater.
4. Identify your areas of interest
At the start of the application process, you will be asked to select your three primary areas of interest and any additional interests. Your selections do not commit you to a particular area of study or limit the courses available to you if you are accepted into the program. Please select all that apply.
5. Ten question, ten-minute online quiz
During the online application process you will be asked to answer ten multiple-choice questions on general theatre knowledge. This quiz is timed and must be completed in ten minutes. Please answer the questions to the best of your abilities and be assured your score on the quiz is only one portion of your application.
6. Theatre resume
Complete the template provided with your theatrical experience.
7. Supporting information
Please submit supporting information for your areas of interest and background. You may supply items from the following list and you may submit in more than one area.
1) Students wishing to pursue training in performance should provide a direct link to a 3-minute audition video. This can be two contrasting monologues (one comedic, one dramatic), a short scene you perform with a partner, or a clip from a student film or other taped performance. If you sing, feel free to include 16 bars or a short sample of your work in that area. Please state your name clearly and introduce your material before you begin. Please also title your video clip with your name so we can find you. You may upload your audition video to YouTube, Vimeo or a similar site and provide a direct link to that site in the application. You do not need to embed the video clip into the application site--just list the url at which we can find the clip.
Please Note: While the department offers many opportunities for students interested in performance, acceptance into the SOU Theatre Arts Major does not ensure your acceptance into the highly competitive BFA in Acting program or casting in departmental productions.
2) Students with backgrounds in design or technology may upload up to six images of their work. Please include descriptive text describing your contribution to the work in the images. For example, you may include a photograph of a stage set, but please describe what you did for that production: design, scene painting, carpentry, etc. You may include any work you feel is relevant. If you designed and built your own prom dress, show us a photo. If you spent the summer building a deck on your house, let’s see it. The best images clearly show your work. For example, a photo of a small hand prop you personally made yourself is better than a photo of a set you helped paint as part of a 12-person crew.
3) If you do not have good images of previous work, you may still post a 250-word description of relevant work that we should take into consideration. If you spent the summer helping build Habitat For Humanity houses, that’s relevant. If you have worked for years at a vintage clothing store, let us know. Tell us if you have been in charge of setting up the AV equipment for your high school’s events. Any previous experience you would like to describe in 250 words or less may be included.
4) You may choose to submit up to two additional documents. These must be in a PDF format. They may include a resume or a letter of recommendation or other relevant documentation. These additional documents are not required. Unless you already have significant work or training experience, there is no need to include an additional resume. Letters of recommendation from high school teachers, clergy, or employers outside of the performing arts are unlikely to advance your candidacy. Please only include a letter of recommendation from professionals who personally know your work.
After you have completed the online departmental application:
If you have completed your online application by the priority date of February 15, 2013, decisions will be made on or before March 1, 2013 with the results of the selection process. Please do not contact the university or department requesting information on your application status or final decision. After receiving notice of your acceptance into the program, you must respond with your intention of accepting admission before May 1, 2013 for priority candidates and before July 1 for all other candidates. Failure to respond by that date risks losing your seat to a wait-listed candidate.
Good luck. Please call 541-552-6346 with additional questions.
Timeline
The Theatre Arts Department will make every effort to notify students of their acceptance into the department in a timely manner. It is important to keep the following priority dates in mind:
February 15 - The Theatre Arts Department will grant priority consideration to students who submit the departmental application and all supporting material by this date. Decisions are made on an on-going, or “rolling," basis after this date.
March 1 - First round of departmental decisions are made for students who were successful in meeting the February 15, 2013 priority date.
May 1 - Final date for accepting applications to the Theatre Arts Program. Final date for accepted priority applicants to confirm their acceptance to the Theatre Arts program.
June 1 - Final round of departmental decisions are made for all applications submitted after February 15.
July 1 - Final date for accepted applicants to confirm their acceptance to the Theatre Arts program.