Musical Theatre Sophomore Assessments

Musical Theatre Sophomore Skills Assessment

December 4th-9th students will meet with Head of Musical Theatre Desirée Dabney for their 1-on-1 meeting to discuss the Spring Assessment happening Saturday, March 23, 2024. Students will receive their time slot for their Spring Assessment at their December 1-on-1 meeting. 

The musical theatre spring assessments consist of four parts to determine the student’s continuation into the B.F.A. in musical theatre:

•  – Song Interpretation/Acting/Vocal
•  – Monologue 
• – Professional preparedness
•  – Interview  

Preparation and Requirements: 

A.   Song Interpretation/Acting/Vocal

·      BFA candidates will prepare two full contrasting songs.  One of the songs should be a ballad and the other an up tempo.  One of the songs must be from a published musical.  The other song should be a pop/rock song or contemporary musical theatre song.  

·      Please select songs that show your full range and are in the correct key.  

·      All music should be in a 1-1/2 inch binder.  Please format the music correctly.  Your music should be printed double sided and in plastic sheet protectors with a matte finish.   

B.   1-minute Contemporary Monologue

Please select a one-minute contemporary monologue. Your monologue should be active and not a story monologue.  Please have a clear other, playable objective and tactics.  The monologue should be from a published play.    

Professional Preparedness:

This section will assess the candidate’s work ethic in class, voice lessons and any mainstage production.  The assessment will come from their applied lessons voice teacher and performance instructors.  Please see the rubric for more information.  

Interview: 

The interview section will be with the head of musical theatre, musical theatre accompanist and the applied voice lessons instructors.  Everyone will give objective feedback on the audition and professional preparedness.  The B.F.A. candidate should be prepared to answer the following questions: 

1.    If you were to self-assess your own progress throughout the last two years of your training, what would it be?  

2.    What do you hope to accomplish in the final two years of your training?  

3.    What concepts in your acting classes and your voice lessons have been the most helpful? 

4.    Why are you the right candidate for the BFA in musical theatre? 

Upon completion of the interview, the auditors will give the final scores for their assessments.  The auditors will then discuss what the course of action should be for the BFA candidates for their final two years of study.  If the candidate does not wish to proceed in the B.F.A or is not recommended to the B.F.A in musical theatre, other courses of study in B.A. will be explored.  

Rubric:

Rubric	Excellent: Full understanding of the concept and applies it effectively 4 points	Good: Some understanding of the concept and applies it adequately  3 points	Fair:  Some understanding of the concept but doesn’t apply it appropriately.  2 points	Poor/Unacceptable: No evidence of understanding the concept and no effort to apply it 0 – 1 points
Overall Interpretation	Fantastic energy before, during, and after the performance.  Performance was authentic to the given circumstances of the character.	Appropriate energy before, during and after the performance.  Performance was not entirely authentic to the given circumstances of the character.	Acceptable energy before, during and after the performance.  Some authenticity to the given circumstances of the character.	No energy before, during and after the performance. Zero authenticity to the given circumstances of the character.
Preparation	Performance is well-researched. There is a strong understanding of the context of the scene. Performer makes no mistakes with lyrics or notes. The piece has been well rehearsed.	Performance is researched. There is an understanding of the context of the scene. There are some mistakes with lyrics or notes. The piece has been rehearsed.	Performance is under- researched. There is little understanding of the context of the scene. Performer makes several mistakes with lyrics or notes. The piece has been under rehearsed.	Performance shows no evidence of research. There is no understanding of the context of the scene. Performer is unable to perform the song. The piece has not been rehearsed.
Clear Objectives and Tactics	Demonstration of very clear objectives and/or tactics. There is a real sense of the “other” in the scene.	Demonstration of some objectives and/or tactics. There might be a real sense of the “other” in the scene.	Demonstration of a few objectives and/or tactics. There is some sense of the “other” in the scene.	Demonstration of no objectives and tactics. There is no sense of the “other” in the scene.
Effective Stage Movement and Physical Engagement	Phenomenal use of physicality to enhance character with body movements and facial expressions. A variety of blocking to add interest to the piece.  Execution of choreography is impeccable.	Employs appropriate use of physicality to enhance character with body movement and facial expression. Execution of choreography is acceptable.	Strives to employ appropriate use of physicality, but overall, moves without purpose. Execution of choreography is inconsistent.	Strives to employ appropriate use of physicality, but overall, moves without purpose. Execution of choreography is unacceptable.
Vocal	Phenomenal use of  vocal techniques and makes appropriate choices in keeping with the character, story, and style. Singer shows intentional control of registration/ resonance shifts and makes adjustments to serve character, story, and style.	The singer shows advancing skill in vocal techniques and is making some appropriate choices in keeping with the character, story, and style. The singer shows some control of registration/resonance shifts and makes some adjustments to serve character, story, and style.	Shows intermediate ability in vocal techniques and is able to make some appropriate choices in keeping with the character, story, and style. Singer needs to explore more control of registration/ resonance shifts and adjustments to serve character, story, and style.	Beginning to show ability in vocal techniques and is able to make some appropriate choices in keeping with the character, story, and style. Singer needs to explore more control of registration/ resonance shifts and adjustments to serve character, story, and style.