College Musical Theatre Auditions: Retrospective with Students Julianne and Nissi

The college audition process can be overwhelming, and there's no one better to talk about it than those who’ve just been through it! We’re thrilled to welcome two of our amazing students, Julianne and Nissi, to the blog today. Both are freshman BFA Musical Theater students—Julianne at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM) and Nissi at Texas Christian University (TCU). Today, they share their journeys, challenges, and tips for anyone getting ready to embark on this exciting process.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourselves and where you’re going to school.

Nissi: Hi, I’m Nissi Chepuree Sige, and I’m from Damascus, Maryland, part of the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. I’m attending Texas Christian University to pursue my BFA in Musical Theater. Being here feels like such a dream come true! After everything I went through during the audition process, I’m so thankful I didn’t give up on this dream.

Julianne: I’m Julianne Ferguson from Stansbury Park, Utah—a very small town where not many people knew much about pursuing musical theater professionally. Now, I’m at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and I’m studying for my BFA in Musical Theater. I honestly still can’t believe I’m here at CCM—it was my dream school, but the journey to get here was full of ups and downs. The hard work paid off, and it feels amazing to finally be here.

Q: You’ve both just started freshman year! What has it been like so far?

Nissi: I’ve been at TCU for two weeks because I’m also in the marching band, so I arrived early for band camp. It’s been amazing! I love that I can balance my musical theater program with other activities I’m passionate about, like marching band. Being in Texas, football is a huge deal, so I’m looking forward to performing at the games. TCU really gives me the chance to have that full college experience while still pursuing musical theater at a high level.

Julianne: We’ve been at CCM for about two weeks as well. The first week was diagnostic week, so we jumped right into things with vocal, acting, and dance assessments. It’s been intense, but in the best way possible. I love the challenge of pushing myself in all areas. It’s definitely a demanding environment, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Being surrounded by such talented and dedicated people is inspiring, and I’m excited to see how much I’ll grow over the next four years.

Q: Let’s back up a bit—what did you know about the college audition process before you started?

Julianne: I knew almost nothing. The idea of pursuing musical theater in college was new to me. I didn’t even realize you could get a BFA in it until I came across your Instagram account! It felt like this whole new world opened up, and I suddenly realized I needed to learn a lot very quickly. Once I started researching and getting help from programs like yours, it all started making more sense, but it was overwhelming at first.

Nissi: I was in a similar boat. I knew I wanted to do musical theater, but I didn’t understand the details of what it took to apply to these programs. I had heard of terms like “Unifieds,” but I didn’t know what that actually meant or how the process worked. I also had no idea how to differentiate between a BFA and a BA. Luckily, with guidance from TFCA (The Fund for College Auditions) and the coaching I received through BVC Aspire, I started to understand how to navigate everything. It went from feeling like an impossible dream to something within reach.

Q: What was the moment you decided you were going to pursue musical theater in college?

Nissi: It wasn’t always a straight path for me. Around the middle of junior year, I actually gave up on the idea. I thought, “Okay, I’m just going to be a lawyer.” It felt safer, and I didn’t believe that musical theater was realistic for me. But then, I received a scholarship from TFCA, and everything changed. Suddenly, this dream that I had pushed aside felt possible again. I realized that with the right support and resources, I could pursue this path. That moment gave me the confidence to go for it, and I’m so glad I did because it brought me to TCU.

Julianne: I’ve always known I wanted to act, but it was around seventh grade that I became serious about pursuing it as a career. When junior year hit, I knew I had to make some decisions. I started researching programs and figuring out my options. I considered taking workshops and training outside of college, but ultimately, I realized that a BFA program would give me the structure I needed. I wanted an environment where I could grow under the guidance of experienced faculty and alongside talented peers.

Q: What surprised you most about the audition process?

Julianne: The amount of writing! I thought it was going to be mostly about performing, but then came the essays—so many essays. Every school had its own set of prompts, and they were just different enough that I had to write new essays for each one. I didn’t expect that part to be such a big chunk of the process, but it was, and it took a lot more time and energy than I had planned for.

Nissi: For me, it was how kind and supportive everyone was. I went into it expecting a very competitive, cutthroat environment where everyone was just out for themselves. But what I found was the opposite. People were so generous with advice and information, and there was a real sense of community. Even in the auditions, we were all rooting for each other. It was refreshing to see that even though we were all competing for spots, we were also lifting each other up.

Q: What was the most challenging part of the process?

Nissi: The prescreens were definitely the hardest for me. The idea that you had to audition just to get the chance to audition felt like so much extra pressure. Filming myself, watching the videos back, and sending them off was nerve-wracking. I’m my own worst critic, so watching the recordings was tough. But I knew it was a necessary part of the process, so I pushed through it.

Julianne: I totally agree—prescreens were the most stressful part. Different schools had different requirements, like whether they wanted full-body shots or knee-up, and I had to re-record videos multiple times because I didn’t realize some schools wanted full-body shots. Balancing that with my other responsibilities at school, like performing in shows, was really difficult.

Q: How many schools did you apply to and audition for?

Julianne: I applied to 15 schools and passed the prescreens for all of them. But I quickly realized that I couldn’t manage auditions for all 15. I don’t know how some people audition for 25 or 30 schools—it’s crazy! I ended up dropping a few because I just didn’t have the time. Most of my auditions were done at Unifieds or virtually, which made things a little easier to manage.

Nissi: I applied to around 19 or 20 schools. I was fortunate that I lived near major cities like DC and New York, so I could drive to some auditions or take the train. I did a lot of auditions at Unifieds in Chicago, and a few were done online. Living in a metropolitan area definitely made it more convenient, but it was still a lot to juggle on top of school and other activities.

Q: How did the audition season look for each of you?

Nissi: Audition season was pretty stressful, especially because I was balancing my schoolwork and other senior year responsibilities. I actually chose not to do my senior show because I knew I wouldn’t be able to manage it on top of auditions. I was one of the heads of my school, so I had a lot of leadership duties, plus senior traditions and activities that I didn’t want to miss out on. But ultimately, auditioning took priority. I was thankful that I could travel easily to New York or DC for auditions, and I took a week off school to go to Unifieds in Chicago. I had to plan that out almost a year and a half in advance with my school because most students didn’t do that.

Julianne: For me, traveling for auditions was a lot more complicated. I live in Utah, so it wasn’t as easy to hop on a train to New York. I’m really thankful that virtual auditions became more common in recent years. I did almost all my auditions either virtually or at Chicago Unifieds, and that worked out great for me. It saved time and money, which made it a lot more manageable. I also had to take a week off school for Unifieds, and I couldn’t be in a show that was opening around the same time, but it was definitely worth it.

Q: Any advice you’d give your past self before starting this journey?

Nissi: I’d tell myself that all the sacrifices will be worth it. During senior year, I missed out on a lot of things—fun traditions, hanging out with friends—because I was always working on something for auditions, whether it was writing essays, practicing, or preparing for prescreens. And because most of my friends weren’t going through the same process, they didn’t understand why I was still waiting on decisions while they had already gotten theirs. I’d tell myself to stay focused and not let others’ timelines affect me. I’d also say, don’t feel the need to explain yourself or justify your path to people who don’t understand.

Julianne: I’d definitely tell myself not to procrastinate! Especially with the essays—if I had started them earlier, it would have made everything so much less stressful. The process is already stressful enough, and adding last-minute deadlines on top of it only makes things harder.

Q: What’s one piece of advice for students just starting their college audition journey?

Nissi: Don’t think that there’s only one way to do this. Everyone’s journey looks different, and you don’t have to fit a specific mold. I didn’t start theater until my freshman year of high school, and I’m naturally more introverted. But that didn’t stop me from finding my place in musical theater. There’s space for every kind of person in theater, and programs want diverse students with unique perspectives. Just because you don’t fit the “typical theater kid” mold doesn’t mean you won’t succeed.

Julianne: My biggest piece of advice is to not go through this process alone. Reach out for help—whether it’s from family, friends, teachers, or online communities, there are so many people who want to support you. When I was just starting, I messaged a random person I found on Instagram, and he ended up giving me amazing advice and even setting up a Zoom call with me and my dad to help us understand the process better. People want to see you succeed, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. You don’t have to do this by yourself.

Q: Now that you’ve started freshman year, what are you looking forward to?

Julianne: I just got cast in our first production at CCM, In the Green by Grace McLean, and I’m so excited! It’s an incredible musical, and I’m obsessed with the music. I can’t wait to dive into rehearsals and work on this amazing show with such talented people.

Nissi: I’m really excited for football season! Being part of the marching band at TCU is a huge deal, and our first game is coming up. I’m performing in the halftime show, which not everyone in the band gets to do, so I’m really proud of that. I’m also assistant directing a show called Stethoscope Stage, which is a series of staged readings focused on maternal health, done in collaboration with our medical school. It’s a really unique project that combines theater and healthcare, and I’m thrilled to be part of it.

We hope this conversation with Julianne and Nissi inspires you as you prepare for your own college audition journey. Remember, the path to your dream program is unique, and there’s no single right way to navigate it. With determination, support, and a belief in yourself, you’ll find the place where you belong. We’re rooting for you every step of the way!

And if you’re ready to get expert mentorship and ongoing training as you prepare for college auditions, then you’re invited to join our BVC Aspire program! From now through December 15th, 2024 we are running Early Bird Registration! Save your spot for our Spring Aspire cohort with a $500 deposit, which goes towards your final tuition cost (saving you $$!!). Click here to learn more about the program!

If you're interested in diving deeper into this topic or exploring other interesting musical theatre conversations - check out the Broadway Vocal Coach podcast! Or check us out on Instagram, and get involved in the conversation!