UNION COUNTY ARTS HIGH GRADES 9-12 PREPARATION FOR AUDITION / WORKSHOP / PORTFOLIO REVIEW Saturday, December 10, 2022, at Kean University
How to prepare for your Audition / Workshop at Kean University,
 (Lot # TBD) 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, on Saturday, Dec. 10. 2022
PLEASE NOTE-AUDITION FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
ALL students will be at the Audition / Workshop for the full two-hour session
Please call our office (732-566-2787) if you have two auditions at the same time.
Please visit our website at www.teenartsnj.org for any inclement weather notices.
Your attendance and participation at the workshop will serve as part of your Arts High Audition.
Instructors / Judges will be present to evaluate your work and will notify the Arts High administrator of your readiness to participate in the program.
Each student auditioning for Arts High will be judged on how well they apply themselves on December 10th. Students will be judged on artistic ability, listening, and learning skills, willingness to try new things, and successfully working with other students.
HOME PREPARATION WILL BE NECESSARY FOR YOUR AUDITION. SEE BELOW FOR TIMES/INSTRUCTIONS:
ACTING: 9 AM – 11 AM
Wear comfortable clothes that you can move in and flat shoes or sneakers.  Bring a wallet-sized photo labeled with your name on the back and a pen or pencil. All students will be doing improv work, and if time allows, reading from scenes.  Memorize a monologue, no longer than 1½ minutes that is age appropriate.  Do not do a monologue for a 75-year-old man, nor should you do one for a 10-year-old girl.  The monologue must be from a regular play or from a monologue book; you may not use a monologue written by you or a friend.
PROSE & POETRY: 1 PM – 3 PM
Bring a short sample or excerpt from your work (any genre) no longer than one page, double-spaced 12-point font. Include your name, and grade. Keep a copy because it will not be returned to you. Be prepared to read your work and workshop others’ writings.
Create a short story or poem out of the following situation:Â
You (or a character of your own creation) is relaxing at home on a rainy Sunday when the phone rings. The number is not familiar, but you (or your character) answer(s) it anyway. After a very brief conversation, you (or your character) run(s) out of the house.Â
VISUAL ARTS - DRAWING & PAINTING: 9 AM – 11 AM
Bring five objects which you will use to create a still life to draw during the workshop/audition. Vary the size, shape, and color of the objects.
How to prepare for the Audition/Workshop:Â Students should draw primarily from observation, drawing what is around them. Â Expanding your drawing with your own ideas is a helpful exercise to prepare for the audition, but the major emphasis will be on observation. Â Students will participate in a drawing workshop on the day of the audition. The drawing will be added to your portfolio at the end of the session.
How students will be evaluated:Â Students will be judged on technical skills, risk-taking, creativity and imagination by means of a submitted portfolio and the works created in the Visual Arts workshop. Â The workshop will allow students to demonstrate proficiency in the above-mentioned areas and support the work included in the portfolio.
What to bring to the Audition/Workshop:Â Please bring a portfolio of your work using the guidelines below. Â Drawing materials for the workshop will be supplied.
Portfolio Guidelines: Painting & Drawing: Your portfolio should consist of your best 10-12 works and an optional sketchbook from the past 2 years. Â You may include drawings, paintings (on paper only), and other completed works primarily from observation and/or original ideas. Â Please edit your work and choose works that best show your technical skills, risk-taking, creativity and visual imagination.
Please do not include images from popular culture, comic book or cartoon characters, or Japanese anime. Â Do not include paintings on stretchers, framed works, laptops, or slides. Â A sketchbook of original ideas can be included, but do not include sketchbooks of doodles.
Portfolio case – Painting and Drawing: All works must be in a 26” portfolio case (labeled with your name) that holds 18 x 24” work.  There is no need to buy an expensive vinyl portfolio.  An inexpensive paper portfolio is fine.  Please do not place work in bags, envelopes, or include rolled work.
ALL VISUAL ARTS STUDENTS MUST RETURN BY 2 PM TO PICK UP THEIR PORTFOLIOS. NO WORK CAN BE LEFT BEHIND.
VISUAL ARTS ANIME-MANGA DRAWING: 11 AM – 1 PM
On two separate sheets of drawing paper please bring the drawings below.
Please include your NAME, GRADE, on each piece of artwork.
Students will also draw characters via teacher instruction during the audition.
- FULL BODY - Character model sheet - displaying full body with front, side, Âľ and back views. Must be an original character created by student.Â
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EXAMPLE:

2.  FACIAL EXPRESSIONS – Character Model Sheet – displaying a minimum of 6 different facial expressions of the same original character.

Also bring in a sketchbook (must be labeled with your name) and/or a portfolio with five artworks (must be labeled with your name) in a folder or large envelope which accurately demonstrates the student’s current artistic skillset
VOCAL MUSIC – POP ESSENTIALS: 9 AM- 11 AM
Students should prepare to sing a song of their choice. Preferred is a song that is “pop” in genre but not required to audition.
Students should be prepared to sing scales so that their vocal range and “musical ear” can be determined, students will go through various vocal warmups.Â