Audition/Interview Schedule

Acting Auditions

After you submit your application, you will be asked to sign up for a live audition. Please bring two copies of your headshot and resume to the audition.

Please note: We will not be holding virtual auditions. It is strongly recommended that you attend a live audition, but if you are not able, your application materials will be reviewed without the live audition component, and a decision will be made based on your application materials alone. Select candidates will then be invited to a virtual callback.

BFA Auditions

Los Angeles: January 12-13, 2024 and January 19-20, 2024
Location: California Institute of the Arts 
 
New York: January 26-27, 2024
Location: Ripley-Grier Studios - 305 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018
 
Chicago: February 5-8, 2024
Location: Palmer House Hilton Hotel - 17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603

Virtual Callback: February 17, 2024
Location: Online (via Zoom)

MFA Auditions

Los Angeles: January 12, 2024
Location: California Institute of the Arts
 
New York: January 25, 2024
Location: Pearl Studios - 500 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018

Virtual Callback: February 9, 2024
Location: Online (via Zoom)

URTAs (MFA Only): Even if you are participating in the University Resident Theater Association (URTA) Auditions, you are still welcome to participate in our direct application process.

CalArts will be attending URTA Acting Auditions at CalState Fullerton (January 13-14th), Philadelphia (January 19-21, 2024), and Chicago (January 27-30th). CalArts will NOT be participating in URTAs Virtual Audition.

If you choose to participate only through URTA, you must still complete an application to CalArts at http://apply.calarts.edu/apply and fulfill all other application requirements. Your application fee to CalArts will be waived if you participate in URTA.

We will have access to your URTA application materials. When you are asked to upload an audition/portfolio, you may simply upload a PDF saying "URTA Audition,” to bypass the portfolio requirements on the application.

The URTA process timeline is very condensed and we highly recommend getting your application in as soon as possible. Please do not wait to start an application to CalArts!

Experience Design and Production Interviews

BFA Interviews

Interviews are by invitation only. Students will be notified of a request for an interview after the completion of preliminary reviews by faculty, sometime in February. Prospective students must fulfill all admissions application requirements and submit the online portfolio by the general application deadline on January 5th if they wish to be considered for an interview. Interviews will be held virtually.

MFA Interviews

Applicants will be contacted if an interview is requested by the Faculty. Not all candidates will be invited to interview. The location and format of the interview (virtual or in-person) will be determined after you receive your invitation to interview. 

Prospective students must complete the admissions application requirements and the online portfolio to be considered for admission. The online application must be submitted before an interview will be scheduled.

CalArts School of Theater faculty will participate in URTA interviews for MFA Design and Technology candidates in Chicago and virtually. Applicants interviewing via URTA are still required to complete the CalArts application.

For questions regarding the admissions or interview process, please contact Stacia Marcum, Assistant Director of Admissions for the School of Theater, at smarcum@calarts.edu.