When is the conference?
Saturday April 26, 2008, 8 am-5:30 pm with registration check-in opening at 7 am. Workshops/lectures, master classes and audition consultation appointments will run throughout the day, with a one-hour lunch break. Actors are strongly encouraged to register in advance as space is very limited.

Where is the conference held?
SDSU Extended Studies Center, located on Hardy Avenue between Campanile Drive and 55th Street. Convenient complimentary parking is provided in Parking Structure 2 (PS2), located adjacent to the Extended Studies Center with entrances on Hardy Avenue and Lindo Paseo Avenue.

What is the refund policy for the conference?
Cancellations through April 18 are 100% refunded, less a $17 processing fee. April 19-24, 65% refunded. No refunds will be given after April 24.

Is there an age limit for actors to participate?
Actors must be 15 years of age or older to participate in audition consultation appointments and all lectures and classes. Actors between 11 and 15 years of age may not participate in audition consultation appointments, but may attend all other conference events if accompanied at all times by a parent or guardian over the age of 21.

What should I wear?
Dress in comfortable clothes. Room temperatures vary from room to room. We suggest you dress in layers. All sessions are indoors.

Will lunch be provided?
No. A listing of local restaurants will be provided. You are also welcome to bring a brown bag lunch.

Is there a program with an advance schedule available before the conference?
Programs will be included in the participant's conference packet they will receive upon check-in. Last minute scheduling changes prevent us from making them available in advance.

Can actors obtain a program sooner?
No. Refer back to last question/answer.

When will I receive my audition consultation appointment schedule?
Actors will receive their appointment schedule upon check-in at the conference.

Can actors obtain their appointment schedule sooner?
No. Last minute changes prevent us from distributing schedules until check-in and registration at the conference.

When can I check in?
Conference check in begins at 7 am and closes at 9 am. Audition consultation appointments may be made at the conference between 7 am and 9 am.

How does the conference work?
The conference begins on Saturday at 8 am with a welcome by Dean Joe Shapiro, followed by brief introductions and orientation by Diane Dunaway, conference director. Prior to the opening, between 7 am and 8 am, coffee and snacks will be available and there will be an opportunity to mix with fellow actors.

Break-out sessions, including workshops, lectures, master classes and audition consultation appointments will run from 8:30 am to 5:20 pm. Sessions will last for 50 minutes each with a ten minute break. Audition consultation appointments will last ten minutes, with a two minute break in between appointments. Several presentations may be running simultaneously. Actors are free to select whatever session(s) best suit their needs. Actors are free to move between sessions during any hour.

What are audition consultation appointments?
An audition consultation appointment is an opportunity for actors to meet, speak with, and receive direct on-the-spot feedback from an industry professional of their choice. Appointments with faculty members (industry professionals) are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Actors are encouraged to review the faculty biographies and to select the person most suited to their needs and questions. These audition consultations are recommended for intermediate and advanced actors. Each conference participant may schedule up to two audition consultation appointments prior to the deadline of April 18, 2008. See Making Appointments for a complete list of rules and fees. To avoid disappointment, please submit your audition consultation request form as soon as possible. Audition consultation appointments that are still available on Saturday morning, the day of the conference, maybe scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis without limit to the number that maybe scheduled per participant.

What happens in an audition consultation appointment?
Audition consultation appointments are a ten minute individual appointment with an industry professional. Actors who meet the criteria for professional or intermediate status will receive the most benefit. The actor is invited to organize their ten minute appointment to best suit their needs. They may perform a song or a monologue or both, or simply ask questions. If you plan to sing, bring a CD with your accompaniment. A CD player will be provided. Specific musical theatre audition consultation appointments will be available. Please check faculty biographies for specifics regarding which faculty members specialize in musical theatre. It is suggested that actors perform for a total of no more than four minutes in order to allow six minutes to receive faculty comments. These meetings are a total of ten minutes long. You should plan to arrive for your appointment a few minutes early.

Is there a limit to how many audition consultation appointments I can have during the conference?
Initially, yes. Prior to the conference each actor is limited to two audition consultation appointments until the appointment deadline of April 18, 2008. Audition consultation appointments still available on Saturday morning, the day of the conference, maybe scheduled during registration from 7-9 am on a first come, first served basis without limit to the number that maybe scheduled per participant.

Will audition consultation appointment scheduling take place during the conference?
Yes. Refer back to last question/answer.

What are master classes?
Master classes will be presented by a variety of professionals specializing in the areas of musical theatre, film, television, stage and commercials. These classes will offer an opportunity for a number of participants willing to volunteer to perform materials selected by each instructor, according to the instructor's specialty. Each master class will be unique in its content and instructors will ask for volunteers to perform monologues or songs they have prepared or to read from cold sides. Those who would like to volunteer should view the master class descriptions to see the structure of the master class and what each instructor has asked those volunteers, who would like to perform, to prepare. Volunteers selected will perform the material in front of the class and the instructor will comment on the performance for the benefit of the entire class.

What are “sides?”
Sides are excerpts from a movie, television, or commercial script. Some of the faculty presenting master classes will be handing out sides during the class for cold readings, or providing sides on this web site for participants to study in advance. Please check master class descriptions.