SETC - Summer Job Auditions

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 5:59pm

Has anyone on here every audition at SETC for a summer job. Can anyone give me any tips or any advice or explain to me like how it happens and works. Thanks.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 6:03pm

I had my first SETC experience during its last conference in Greensboro, NC. I also volunteered and got to see some auditions.

Are you wanting to know about acting summer jobs (ie audition at SETC) or summer theatre work in non-acting areas?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 6:17pm

In any case - for non-acting you go into a giant room and many venues have tables set up. You go and pick up fliers and speak with representitives. If you're interested for their venue/position you sign up for an interview. Sometimes the interviews are there at the table, other times you go to hotel rooms where you interview there. I like the hotel room interviews better - more private and intimate. They focus on you without the distractions and noise. They'll take your picture sometimes.

Be sure to have plenty of copies of your resume with you. Never on disk, always a printed hard copy. One page only.

If you're seeking acting jobs:

There are auditions for age groups. There are singing auditions, dance auditions, etc.

There are auditions for schools (colleges, undergrad and grad) and regional theatre auditions. All reps from the venues are in one big room, and you audition for them all at once. You can act only, sing only, or act & sing. If they like you, they will call you back. Call backs are individual auditions with you and the venue.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 6:19pm

Forgot to add:

At SETC there are also TONS of workshops and plays you can attend - all free. There are also guest speakers. Last year we had Rosemary Harris!!! among others.

It's just a huge theatre celebration.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 6:42pm

Ok it sounds interesting, but what is SETC?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 6:49pm

SouthEastern Theatre Conference - the largest theatre conference in the U.S.

http://www.setc.org

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 8:52pm

The biggest thing I learned from SETC and that helped me the most hte last time I went - I went to a workshop that talked about selling yourself at SETC - mainly researching the companies that would be there (their return rate is insanely high, so it's totally reliable just to look at who showed up last year as theyw on't tell you who's there until you get in the holding room) so you know who you wanna work for (shakespeare, musical theatre, contemporary straight theatre, children's theatre, etc.) and focus your audition material towards that genre.

Things you can do off the top of my head that will make you stand out (and seince you have til next year to prep) is to look online at the list of who was there last year. Then from there, research the companies and decide who you'd want to work for, you can learn their season, etc., and then a month or so beofre you audition, send a letter telling them you're interested in their program, send a headshot and resume, along with your audition number and time/day. They told us (these were two prestigious companies that were auditioning at SETC heading this workshop) that so few people do that, that they themselves all make a note of that person and watch for them (the person who'd send a letter ahead of time) - there are hundreds of people and like, 3 days of auditions, whatever you can do to stand out, especially for the jobs you want, will help.

They also told us TONS about how to dress for what you're going for, etc. - feel free to PM me if you'd like more info (I actually ended up leading an informational workshop/meeting at my university a week after returning from SETC with all the knowledge I gained from this and another workshop - it was extremely helpful and I still have my paperwork, I could share lots of tips with you - again, these are from some prestigious companies that were auditioning at SETC's themselves).

Best of luck - I hope it goes well!

Oh, one other thing - PLAN TO BE SOCIAL WHILE YOU'RE THERE! It's usually held in some small town where the night life will consist of the peopel there auditioning for and through SETC - always carry your headshot and resume with you - I have a friend who got into a great grad program because he was out at night and started talking ot someone in a bar over a beer and they ended up discussing his work. He happened to have his portfolio with him, they looked through it and talked and he got accepted. Lots of opportunities like that and they'll stress to you the importance of networking while you're there. It's one of the best opportunities SETC affords.

I myself ran into Terrance Mann twice while just waiting for friends in interviews and things. It was fun, we were buddies by the end of the conference :)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 8:59pm

I've heard stories about many run-ins with Terrance Mann. He's generally always around somewhere.

When/if I go this year (it's in Orlando), I'm gonna audition for the first time (I did the non-acting summer job search, as I never registered in time for auditions and didn't prepare. But I didn't mind, I had a summer planned).

That's good information and a great idea. I'll be sure to do it.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 9:05pm

Do you have to be a certain age to go?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 9:06pm

I think you must be at least a junior in high school. I may be wrong on this.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 9:24pm

CapnHook - they gave us so much more. I was just cleaning my room and finally going through my boxes from college and found my packets that I handed out of all the combined info and tips I got from teh last time I went - holy cow, lol. Everything from your dress to how you say your number to how you react to others auditioning before/after you in the room to going otu at night - even stuff like "if you get a callback and there are two chairs only, make sure you take the less comfortable one to let hte person interviewing you take the comfortable one" and storeis about how people got jobs by giving up a stool at the bar to someone they didn't realize was in charge of hiring for a theatre...insane.

The whole thing just reiterates how much of it is being in the right place at the right time.

anyways, as prelimns approach, etc., lemme know if you want me to pass any of htat info onto you - I could prolly even mail you a copy of hte packet - it's jus ta combination of handouts I got that we compiled, I have a ****e-load of extras unfortunately, lol.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 9:30pm

Well, I've been to SETC twice with my highschool. My highschool is the only highschool to win SETC two years in a row. Anyways, I'm now in college and I heard around my theater dept about summer internships, paid internships. Apparently you go to SETC and then they hire you out for the summer. Is that true? How does that work, once you get hired. Like how much pay,etc. I'm a musical theater student, so i'm into that aspect of it. Thanks for all the comments.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 9:33pm

Some offer free room & board, others dont. I had non-acting jobs (that I didn't get, but still) which offered 100/week to 300/week. It depends on the venue. Depends if its a job or apprenticeship or internship. Different for acting.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 10:56pm

Can you audition for nonacting and acting? or do you have to choose? What are some of the best programs for musical theateR? like out of the ppl that will be there.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/05 at 11:00pm

You never know who will be there. There are some regulars, but you still never know.

Non-acting is open-ended. Acting auditions are at specific times, so you go to acting auditions and then find time to visit the non-acting area to sign up for interviews.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 1:06am

You have to pass the preliminary auditions (usually in Nov as far as I know) in order to be eligible to even audition at the actual SETC's. From there, if you make it to the auditions, you'll be assigned a number and day that you audition. Unless you go earlier in the day, I'd plan on setting the entire day aside just waiting to audition. They make a big hooplah about not being late or missing your group but then the time is so hard to estimate that your group will be up, I always ended up sitting around hours too early but too afraid to go commit to a workshop or something in case people didn't show and my number got bumped up.

Also, last time I went one of my classmates/friends came along and auditioned as well as spoke with theatres regarding being a seamstress/cost designer. I honestly don't know where she found the time - especially if you get lots of callbacks, those go like hotcakes (slots for interviews with companies that want to see you) or if you are called back to dance.

Lastly, re: pay - it depends on the company. The first time I went, I got lots of callbacks, but not really anyplace I wanted to go. Mostly internships or training programs that I would have had to pay to attend but that were still invite only. If I'd had the money I might have done it. The last time I went I got fewer callbacks but they were all places I'd love to work for, some of which paid, some that were just free room and/or board, some that you had to pay to attend. It really depends on the company...if you can find someone who attended the previosu year and get your hands on their packet of who's there that's auditioning, I'm pretty sure (I'll have to check) that it states in there what the amenities and pay are for each company (some offer great benefits on top of great pay, great training, room and board, etc.), I doubt you can find it online - unless perhaps it's one that you have to pay to go to, then they may state that on a website or in info you can request.

I hope some of my endless babbling is helping someone, lol.

Kristy

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 1:53am

oh, wow, didnt know there was a preaudition. I did the college audition, so I understand all that. Where is the preaudition?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 4:57pm

Anyone?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 5:10pm

It depends on your state. Which state do you reside in? Are you in high school or college?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 5:36pm

College - Alabama


BUMP Updated On: 6/23/05 at 05:36 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 1:52pm

BUMP - Anyone?

[takehomeazak06]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 2:50pm

What is SETC?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 3:07pm

SETC = SouthEastern Theatre Conference - the largest theatre conference in the nation.

Well, the SETC website hasn't been updated for the next conference, but keep checking for preliminary audition info for Alabama!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/26/05 at 2:09am

Do you know where it normally is? Like would it be at the "state competition" ? thanks