Awarded to first-year students (transfers not eligible) on the basis of acting, directing, playwriting, design and technology, stage management, or dance. Students can receive $2,000 to $8,000 per year. Applicants should apply in the area in which they wish to focus their time and skills on while at Wooster. Scholarship recipients are not required to major or minor in Theatre and Dance at Wooster.
Application Instructions
Applicants who complete all necessary application materials by the midnight EST on January 21, 2024, and attend the February 10 audition weekend, will receive notification by April 1, 2024.
- Complete the general application for admission.
- Complete the Theatre & Dance Scholarship Application.
- Submit a resume and requested materials with your application.
- Attend the audition weekend held on-campus in Freedlander Theatre. It is highly recommended that students attend the on-campus audition weekend February 10, 2024.
Materials in Word or PDF format may be attached to the scholarship form at the time of submission or may be sent separately via email to sschwarzwldr@wooster.edu.
Acting
Those applying should prepare two contrasting monologues (serious/comic or classical/modern) from two different published plays (musical auditions will NOT be accepted). The characters you choose should be under 25 years old. Selections must be memorized, blocked, and rehearsed. You have two minutes to present all of your material and you will be timed from the first word of your piece. Performance pieces from forensic competitions are not appropriate.
Please be aware that the quality of your chosen material has a direct bearing on the success of your audition.
Dance
Auditioning dancers should be prepared to perform 1-3 minutes of dance/movement in the style of their choice. Please keep in mind that, due to the focus of our program and the studio floor, no hard shoes are to be worn. Bare feet or ballet slippers are acceptable. Dancers should also submit a resume of relevant experience and be prepared to discuss their interests and intended study at the college.
Design & Technology
Applicants whose interest and experience focus on theatre and dance design (Scenery, Costume, Properties, Lighting, Sound, and/or Projections) and production (Artisan, Technical Direction, Electrics, Sound/Projection, etc.) should submit a theatre resume and a theatre portfolio in digital form at the time of application. If your portfolio file size is too large, please share the web link to your cloud drive (e.g., Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.)
Applicants will also be required to interview with the Theatre and Dance faculty and staff.
A theatre resume is a one-page list of your significant theatrical experience (production positions, related experience, training, education, and contact info).
A theatre portfolio is to show what you have done and what you can do. We will evaluate your experiences based on the level of talent and growth, the types of situations, theatre spaces, and familiarity of the tools, materials, and technologies.
Directing
Please submit in digital form a written concept and analysis of structure, theme, style, mood, and character using August Wilson’s Fences or Quiara Alegria Hudes’ Water by the Spoonful.
Additionally, applicants will be required to interview with a member or members of the Theatre & Dance faculty and staff.
Playwriting
Please submit digitally a sample of your work – plays, scenes, dialogues, and/or other significant examples of writing ability. Additionally, applicants will be required to interview with a member or members of the Theatre & Dance faculty and staff.
Stage Management
At the time of application, applicants interested in Stage Management should submit in digital form their resume, samples of their prompt book, and sample work that demonstrate important skills and experience for stage management. If your file size is too large, please share the web link to your cloud drive (e.g., Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.)
Expectations of Recipients
Beginning with the first semester of the first year and continuing as long as the scholarship is held, recipients must participate in a minimum of 45-hours each semester within the theatre and dance program. These hours may be accomplished by performing in, designing/assistant designing, assistant directing, fulfilling the role of props person, master electrician, or stage managing one mainstage faculty directed production; or serving as a crew member, or in public relations/box office for two productions.
Questions & Concerns
Please contact Admissions, admissions@wooster.edu.
*The maximum annual amount of Wooster merit scholarship is $43,000 annually and can be applied only to tuition charges. Prospective students may apply for more than one competition based scholarship but will only be awarded one. Competition based scholarships replace the Dean’s Scholarship amount, except for the Covenant and performing arts scholarships. All merit scholarships are automatically renewed each year as long as the student maintains full-time enrollment and remains in good academic and judicial standing with the College (please see additional qualifications for performing arts). Scholarship amounts listed may change. All admission and scholarship deadlines are postmarked deadlines.
**Students who are eligible for and awarded a tuition benefit such as the Tuition Exchange Program, the Great Lakes College Association (GLCA) program, Wooster’s employee tuition remission, or Veteran’s Education Benefits may choose to apply for the merit scholarships noted above, but if awarded, the scholarship status will be honorary only.