Scholarship Audition Process
General Instructions
Welcome to the application process for the Missouri Thespian Scholarships. This year we will award 11 different scholarships including:
4 Performance scholarships for those planning to major in theatre or related fields
3 Technical theatre scholarships for those planning to major in technical theatre or
related fields
3 Teacher Education scholarships for those planning to major in theatre education
1 Theatre For Life Scholarship in recognition of service to school and community
in theatre regardless of what you are planning as a college major.
We will have approximately 25 colleges and universities from different states that will have representatives in attendance while you are auditioning. Of course, we use the process to decide who should be awarded our State Scholarships. However, you and the college representatives also use the process to connect and get to know each other. As a result, although not every one can win our scholarships, EVERYONE who auditions is assured of getting a chance to show off their abilities for different institutions that are eager to attract talented young artists to their campuses. Many students have failed to win the state scholarships, but have eventually received many times the amount of that scholarship in direct financial aid offers from one or more of the schools in attendance.
In order to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible, please do the following:
DIRECTORS—
Prior to completing applications--
1. Clearly communicate with your students and guide them through the process.
2. Limit your school’s slate of scholarship candidates to no more than:
4 total in the combined categories of Performance and Technical. You choose the mix.
1 Theatre Education (may bring 2 if you utilize 3 or less slots in Perf/Tech category)
1 Theatre for Life
3. A student may not apply in more than one category. Please choose their strongest area.
4. A student must be a member of ITS before the application is submitted and must be a delegate to the conference in order to audition for a scholarship. Please be sure to verify this information.
5. A student must have a GPA of at least 2.5 in order to apply. This may include weightedness if your school has weighted grades.
6. If a student has not yet taken or received results from SAT or ACT scores please put TBA in that section.
As you complete the application—
7. Be sure to indicate on the general troupe registration form that you will have students applying for scholarships. By checking the box on your registration form this does not constitute registration for the scholarship program. It simply allows us to double-check this list against the received applications for accuracy.
8. Follow the steps below for opening and completing application forms for each of your candidates.
The director should:
a. Go to the Missouri Thespians website and login.
b. Click on “State Conference” Link (on left hand side)
c. Click on “Scholarship Information and Registration.”
d. Click on “User Name and Passwords.”
d. On the “Sponsor Profile Page,” using the drop down drop, designated the total number
of scholarship applicants. Click SUBMIT
e Fill out the information on the “Student Applicant Profile Information” page. Click
SUBMIT (Continue filling out the information for EACH applicant, until ALL applicants’ profile information is complete)
f. You will see a “Confirmation Page”. Click CONTINUE
g. You have now established Username and Passwords for your Scholarship Applicants
h. Logout.
The student applicants should:
a. Have the Scholarship Applicant login using the Username and Password you
created for them.
b. On the “Welcome Scholarship Applicant” page FIRST check the accuracy of the
student’s information by clicking “Update My Profile”.
c. When in the “Scholarship Applicant’s Profile” page, scroll down to the bottom and click
EDIT THIS PROFILE.
d. Scroll down to “Student Photo” and click “Add Picture.” (Even though other formats
are mentioned, It is important to use JPG format for your picture to insure the best
quality for the application)
e. When finished uploading, click “Save” and then click “Scholarship Applicant Home”
(on the left hand side)
f. Click “Scholarship Application” link. Fill out in all fields that apply.
When finished, click “Submit.”
g. A confirmation page will appear, PRINT THIS PAGE AND COLLECT THE
REQUIRED SIGNATURES.
9. Verify the accuracy of claims made on the application form and any resumes the students may bring to the conference. False claims will result in disqualification and/or loss of scholarship.
10. BE SURE TO PRINT OFF THE FORM ONCE YOUR STUDENT HAS COMPLETED IT.
11. Verify that required signatures have all been collected on the hard copy of the form.
12. Mail the signed hard-copy of the form with all other materials to the State Director so that it arrives prior to December 1st. Students with late or incomplete applications will not be allowed to take part in the Missouri State Thespian Scholarship Program..
STUDENTS--
1. BE SURE your director has indicated that you are applying for one of the scholarships on the
Troupe’s registration form.
2. Fill out the scholarship application form online at the Missouri Thespian Website. Carefully read the instructions above before filling out the forms.
3. REMEMBER--Upload a picture of yourself to be included on the electronic copy of the form. This must be in JPEG format.
4. BE SURE TO PRINT OFF THE FORM ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED IT.
5. Obtain ALL necessary signatures on the printed form. You must have these signatures on the form when you send it, in order to be considered for the scholarship process.
6. Make multiple copies so that you may
a. Send one to the Chapter (State) Director
b. Bring one with you as backup to the state conference.
c. Keep one for your records.
7. Send a copy of the completed form to the Chapter Director so that it will arrive NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1ST. No late entries will be accepted.
8. If you are a PERFORMANCE candidate--
a. Prepare an audition presentation of two contrasting monologues OR a
monologue and a short segment of a song from a musical theatre piece.
Do not exceed 2 minutes. You will have 3 minutes in the room with the
auditors and that must cover entrance, introduction, performance and exit.
b. Prepare an introduction that is limited to your name, school, selections and
characters to be played.
9. If you are a TECHNICAL candidate--
a. Prepare materials for display on or nearby a table in the technical theatre
auditions. The materials should fit on a 4 foot round table or a 5 foot by
3 foot rectangle. You may also use up to 3 feet around your table area
for freestanding items like dress forms and mannequins.
b. These materials may consist of work in your technical area of specialty or a sample
of work from a variety of different technical areas. This may include, but may not
necessarily be limited to: a portfolio containing play programs from shows, lighting
plots, stage manager’s books; digital laptop displays; display boards and
3-dimensional artifacts.
c. Plan what you are going to say to the university representatives who will
be viewing your work. Don’t memorize a spiel, but be conversant and
fluent. Remember, they will have questions for you to answer rather than
sitting passively while you talk.
10. If you are an EDUCATION candidate--
a. Be sure to complete the essay portion of the scholarship application form.
b. Prepare a portfolio of your work to demonstrate your commitment to the
panel of judges who will interview you. Include a variety of materials that will
show your dedication to being a teacher, rather than just a collection of
performance and technical accomplishments.
c. Practice responses you might use as answers to questions from the panel.
11. If you are a THEATRE FOR LIFE candidate--
a. Create a hard-copy portfolio to be sent to a reading committee no later than December 1. The portfolio may contain photographs, news articles, letters of support that cite specific examples of work and other material that would demonstrate the breadth and depth of the student’s participation in the life of the local troupe or other theatre activities in their community. The portfolio may not exceed the contents of one 3-ring binder. The student should not utilize materials that reference post-high school plans.
b. If selected as a finalist, you may supplement the binder with other materials to fill
the display area at the conference.
12. All audition candidates will be contacted in December with more details on what to expect while at the Conference in January. It is VITALLY IMPORTANT that the e-mail address for you AND your director be accurate and accessible during the months of December and January. We will contact you this way, unless you indicate you don’t have access to e-mail at home or at school. In that case we will contact your director via e-mail so that the information may be relayed to you. In either case, directors will receive a copy of all information sent to candidates.
As you get ready for the state conference, please feel free to contact me by e-mail for clarifications and answers to any questions or concerns.
I look forward to meeting you at the conference.
Ben Martin, Scholarship Chair
Missouri State Thespians
beninkc3@att.net
