The Theatre School > Conservatory > Undergraduate Conservatory > Stage Management > How to Apply

How to Apply

BFA Stage Management

All of your application materials must be received no later than December 1 in order to be prescreened and considered for an interview. Applications that are incomplete after the December 1 deadline will not be reviewed. Because of the prescreen process, we strongly recommend Stage Management applicants be well-organized and submit their application materials early. Interviews take place in January and February.

Materials Due by December 1

The first step is to submit the online application. There is no application fee. Applicants receive a confirmation email and gain access to the DePaul Application Portal (Blue Demon Domain) within 24 hours after submitting the application. This portal will be used to upload prescreen materials, check the status of your application, and, in mid-March, receive your admissions decision.
There is a $50 interview fee that must be paid before your application can be prescreened.
Your resume can include both theatre experience and non-theatre experience (extracurricular activities, employment, etc.)
Your writing sample should be one page long and answer both of the following questions:
  • What are the skills and qualities of a successful stage manager?
  • What is it about managing that you most enjoy?
This writing sample is specific to stage management, and therefore separate from the Common Application essay (which is optional for DePaul applicants.) Your writing sample is uploaded via your Blue Demon Domain.
A photograph is used for identification purposes and does not need to be an official headshot.
The portfolio must be uploaded to your Blue Demon Domain and must include examples of your stage management paperwork. Your paperwork should demonstrate your organizational and management skills and might include things like prompt book pages, blocking notes, call sheets, rehearsal notes, communications, etc. to help demonstrate your stage management process. You may also choose to include optional additional items such as a video, artwork, or examples of technical theatre involvement, but the main focus of your portfolio should be on stage management.
Have an official copy of your high school transcript sent to The Theatre School Admissions Office. If you have taken college credit courses you wish to have considered for transfer credit, please have your official college transcripts sent to us as well. (Transfer students who have taken over 30 college credits or who are 24 years or older are not required to include high school transcripts alongside their college transcripts.) If you are an international applicant, you may need to provide transcript translations.
Request three letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your desire to attend The Theatre School, such as a teacher, director, or employer. They should not be from family members or personal friends. There is no specific form required for the letter of recommendation. Your recommender may send their letter to us by mail or email, or your counselor may use the High School Counselor Recommendation Form on The Common Application.
You can choose to apply with or without ACT or SAT scores. If you choose to submit your test scores and they do not appear on your high school transcript, request the testing agency forward a score report to DePaul, if you have not already done so. Our college code number for ACT is 1012 and for SAT is 1165. Learn more about applying test optional. Homeschooled applicants cannot apply as test-optional.

International students are required to provide proof of English Language Proficiency. Please visit our international admissions page for a list of tests that can fulfill this requirement.

Interview (January/February)

Applicants who pass the prescreen will be notified by email and will interview one-on-one with the head of the BFA Stage Management program. We believe that during the interview, the questions you have for us are as important as the questions we have for you. There is no fixed format or schedule of questions for the interview, so you will be evaluated as an individual by an individual. The faculty member who conducts the interview will be interested in your theatre experiences, academic record, personal achievements, extracurricular activities, and plans for your artistic future. The best preparation for the interview is to be curious; come with plenty of questions about courses, instructors, programs of study, student life, and anything else you would like to discuss.

Application Status Check

Application materials can be mailed, emailed, sent electronically (via The Common Application, Naviance, etc.) or uploaded through your Blue Demon Domain. To check the status of your application materials, view the checklist on your Blue Dem​on Domain​ or call The Theatre School Admissions Office at (773) 325-7999. Please allow at least three weeks to process mailed materials. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all materials are received before the deadline.

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