InvitationToAttend

26 July 2010

Dear Drama Instructor:

Please accept my invitation for your top graduating students to showcase their skills at the 17^th Annual North Texas Drama Auditions. The auditions will be held on Thursday November 18, 2010 from 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM in the Conference Center, located on the Spring Creek Campus of Collin College. This event will serve to introduce your best graduating students to representatives from many of the top colleges and universities in the nation.

Invitations have recently been sent to College and University theatre programs across the country. I expect between 40-60 schools to attend; representing states reaching from California to New York. A list of those schools expected to attend will be updated daily beginning on November 6.

The timing of these auditions may be a bit challenging, as they may require your students to be dismissed from a class or two during the day in order to audition and remain for the callbacks at the end of the day. The basic rules are these: Only those students who are graduating seniors, or students who are transfer-eligible from a local two-year college will be permitted to audition. Note: Students will be scheduled for a 1½ minute block of time during that day. Actors and Actor/Singers will each be given 1½ minutes to perform their selections. We will begin timing after their introduction. This time limit will be strictly enforced by a timekeeper. Callbacks/interviews will be posted during the lunch break and after the afternoon session. The callbacks/interviews will be held in the Collin Conference Center between 5:00 – 8:00 PM. Technicians will be auditioned in a “Walk Around/Display” setting from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (see details below).

As this audition opportunity is being extended to students at all North Texas area schools, we must limit your program to no more than four total audition slots. Does this mean that only four of your students may audition? Not necessarily. You may also send up to three “stand-by” students, who will be worked into audition slots which are not filled, replace other students who do not show up, and/or be worked into the audition field at the conclusion of the day (time permitting). Of course, we will try to work in as many of these “stand-by” students as we can.

I understand that this limitation may require you to choose one student over another who is equally skilled/qualified, so feel free to utilize whatever selection process you feel is appropriate to determine your “top four” students (i.e. GPA, active participation in your school productions, pre-audition, etc.). So that we are clear about which student(s) YOU would prefer us to work in to the audition, please rank in order your “stand-by” students.

Note: In 2009, we were forced to turn down requests to audition from more than 100 students. Thus, we are limiting all schools to a "Top Four" this year, and will only be able to slot stand-by students after we have scheduled the "Top Four" students from each submitting school. The sooner your completed packet is received, the better chance your students will have to be included on the audition schedule.

Please begin planning for the North Texas Drama Auditions NOW, and RSVP the names of your participants (your top four + up to three “stand-by” students) plus the other forms needed (see the attached Check List) no later than 5:00 PM Friday October 15, 2010. (The sooner you send in your forms, the better.) Please also return an Audition Form for EVERY student (technicians and performers) on your list. Headshots are NOT necessary. DO NOT SEND. We will photocopy the audition forms and give them to each of the College Reps attending. Thus, please ensure that your students’ information is both complete and accurate ... and LEGIBLE!!! (Note: Whatever your students give to us . . . is what the College Reps will receive! If your students’ forms are sloppy, illegible or incomplete, then that is how the College Reps may perceive your students!) PLEASE WRITE IN INK... not pencil!

A complete schedule of audition times will be emailed to you on Thursday November 4, 2010. If you have additional questions, please contact Brad Baker at 972 881-5679; bbaker@collin.edu.