A graduate acting program is one way to further your skills, build connections and contacts, and come into the industry hot out of the gates, ready to begin your career as an actor. I've put together a list of necessary things to do in order to help you gain acceptance into one of these programs.

Monologues

First off, before you even start choosing monologues you want to work on, find someone who'll be your coach. You're going to need an outside eye, a person who can watch your progress and has a idea of the direction you want to go. This isn't about them directing your piece, it's about giving yourself the advantage of having a teammate- two heads are better than one.

Schools will require two 1- 2 minute monologues, one contemporary and one classical. Usually, its 4 minutes total audition time, and most programs will want you to have an additional piece if they need to see more of your work. However, I would choose AT LEAST FOUR MONOLOGUES. Two classical pieces and two contemporary pieces comedic and dramatic- it's up to you as to which is which, but the contrast is necessary. More than 4 monologues would be better- four should be the bare minimum.

The reason to do have 4+ monologues, is so that you can switch things up, instead of relying on one show stopping monologue, the one that never lets you down. You can switch over to something else if you don't feel a connection to that piece at a particular audition. Nothing is going to work forever and yes, monologues will become stale after awhile.

Also, having a list of speeches prepared and ready to go if the auditor asks for anything else will make sure that you don't miss a beat. It also gives you the opportunity to present them with many different choices and has you in control.

Every great monologue has a journey. Material that has a journey allows you to go through a two minute adventure of sorts. These monologues are fun to watch because where the character starts and where the character ends up are radically different. In a situation where you only have 4 minutes of work for a school to decide if you'll be someone they want to work with for 2 or 3 years, every advantage counts.

Try to avoid monologues that tell stories or talk in past tense are usually not great choices because they are aren't active enough, the stakes aren't high enough, and, lots of times, they require a personality to sell them, not an invested actor.

Also avoid monologues that are akin to stand up comedy, one person shows, or monologues by the following playwrights: Christopher Durang, Wendy Wasserstein, Nicky Silver, and Neil Simon. There is some really fun stuff in their work and these playwrights have written some amazing plays, but they won't let the auditors know much about you- you'll be hiding behind ridiculous and funny situations more akin to slapstick.

As far as a classical monologue is concerned, Shakespeare will be a safe bet- since most schools will want something in verse. However, you could do the works of Marlowe, Moliere, Schiller- but I think that most auditors want to see how you handle Shakespeare- it's sort of a measuring stick for your ability to connect with classical texts. Also, don't get caught up in trying to find the most obscure classical speech out there.

Women could even use a male speech, too. If you care about it, are invested in it, and believe in what you're doing, that can be a powerful choice. Try to stay with something, again, that has a journey, stays in the present, and has you actively involved.

The pieces that you've picked should excite you- you should want to do these and look forward to performing them. If there was ever an audition that wasn't about getting it right- this is it. Slick and polished is not the best way to go into an MFA audition. While strengths are an absolute necessity, so are weaknesses. If you can identify what your weakness is- it'll make you much more attractive to a program- since you'll have a great sense of your challenges as an actor. Finally, utilize comedy, joy, and openness whenever possible. Show vulnerability. There is nothing worse than watching two angry, or depressing monologues in a row. No monologues about how you raped your mother, killed someone in your family, etc. It's for the best.

Look to show your greatest range possible. This audition isn't for a role, it's for an acting school, one that will have you playing a great number of roles.

Statement of Purpose, interview

This should contain your views on why you want to go to a program, what you hope to achieve, what you see as your strengths as well as your weaknesses. This is not an opportunity to talk about how much you love theatre and much fun it is or what kind of career you want to have. If you have a view on how you see the world, life, your passions and desires and have something special to speak of regarding it- write it down. The auditors are trying to get to know who you are, what makes you, you.

In your interview, the goal should be getting acquainted, getting to know each other. This should be an open dialogue. You'll get a sense of the people running the program and they'll get a sense of you. If you're asked if you have any questions, have something prepared that you want to speak about. Ask about how many hours a week you'll have certain classes, voice, movement, acting. What sort of work does the school put on? What type of acting is taught? What is the program's alumni doing. Even if this is already covered in the brochure, it's a good way to open up the conversation. It may lead to something else. Be invested in "right".

Letters of Recommendation

Most schools are going to glance over these- if that. You could have the most glorious letters from famous celebrities, it won't really matter if your monologues and your interview are forgettable. Just be safe, have 3 of them to send in with your application. You should have letters from people who are familiar with your work. They should also endorse your decision to attend graduate school. Honestly though, these letters will not make much of a difference to the auditors. Just be sure to get them in.

Dress

No dresses/dress suits for women, no suits and ties for men. This isn't a corporate job interview, it's an acting audition. You want to look sharp, but you want to look as though you dress like that everyday. Guys, nice jeans or khakis, good shirts, button down or pullover- neutral colors. Turtle neck if you want. Hard thick shoes- polished of course. Keep facial hair to a minimum unless it's part of your style. Women, great jeans and shoes as well, neutral colors on top. Not too much make up, either- preferably, keep your hair out of your face. Guys, really, don't wear a suit or a tie, or dress slacks. A sense of style is required. Think Banana Republic, Abercrombie and Fitch, not the Sears catalog.

Remember that many "top" programs are upholding an image and they're following the film and TV industry. Youth and beauty are in- and many programs view marketability as a top commodity. Grad programs, on the whole, are of the opinion that they can make you good- and that will include your image. Funny enough, once the training begins, eliminating image and ego will be a key step towards developing an alive and truthful actor...

Lastly, visit the schools you are interested in and see one of there shows. See what the actors are like- look to see the level of their acting. In New York City, you can see shows at NYU, Juilliard, Columbia, The New School, Pace University- The Actor's Studio, and Brooklyn College. That's a lot of work to watch from your peers. It may also give you the chance to see that you "can do that, too". It also demystifies a program somewhat and lets you see things for what they really are. Instead of getting caught up in a schools reputation or it's long list of alums.

By Gerard Marceau