Getting Involved in Theatre Performances at St. Olaf

There are many ways for students to get involved in the theatre performances at St. Olaf. The St. Olaf College Theater is an open theater. There are no restrictions on involvement. You don't have to be a theatre major or an upper class person to become involved and you can become involved at any time during the year depending on your interests and your schedule. Here are some ways to be involved:

Acting roles:

You get an acting role through an audition (see below for more info on auditioning). Auditions are held four times each year.

Fall productions audition during the first few days of the Fall semester (this comes up quickly). Click on "Callboard" to get the exact dates and times as well as how to sign up for an audition time. Please remember that that a two-minute (maximum) monologue is usually required for an audition.

Auditions for the Interim production are held in late October or early November. This production is a full credit Interim Course called Producing Theatre. Students cast in acting roles for this production register for one of the two Producing Theatre courses at Interim Registration (Theatre 133 Producing Theatre and 234 Producing Theater: Advanced). See the Academic Catalog for more informantion.

Auditions for the Spring productions are held in the first few days of spring semester. Click on "Callboard" to get the exact dates and times as well as how to sign up for an audition time.

Auditions for the Quade One-Act Play Festival in the last week of spring semester are held in March or April. Click on "Callboard" to get the exact dates and times as well as how to sign up for an audition time.

Production Area Work:

If you are interested in volunteering to work in the production areas (scenery, properties, costumes, lighting, sound or publicity), contact Todd Edwards, Theatre Technical Director, (Sp/Th 212 ext. 3817) at any time during the school year. Students interested in production work are encouraged to enroll in Practicum 253 in order to get .25 academic credit for their work. Experience is not necessary for you to do production work at St. Olaf Theater, and you may begin at any time during the year. See more detailed info about production area work below.

Student Design Work:

Students who have appropriate background can apply for design positions in Scenery, Lighting, Sound and Costumes. If you are interested in designing, contact Brian Bjorklund for more information. Design applications are typically available in April for the positions on the next year's season of plays. Any positions still open after the April applications are filled over the summer or during the school year.

Assistant Directing:

If you are interested in Assistant Directing for any of the St. Olaf College Theater productions contact the director of a production asap to explore this opportunity. Not all St. Olaf productions use an assistant director.

Theater Assistantships:

The St. Olaf Theatre department hires a number of students in the technical production areas each year (scenery, props, lighting, sound, costumes, management, ticket sales, and publicity). If you are a student who is interested in a work position that involves you and educates you in the production process this is an opportunity you should consider. All students may apply for work-study positions to work with the St. Olaf College Theater. Any open positions are hired on an on-going basis. (Contact Todd Edwards, the Theatre Technical Director, Rm 212 ext.: 3817). 

General Auditioning Information:

All are encouraged to audition for the productions at St. Olaf! The procedure typically goes like this:

  • Sign up for an audition time on the sheet on the Callboard bulletin board located in the Green Room of the Theatre building (lower level). You will be looking for a sheet titled with the production name and "Auditions"
  • Prepare a 2-minute maximum monologue of your choice from dramatic literature to perform at the audition. If the production is a musical, you should also prepare a short musical piece. Please note that the audition information in the Green Room will give more detailed information regarding the requirements of the production.
  • Your audition may be in one of the theatres or in a classroom (the location of the audition will be noted on the Green Room Callbaord). Report to the area outside the room scheduled for the audition about five minutes early and check in with the stage manager. You will fill out a short audition form.

Things to remember: Relax! Normally, the only people watching your audition will be the director for the production and possibly the musical director, choreographer, and assistant director. Remember that the audition is about giving the director an idea of who you are as an actor. Check the auditioning requirements for each production- they may vary slightly from the information printed here.

General helpful info:

  • TAP (Theta Alpha Phi) is a student theater service organization on campus. TAP regularly conducts audition workshops. They can provide help to find an audition piece and can watch your piece and provide reactions and feedback.
  • When you audition, keep it simple: State your name and the piece of dramatic literature your monologue is taken from; take a moment to get set; perform the piece; say thank-you and exit the performance area.
  • Rehearsals: Rehearsals are usually in the evenings and are 4-5 times per week. Rehearsals typically begin at 7pm and go until 10pm. Smaller roles may rehearse less than larger roles. The rehearsal period will normally run 4 to 6 weeks. The director or stage manager can provide the rehearsal schedule for your production (it may vary from the info listed here).

General Info About Production Area Work:

All students are encouraged to become involved in one of the production areas (Scenery, Costumes, Lighting, Props, Costumes, Sound and Running Crew). Four staff members supervise the production area work:

The Design/ Production faculty member supervises student design, lighting, sound and scenery painting. (Brian Bjorklund, rm 210, x3242 email: bjorklun@stolaf.edu)

The Theatre Technical Director supervises scenery, properties and running crew. (Todd Edwards, rm 212, x3817, email: edwardst@stolaf.edu)

The Theatre Costumer supervises student costume design, costume construction and makeup. (Aimee Jillson, rm 30, x3431, email: jillson@stolaf.edu)

The Theatre Coordinator/Academic Administrative Assistant supervises publicity, house management and box office sales. (Jeanne Tangren Hatle, rm 117, x3240, email: hatle@stolaf.edu)

You can contact these people directly to set up involvement in these areas. Students interested in production work are encouraged to enroll in Practicum 253 in order to get .25 academic credit for their work.

  • Running Crew: All St. Olaf theatre productions have running crew positions. Some or all of the following positions will be open for every production that is performed: Lighting Control System Operator, Sound control system operator, Assistant stage manager (up to 2 positions), fly system operator up to 4 positions, wardrobe/ dresser (up to 4 positions), scenery shifters (up to 5 positions), and followspot operators (up to 2 positions). Running crew positions begin work about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks before the opening of a production and go until the production closes. Interested students need to be available for all rehearsals and performances.
  • Building the Show: Positions that are involved in the "building of the show" are available in any of the production areas- scenery, properties, costumes, lighting, and sound. Each of the areas have specific work times during each week. Typically, the work times are 1pm to 5pm Tuesday through Friday. Lighting and sound may have a schedule that varies from this. Check with the staff members listed above for the work times for the area in which you are interested. You can develop a weekly work schedule that fits your needs and interests.