Musical Theatre

This page is for all first-year applicants applying to the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre. Current Pepperdine students who wish to apply should contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office.

For more information, please contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office at 310.506.4111, or via email at fineartsrecruit@pepperdine.edu.

Application Requirements for Musical Theatre

All students applying for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre must complete the following:

The application for Seaver College
The Fine Arts supplemental application
A live audition, either in-person or via Zoom
The Music Fundamentals and Skills Assessment

All repertoire requirements for the live audition are the same as for the recorded video audition. You may use the same selections for both the recorded video audition and live audition if you wish, or you may choose different repertoire for the live audition that still fulfills the requirements.

Transfer applicants are strongly encouraged to review Pepperdine’s transfer policies and to contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@pepperdine.edu with further questions.

Supplemental Application Requirements for Musical Theatre

You will receive access to your Application Portal after submitting your CommonApp. If you selected a Fine Arts major in your CommonApp, your Portal will include the Fine Arts Application Form. Once you have submitted the Fine Arts Application Form, you will be able to submit your supplementary materials, including your recorded video auditions.

All students applying for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre must submit the following as part of their supplemental Fine Arts application:

Theatre Resume
Performance Portfolio
- Two contrasting songs
- One monologue
- Dance video
Two Fine Arts Letters of Recommendations

Application Deadlines

All required materials must be submitted by the listed deadline. Any application not completed by the listed deadline may be removed from consideration. For all current application deadlines, please visit this page.

Applicants experiencing hardship or extenuating circumstances due to natural disaster or public health concerns in their local area that may affect their ability to satisfy application requirements may contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office at fineartsrecruitment@pepperdine.edu to explore possible accommodations. Though we cannot guarantee that accommodations/exceptions will be possible, applicants are encouraged to contact the Recruitment Office as soon as possible to allow the maximum amount of time to consider alternative options.

Recorded Video Guidelines

By the application deadline, all applicants pursuing a musical theatre emphasis must upload their recorded audition materials through the Pepperdine Application Portal. Please read the following instructions carefully in preparation for your recorded materials.

The following guidelines should be observed for all submitted videos.

Please submit each piece of your video audition as an individual file. Record each of your selections in an unedited, uninterrupted take.
Recordings must have been made within the past 12 months and must meet the repertoire requirements set by each department.
We will not accept audio recordings in place of video recordings.
Be sure to review your entire recording for quality and completion before submitting! Applications that are incomplete will not be processed.

Acting requires the use of the whole body, so your video audition should include your whole body in the frame.

Your recorded video auditions should be recorded with accompaniment. Acceptable accompaniment options include:

in-person accompanist (preferred)
a high-quality piano accompanying app, pre-recorded accompaniment tracks (ideally from an accompanist you have worked with)
self-accompaniment at the piano.

Please use your judgment and select the best accompaniment option that is available to you.

Please submit a short introduction in which you state your name, the recording date (or dates), and list the selections recorded.

For further guidance on how to best record your video audition, please consult the Virtual Audition Guidelines.

In-Person Audition Instructions

All students applying for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre must participate in a live audition, either virtually or in-person. Those participating in an in-person audition can expect the following.

Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your audition time in order to check in. Practice rooms may be available upon request.

Please prepare to sing a selection of your repertoire for the live audition. All repertoire requirements for the live audition are the same as for the recorded video audition. You may use the same selections for both the recorded video audition and live audition if you wish, or you may choose different repertoire for the live audition that still fulfills the requirements.

An accompanist will be provided. You are to provide legible sheet music of your repertoire in a binder with the beginning and ending of each song clearly marked. The sheet music provided to the pianist at the time of the audition should include the vocal line as well as piano accompaniment. All other forms of sheet music will not be accepted. You may bring your own accompanist if you wish.

You may be asked to perform a monologue as part of your live audition. You may use the same selection for both the recorded video audition and live audition if you wish, or you may choose a different piece for the live audition that still fulfills the requirements.

After the performance portion, each applicant for the theatre program will participate in a brief interview with the music faculty.

Immediately following the audition, students have the opportunity to complete the Music Fundamentals and Skills Assessment. You will have two hours to complete the exam. We encourage applicants to complete the MFSA prior to their live audition, but those who have not done so will be asked to participate in the exam following their in-person audition.

Zoom Audition Instructions

If you are unable to participate in an in-person audition, you have the option to audition via Zoom. Applicants who audition virtually will be treated equitably to those who audition in-person. Those participating in a virtual live audition should observe the following instructions.

Log into the Zoom meeting 15 minutes prior to your audition time in order to check in. You will be kept in a waiting room, and a Fine Arts staff member will communicate with you via Zoom chat. If you need to communicate with Fine Arts staff, please call 310.506.4111.

Musical theatre applicants should perform with accompaniment. Acceptable accompaniment options include: in-person accompanist (preferred), a high-quality piano accompanying app, pre-recorded accompaniment tracks (ideally from an accompanist you have worked with), or self-accompaniment at the piano.

A virtual audition requires adequate lighting, neutral background, strong wifi or ethernet connection as well as appropriate camera angle(s) and audio settings. We strongly encourage all applicants to test their video and audio settings independently prior to their audition. For further information, please reference our Virtual Audition Guidelines.

After the performance portion, each applicant for the theatre program will participate in a brief interview with the music faculty.

Scholarship Consideration

Additional scholarships may be available for those pursuing a theatre major. By auditioning for the theatre major, you will automatically be considered for Fine Arts scholarships unless you choose to opt out. No additional scholarship application process is necessary to be considered for Fine Arts scholarships.