The first step of your audition or interview process is to submit your Academic Application. Please select your specific major below to view individual requirements.
View Requirements for
Application Timeline
- Apply to Rider University via the Common Application or Rider Application.
- Receive Access to your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard via Email: This will take at least 2 to 3 Business Days.
- Log in to your Be A Bronc Applicant account to Register for an Audition.
- Review Audition Requirements:
- Prepare two contrasting, memorized contemporary monologues
- One could be comedic and the other dramatic
- Monologues should each be 1-2 minutes in length
- No dialects, share your authentic self through your own voice and way of speaking
- Monologue Tips:
- It is recommended to choose monologues that are age-appropriate (generally within 5-10 years of your actual age) and that feel authentic to your culture, background, and lived experience.
- Active monologues are often better for auditions; an active monologue takes place in real time and focuses on what you want and puts you in direct communication with an imaginary scene partner. This is often more successful in an audition situation than pieces that are a story or remembrance. Additionally, it can be helpful to avoid monologues that rely on extreme emotions as it can be hard to believably justify those responses in a short piece.
- Prior to your audition, please upload video recordings of you performing the same monologues you prepared for your Rider audition.
- For live virtual auditions, please upload your artistic resume and headshot to your Be A Bronc Applicant Dashboard. For all other auditions, please bring a physical copy.
- Prepare two contrasting, memorized contemporary monologues
- You will not receive academic acceptance prior to your audition. Students will be notified on whether or not they have been accepted after all of our auditions have been completed. Students should hear back either late February or early March in regards to their academic and artistic decision.
Application Deadline: November 15
Your Academic Application & PreScreen Submission must be submitted by November 15. You will not be able to upload your prescreens until 2 to 3 business days after your Academic Application has been received.
Application Timeline:
- Apply to Rider University via the Common Application or Rider Application
- Film your Prescreen Submissions (refer to the Prescreen Requirements below). Rider is a part of the Common Prescreen Requirements.
- Receive access to your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard via email. This will take at least 2 to 3 Business Days.
- Log in to your Be A Bronc Applicant account.
- It is recommended for students to submit their application to the B.F.A. Musical Theatre program and upload required materials to their Be a Bronc Applicant Dashboard before November 15th. NOTE, there is a grace period for applicants to upload their prescreen materials to their Be a Bronc Applicant Dashboard until November 20th. A student will not be able to be considered for the B.F.A. Musical Theatre if prescreen materials are not uploaded to the Be a Bronc Applicant Dashboard by November 20th.
- Your prescreen results will be available within 3 to 4 weeks after complete submission.
- *If you pass your prescreen:
- Register for your Audition via your Be A Bronc Applicant Dashboard. You must attend a live audition for the BFA in Musical Theatre.
- *If you do not pass your prescreen:
- You will be contacted by the Office of Admission via email to discuss further options. You are still eligible for non artistic review.
- *If you pass your prescreen:
- Review the Audition Requirements.
- You may sing the same songs from your prescreen video or choose a different song entirely. Sing what you sing best. You may be asked to sing only one of your songs. You also may be asked to sing something pop or contemporary, so please be prepared if asked.
- Please prepare your same monologue from your prescreen video.
- For off campus and virtual auditions, you’ll need to provide a recorded track/accompaniment for your selections. Further information will be provided once you have registered for your audition.
- For live virtual auditions, please upload your artistic resume and headshot to your Be A Bronc Applicant Dashboard. For all other auditions, please bring a physical copy.
Prescreen Requirements:
Rider University is a participant in the Musical Theater Common Prescreen for the 2025-2026 cycle. Need some help getting started? For the 2025-2026 Audition Cycle, MTCP has included a list of helpful hints. We strongly encourage that you take advantage of these guidelines which have been thoughtfully and intentionally crafted by the expertise of multiple programs nationwide to support the excellence of the audition for your benefit.
Please be sure to visit the Resources and FAQ section of the GetAcceptd MTCOP website.
General Information and Tips
- Each piece should be filmed/uploaded as a separate piece of media. No continuous videos.
- Students are encouraged to use standard technology/recording devices available to them (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc.).
- Solid-colored walls are ideal, but any background that does not steal the focus from your performance is desired.
- Take care that your space allows for adequate lighting. Having a lamp or window directly behind you will cast a shadow over your face. Keep the lighting source behind your recording device or to the side of you so that your face is lit.
- When using pre-recorded music, place the music source (the speaker) closer to you than it is to the device on which you are recording. By having the accompaniment near you, your voice and music will reach the microphone on your device in a more balanced manner.
- Before filming, do a trial run to test both your audio & visual presentation. Watch your video back to ensure everything looks AND sounds okay.
- Ensure the camera portion of your device is at eye level (see example). You can use a tripod built for a smartphone or tablet. If you do not have a tripod, consider using a stack of books on a desk or box. Filming in “landscape” (horizontally) is recommended.
Prescreen Introduction ("SLATE") Video
- Record one introduction "slate" video stating your name. If you would like to include your pronouns, state them as well. Please speak loudly (project your voice) and clearly (articulate) directly at the camera. This is an opportunity for the auditors to get a sense of your personality and to learn the pronunciation of your name.
- There is no need to slate your individual performance videos & pieces. Instead, clearly label each video with your name and the title of the piece you are performing (see more details below).
- This slate video should be no longer than 10 seconds.
Labeling Guidelines for ALL Videos
- Label each video file with the piece you are performing, the show or playwright, and your first & last name.
- Title of Song – Musical/Show – Your First & Last Name
- Title of Play – Playwright – Your First & Last Name
- Examples:
- Slate – Idina Menzel
- Your Daddy's Son – Ragtime – Audra McDonald
- Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare – Ramin Karimloo
Time Guidelines for All Performance Videos
- All song, monologue, dance, ballet, and wild card videos are recommended to be between 60-90 seconds each.
Framing for Slates, Songs, and Monologues
- Camera framing is simply the placement and position of the actor in the shot. We recommend a waist up frame so we can see your face and hear you clearly.
Framing for Dance and Ballet
- We recommend a setup that allows us to see the top of your head to the floor.
- We want to see the whole body through the entire dance. When framing your dance selection, watch the video back before your submission to ensure that you've stayed in frame, and that the camera isn't too far away to see details in movement.
- Framing for Dance Tip: If it is helpful for you to see yourself, place a full-length mirror behind the filming device and remember that the camera is your audience.
Songs Requirements
Option C- Rider University leaves it up to the applicant to select either OPTION A or OPTION B, whichever they feel serves them best.
Option A
- One song written before 1970 (musical theater, Golden Age, pop, hip-hop, folk, rock, rap, soul, country, punk, etc.).
- One song written after 1970 (musical theater, pop, hip-hop, folk, rock, rap, soul, country, punk, etc.). This song should contrast the style of the first selection.
Option B
- One musical theater song from any time period.
- One song of your choice from any time period and in any style that best suits you (musical theater, pop, hip-hop, folk, rock, rap, soul, country, punk, etc.). This song should contrast the style of the first selection.
Song Tips:
- Some examples of contrasting songs are fast tempo vs slow tempo, sustained melodic singing vs speech-like singing, dramatic vs comedic, belt vs head/falsetto mix.
- Many accompaniment tracks are available on YouTube and other websites. If you do not have a way to work with a live accompanist or don’t have access to a recorded track of your music, consider using an app that will play the piano part for you. Harmony Helper is one such app that allows you to take photos of your sheet music, upload them to the app and then generate a piano track that you can use.
Monologues Requirements
Option A
- One monologue from a published play or written by a professional writer.
- A professional writer is someone whose plays have been produced, but may not have been professionally published.
Monologue Tips:
- It is recommended to choose monologues that are age-appropriate (generally within 5-10 years of your actual age) and that feel authentic to your culture, background, and lived experience.
- Active monologues are often better for auditions; an active monologue takes place in real time and focuses on what you want and puts you in direct communication with an imaginary scene partner. This is often more successful in an audition situation than pieces that are a story or remembrance. Additionally, it can be helpful to avoid monologues that rely on extreme emotions as it can be hard to believably justify those responses in a short piece.
Dance Requirements
Option B
- Show us your best version of dancing or moving.
Dance Tips:
- Make sure you can execute all the choreography well. It is to your advantage to choose steps and movement that highlight your strengths instead of your weaknesses.
- You may use recent videos of you from a show or concert, but it must just be you in the frame.
- Dance sample should be in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident. This may include, but is not limited to jazz, ballet, tap, modern, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, or dance styles beyond American and Euro-western styles.
- Dance media can be “self-choreographed”, but it must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
- Please use steps, movement, and physical vocabulary that you are familiar with and can execute well. Fully move your body to the best of your ability.
- To assist applicants with the dance prescreen, several institutions provided the following resource videos for applicants who do not have access to a choreographed combo for the prescreen process. You may submit this choreography (or a combination of it) to any of the schools you are applying to that ask for a dance prescreen. This list will be updated as more institutions share resources, so be sure to check back.
Ballet Requirements
Option B
- Ballet Optional
Optional Wild Card Video
Think about the wild card section as an opportunity to show your personality or share something about you. This media can be ANYTHING you want - a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, an instrument you play, etc. “What do you want us to know about you?” Below is a list of ideas that have been successful in the past:
- Singing or playing an original composition/song/poem or choreographed dance.
- Performing your own Saturday Night Live-styled skit where you create a comedic character.
- Sharing a hobby or activity that means something to you.
- Performing in a language other than English in which you are fluent.
- Playing an instrument.
- Making a “how-to” video on something you are good at, baking, calligraphy, Gymnastics.
- If you are a dancer and want to show us a different style you excel in: Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Ballet, etc.
Application Timeline
- Apply to Rider University via the Common Application or Rider Application
- Receive Access to your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard via email: This will take at least 2 to 3 business days
- Log in to your Be A Bronc Applicant account to Register for an Interview.
- On Your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard, via Portfolio, please submit a current resume, your portfolio and/or a short video with you speaking a bit about your production experiences. Your Portfolio may contain pictures, photos, drawings, drafting, programs or sketches used to execute and/or document your work. Include work in progress or finished products. It can also include other types of work that shows skills using tools, drawing, sketching, drafting, or image editing. For stage managers, please include samples of paperwork used to organize and run rehearsals or productions.
- You will not receive academic acceptance prior to your interview. Admission decisions will be provided 1 to 2 weeks after your completed audition.
Application Timeline
- Apply to Rider University via the Common Application or Rider Application
- Receive Access to your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard via email: This will take at least 2 to 3 Business Days
- Log in to your Be A Bronc Applicant account to register for an interview.
- On Your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard, via Portfolio, please submit a current resume, your portfolio and/or a short video with you speaking a bit about your production experiences.
- Review Interview Requirements:
- Please upload a current resume of your recent theatrical activities and/or an artistic portfolio
- You will not receive academic acceptance prior to your interview. Admission decisions will be provided 1 to 2 weeks after your completed audition.
Application Timeline
- Apply to Rider University via the Common Application or Rider Application
- Receive access to your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard via email: This will take at least 2 to 3 Business Days
- Log in to your Be A Bronc Applicant account to register for an audition.
- Prepare two piano pieces from the classical piano literature
- One overture or a piece of dance music from the Musical Theatre literature
- Sight reading of an accompaniment, the adjudicator will provide the song and vocalist (if audition format allows)
- Upload a current artistic resume
- You will not receive academic acceptance prior to your Audition. Admission decisions will be provided 1 to 2 weeks after your completed audition.
In order for us to determine proper technical placement into our Dance program, we require all applicants to submit a solo dance performance video, no more than two minutes in length. This video submission will not impact your admission decision into the Dance program at Rider University.
The performance can consist of any dance style (modern, contemporary, hip hop forms, ballet, jazz, tap, improvisational, freestyle, etc.) and can be filmed in any location (studio, stage, bedroom, backyard, etc.). The video clip does not need to be professional quality footage, but it needs to allow us to be able to view your movement skills. You may also use a video clip taken from a class or a prior performance as long as it is a solo performance. The video clip must be in MP4 or MOV format or a link to a public YouTube or Vimeo video. For further assistance or guidance on the video submission please contact Megan Mazarick at mmazarick@rider.edu .
Application Timeline
- Apply to Rider University via the Common Application or Rider Application.
- Receive Access to your Be A Bronc Applicant dashboard via Email: This will take at least 2 to 3 Business Days.
- Log in to your Be A Bronc Applicant account, via Portfolio, please submit your "Solo Dance Performance Video".
Important Notice for students admitted into B.F.A. majors:
Enrollment deposits for B.F.A. majors (Acting for Film, Television and Theatre, B.F.A. or Musical Theatre, B.F.A.) will only be accepted through May 1, 2025. Students interested in enrolling at Rider for a B.F.A. major after the May 1 deadline can elect to be placed on an enrollment waitlist and will be considered for the program to which they were admitted on a space available basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for more details please visit our Early Action page.
Please visit our Auditions and Interviews page for the most up-to-date audition information.
Audition schedules are sent to students two weeks before their scheduled audition. Audition schedules will have all the information students will need such as what they prepare for their audition, what to bring, link to the dance combination (if applicable), their group number, etc.
Prescreen decisions are released 3-4 weeks after the student has submitted their videos to us. Due to the high volume of applications we receive for Musical Theatre it may take longer than 3-4 weeks to receive a prescreen decision. We hope to have a decision for the student in a couple of weeks and to check back in if they do not have an update.
For updates and to register for your audition/interview , visit your Be-A-Bronc Applicant Dashboard. There is a non-refundable audition/interview fee of $50 to register for your audition/interview. The fee is collected at time of registration and must be paid in order for the registration form to be submitted.
Students will be notified on whether or not they have been accepted after all of our auditions have been completed. Students should hear back from us either late February or early March in regards to their academic and artistic decision.
We can certainly change any student who wants to audition for Musical Theatre if it is before the November 15th deadline to upload their prescreens, please email admissions@rider.edu to make that change.
Students can upload their prescreens in the portfolio of their Be a Bronc Applicant Dashboard.
Please refer to the above list for the requirements by major.
Current students interested in auditioning for Rider University's B.F.A. Musical Theatre or B.F.A. Acting for Film, Television and Theatre program should reach out to Sean McCarther (smccarther@rider.edu), Department of Performing Arts Chair.