Department of Theater

2900 Bedford Ave. • Brooklyn, NY 11210

TEL 718-951-5666 • FAX 718-951-4606
www.brooklyn.cuny.edu
Theater

Supplemental Application for BFA in Acting

_________________, __________________ ______ _____________

Last Name of Applicant First Name of Applicant Age Date of Birth

_____________________________ ______________ _____________

Street Address City State/ZIP

_________________________________ ____________________
Email Address Telephone Number

___________________________ ________ ____________________

High School Attended Year of Graduation Gender/Pronoun Preference

App Status
Date CUNY Brooklyn College Application Submitted: _____________ : Accepted ___ Not Accepted ___ Pending ___

Are you currently enrolled in college? If so, which college? ___________________________________________

How many semesters of college have you attended? __________ Where? ________________________________

Have you studied acting thru a different institution? If so, where? ______________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Have you previously auditioned for this program? If so, when?________________________________________

How did you hear about Brooklyn College and the BFA Acting program? ________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

OFFICIAL USE ONLY:

W/W

CB
A/W
 Supplemental Application
Please fill in all fields on the application page on a computer. SAVE AS, or EXPORT TO a
PDF file. Put your name in the document title so we can ID it as your application. Submit
attached to one email, along with your Personal Essay answers in a separate document.

Personal Essays
All five (5) essay responses must be typed, double spaced, using Time News Roman, 12-point
font. Be concise, yet specific and thorough in responses. Include information about previous
training, instructors, and/or productions where appropriate. The target length for each
answer should be one (1) page. The applicant’s name should be in a header on each page.
Please proofread the submission carefully. Note: Along with a completed application
form (above), submit all five (5) essay answers in one separate PDF document. Title
essays document: “YourName - BFAessays”, and submit this document as an attachment to
the same email used to submit the completed application form. Submissions in formats other
than PDF will not be opened or considered.

1. Please describe what you feel your specific strengths are as an actor. Which of your
skills do you feel most confident in at this time? Examples of skills include but are
not limited to: listening, collaboration, vocal strength and flexibility, receptivity to
impulses, and physical skills. This essay should be an honest assessment of what you
feel you do well, rather than how you’ve been reviewed by others. Please be very
specific, and cite an illustrative example.
2. What do you currently see as your greatest challenge(s) as an actor? This should
address specific skillsets, as well as broad stylistic approaches to the craft. This essay
should be an honest evaluation of where you feel you are in your development. This
is not a forum to denigrate what skills you feel you do or don’t have, but rather simply
assess your current challenges within the craft. Be specific, and cite an illustrative
example.
3. Please describe why you want to pursue a career in acting, and what acting and
storytelling means to you personally.
4. Tell us about some of your non-theater related activities, and what you enjoy most
about them. This is a broad opening wherein we’re hoping to meet you the person, in
addition to you the actor.

5. What are the specific reasons you are applying to the Brooklyn College BFA Acting
program? Address the college as a whole, and the program. This helps us
understand your expectations for your education, and what you’re hoping to receive
in your training. Feel free to be candid.

Submit answers along with the attached BFA Acting Program Application to:

BFAaudition@brooklyn.cuny.edu
 BROOKLYN COLLEGE
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN ACTING
AUDITION AND APPLICATION GUIDELINES

§ The Brooklyn College Office of Admissions and the Department of Theater have different
requirements, and different deadlines. Observe both independently, and submit to each
their stated required documentation. BFA Acting deadlines are specified below.
College deadlines are provided here:
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/admissions/freshmen/apply/deadlines.php
§ Submit all Brooklyn College application materials such as your CUNY application, official
transcript, standardized test scores, and any additional required/requested supporting
college admission materials to the Office of Admissions. You may obtain more
information from http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/admissions.php.

§ The deadline for submission of Supplemental Application material to the BFA Acting
Program is January 31st, 2020. Submit both the completed Supplemental Application for
BFA Acting form (above), and responses to the essay questions, as two separate attached PDF
documents via one (1) single email to BFAaudition@brooklyn.cuny.edu. Only applications with
both elements submitted together will be considered. Do not submit the supplemental
department application materials to the Brooklyn College Admissions Office with your
CUNY application.
§ Upon review of your completed application, you may be contacted and offered an audition
appointment on the Brooklyn College campus for the weekend of Friday, February 21, 2020
thru Sunday, February 23, 2020. The audition may include an interview by members of
the acting faculty, and/or a callback (by invitation only) for later that same day for additional
ensemble work. Please allow for the time to be available.

§ Memorize and thoroughly prepare two (2) contrasting, contemporary monologues. Use
monologues that reveal your strengths and reflect how you would currently be cast. Each
should be about 90 seconds in length, for a total audition time of three (3) minutes. Please
do not exceed the time restriction. Doing so does not leave a positive impression.
Candidates that run over will be cut off so as not to exceed the time slot.

§ Deadlines for scholarships and other forms of financial aid are independent of both the
college, and the Department of Theater. Please be diligent in each specific situation. In
order to begin your financial aid application for the 2020-2021 academic year, you need to
complete the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please contact
the Financial Aid Office at the following number: (718) 951-5051 for the correct deadlines.
You may file with the Federal Government online by going to https://fafsa.ed.gov/ This will
be much faster if you complete the entire process on-line. Please note that you must indicate
Brooklyn College’s Title IV code (002687) and CUNY–Brooklyn College as the name of the
institution.
 International & Long Distance Applicants
Deadline for media auditions is February 21, 2020

Video auditions will be accepted in cases where distance is prohibitive, such as international
or out-of-state students for whom travel is impossible. These submissions must adhere to the
following procedures and criteria:

§ All written application materials must be submitted on time before video material will
be considered. Observe earlier deadlines for application submission, but video may be
posted for consideration at the discretion of the candidate, up to the date set forth above.

§ Submit digital video via online portals, either YouTube or Vimeo. Video material
may be password protected for privacy, at the applicant’s discretion, and made
downloadable.

§ An email referencing the applicants name and date of submission of Supplemental

materials should detail the pieces used for the audition (characters, play titles, and
playwrights), and contain a link to the video. Any password needed to view the
audition should be submitted in this same email.

§ All content should be emailed to BFAaudition@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

Video Content Guidelines:

§ Auditions should be filmed in a studio, classroom or theater space. Do not use a home
environment. Lighting is important. Make sure the candidate can be seen, and heard,
clearly.

§ A full body slate in which the candidate states their full name, the plays, and
playwrights from which their material is selected (in the order they are performed) must
be submitted as part of the video.

§ Memorize and thoroughly prepare two (2) contrasting, contemporary monologues.

Each should be about 90 seconds in length, for a total audition time of three (3) minutes.
See above guidelines for more details. Do not exceed the time restriction. Both pieces
must be performed in one recorded shot, just as in a live audition.

§ A 2-3 minute on-camera statement as a short introduction to the candidate as a

person. Frame should be a medium shot while candidate is seated.

All three elements (slate video, 2 monologues video, 1 interview video) must be edited in that
order, and submitted as one video, not to exceed 7 minutes total. It doesn’t need to be
fancy, but please observe the structure.