Citywide General Auditions
Audition for dozens of theatre companies from all across the Portland Tri-county area.
One of our most well-known programs, these auditions are a great way for local actors to get to know local theatres and vice versa.
The Citywide General Auditions usually take place between February and April. In order to be eligible to audition, you must be a current Individual level PATA member or a member of Theatre Puget Sound.
There is a $15 registration fee for actors, which goes to cover the costs of assembling the headshot and resume binders that go out to all auditors.
PATA Company Members at any level can register to audit these auditions for free as part of their membership benefits. Non-member organizations or Individual level members who are currently casting may guest audit for a $50 fee.
The Citywide General Auditions include the option to perform either two monologues, two songs, or a monologue and a song, and are open to actors of all ages.
2024 Auditors:
Experience Theatre Project
Harris Talent Agency
Lacy Productions
Milagro
Vox Pop Entertainment
STAR Society
Resound NW
Portland Revels
Lakewood Theatre Company
Eastside Players
Bag&Baggage Productions
Third Rail Repertory Theatre
simon max hill casting
21ten Theatre
Artists Repertory Theatre
Stumptown Stages
Douglas M Webster (FG Producer)
Jae Carlsson (FG Producer)
Spark Plug Theatre Collective
Shaking the Tree
NW Children’s Theater
Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions
The Portland-area hosts plenty of Shakespeare and Classical work – especially in the summer! The Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions showcase the distinct skill of acting in verse.
PATA Company members use these auditions to help cast a wide variety of classical and classically-inspired work beyond (and including) Shakespeare. This includes Greek drama, commedia dell’arte, contemporary works written in verse, devised works based in classical stories and styles, and more!
Currently, we do not assemble a headshot and resume binder for these auditions, therefore there is no additional fee for PATA members to audition or to audit.
The Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions usually take place between December and February, and are open to actors age 18 and older.
2024 Auditors:
Oregon Adventure Theatre
Original Practice Shakespeare Festival
The Canon Shakespeare Company
Eastside Players
Eternal Spirit Productions
Penguin Productions
Actor & Auditor Registration
When the registration period opens, visit the Auditions & Job Opportunities page to register under the appropriate event (actor or auditor registration), or check back on this page to find a direct link to registration.
Please follow the instructions on the registration page, making sure to note the eligibility and audition requirements.
If you are a Theatre Puget Sound (TPS) member wishing to audition, please email the PATA Office Manager (info@portlandtheatre.com) with proof of your TPS membership (a screenshot of your membership page works well).
Upcoming registration dates:
Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions
- Auditor Registration
- Opens: November 14th, 2024
- Closes: January 31st, 2024 at 5pm PT
- Actor Registration
- Opens: December 19th, 2024 at 10am PT
- Closes: February 2nd, 2024 at 5pm PT
Citywide General Auditions
- Auditor Registration
- Opens: Tuesday March 5th at 10am
- Closes: Sunday March 17th at 11:30pm
- Auditors: Click here to register for the 2024 Citywide General Auditions
- Actor Registration
- Opens: Tuesday February 27th at 10am
- Closes: Sunday March 10th at 11:30pm
- Actors: Click here to register for the 2024 Citywide General Auditions
This year’s auditions will be in-person, with the possibility of video submissions for those who are unable to attend live.
More information on auditions, including submission guidelines, can be found below.
2024 Audition Information & FAQ
Please contact info@portlandtheatre.com with any additional questions.
ELIGIBILITY FOR ACTORS & AUDITORS
In order to audition, you must have a paid, Individual-level PATA membership. Free website user accounts do not qualify as a membership. Theatre Puget Sound (TPS) members are also eligible to audition.
Your membership must remain valid through the end of the audition registration period. You can check your membership status by logging in and navigating to your account page.
Due to auditor preferences and casting needs, the Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions are currently open to actors age 18+, while the Citywide General Auditions are open to all ages.
In order to audit, you must either have a paid, Company-level PATA membership, or pay the guest auditor fee.
AUDITION GUIDELINES & PREPARATION
Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions
Auditions must be 2 minutes or less, not including your introduction, and may include up to two classical monologues. At least one monologue must be in verse, and PATA recommends that at least one monologue be from a Shakespeare play. Transitions between pieces are considered part of your 2 minutes.
PATA does not assemble a headshot/resume binder for these auditions, so please bring enough headshots and resumes for each auditor. You can find a list of auditors at the bottom of the FAQ section which will be updated throughout the open registration period. There are usually around 5-10 auditors in attendance.
Citywide General Auditions
Auditions must be 2 minutes or less, not including your introduction, and may consist of either two monologues, two songs, or a song and a monologue. PATA recommends choosing contemporary monologues for this audition. Transitions between pieces are considered part of your 2 minutes. A timer will be present and will cut you off after two minutes to ensure we stay on schedule.
Since there are usually more auditors at this auditon than at the Unified Shakespeare, PATA assembles a binder for each auditor containing everyone’s headshot, resume, and additional details. Therefore, you do not need to bring any headshots and resumes with you to this audition. There is a $15 registration fee which goes toward the cost of these binders.
HEADSHOTS & RESUMES
For the Citywide General Auditions, PATA assembles a binder containing each actor’s headshot and resume. When registration opens, there will be updated instructions on how to submit your “binder materials” (headshot and resume).
For the Unified Shakespeare & Classical Auditions, actors should be prepared to bring a copy of their headshot and resume for each auditing company (usually around 5-10). You can find a list of registered auditors farther down in the FAQ section.
Specifications for headshots for Citywide audition binder:
- In .jpg format
- Ideally, the file size should be above 1MB and under 20 MB
- The file name format should be “Lastname_Firstname.jpg” and match the name on your PATA profile. Example: Little_Stuart.jpg
Specifications for resumes for Citywide audition binder:
- One-page
- .pdf format
- File size less than 10 MB
- Excludes your home address
- The file name format should be “Lastname_Firstname.pdf” and match the name on your PATA profile. Example: Little_Stuart.pdf
VIDEO SUBMISSIONS
While we will be returning to in-person auditions this year, there will still be the opportunity to submit a video if you are unable to attend live. Video auditions must be submitted by the in-person audition date.
Please email info@portlandtheatre.com for information on how to submit your video audition.
Video Formatting Requirements
- Your audition video must be less than 3 minutes total.
- You must have a slate, i.e., an introduction including your name, your pronouns, and a brief description of the pieces you are presenting (character name, song or excerpt title if applicable, show title, and author).
- Example: Hello. My name is Anna May Wong. My pronouns are she, her, and hers. I will be singing “Love Look Away” from Flower Drum Song by Rodgers and Hammerstein and David Henry Hwang. Also, I will be playing Shizuko Mizoguchi from Velina Hasu Houston’s Kokoro (True Heart).
- The performance portion, including transitions between pieces, must be less than 2 minutes total. You may use your two minutes as you wish, however, most performers present programs in the following formats.
- One monologue and one song (recommended)
- Two contrasting monologues (recommended)
- Two short songs
- One long monologue
- One long song
- You may use the platform of your choice for posting your video, and the option to submit passwords for password-protected videos is available. However, most auditors find YouTube videos set to Unlisted easiest to use. An Unlisted privacy setting means that anybody who has the video link can watch the video without submitting a password, but YouTube will not go out of their way to show the video to the general public.
Click here to watch our video audition tutorial for tips on filming your PATA audition.
NEED TO CANCEL?
You must directly communicate your cancellation to PATA in advance for it to be considered a cancellation – even if your event is online.
If you must cancel, please do so as early as possible. If you fail to cancel your audition before the video due date, i.e. no-show, PATA will not refund your binder fee and you may be ineligible to audition the following year.
To cancel a registration, please email the Office Manager.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PATA has compiled a comprehensive information packet that includes all of the information above, plus additional tips on audition preparation, technical issues, and common errors to avoid.
If you have any other questions, please email the Office Manager.
LIST OF AUDITORS
Here are the auditors currently registered for upcoming auditions. We cannot guarantee the attendance of any auditors on the list.
Citywide General Auditions 2024
Bridgetown Conservatory of Musical Theatre
Experience Theatre Project
Harris Talent Agency
Lacy Productions
Milagro
Vox Pop Entertainment
STAR Society
Resound NW
Portland Revels
Lakewood Theatre Company
Eastside Players
Bag&Baggage Productions
Third Rail Repertory Theatre
simon max hill casting
21ten Theatre
Artists Repertory Theatre
Stumptown Stages
Douglas M Webster (FG Producer)
Jae Carlsson (FG Producer)
Spark Plug Theatre Collective
Shaking the Tree
NW Children’s Theater
Thank you to our sponsors
Other Opportunities
Dance Wire Citywide Dance Auditions
Check https://dancewirepdx.org/city-wide-dance-audition/ for updates.
Theatre Puget Sound – Unified General Auditions
Did you know, through a reciprocity agreement, an individual level membership in the Portland Area Theatre Alliance includes eligibility to audition at Theatre Puget Sound‘s Unified General Auditions (provided other TPS eligibility requirements are also met).
Learn more about TPS Unified General Auditions here: https://unifiedgeneralauditions.com/
