2026 In-Person Auditions: October 9th-12th @ Pittsburgh CLO Academy (130 CLO Academy Way) 
Friday/Saturday: Auditions & Masterclasses at CLO Academy 8am-7pm
Friday Night: Student Mixer at Even Hotel (425 Forbes Ave.); Parent Mixer at Wyndham Grand (600 Commonwealth Pl)
Saturday Morning/Afternoon/Night: Dance Call at CLO Academy
Sunday & Monday: Junior Experience/Mock Auditions  at CLO Academy; Q&A Sessions, Parent Masterclasses at Even Hotel
Sunday Callbacks: (8am-6PM) at Wyndham Grand Downtown, Faculty Panels & Parent Masterclasses at Even Hotel
Monday Callbacks: (8AM-3PM) at CLO Academy

2026 Virtual Auditions October 16th-18th Audition Room on Acceptd Portal
Friday & Saturday: Virtual LIVE Auditions 9am-7pm
Friday & Saturday: Virtual MasterClasses and Q&A Sessions
Sunday: Virtual LIVE Auditions 9am-12pm
Sunday: Callbacks, MTCA Informational Sessions, Q&A Sessions, Dance Call Self-Tape Due

2026 Virtual Auditions Tech & Design Portfolio Reviews October 24th Audition Room on Acceptd Portal
Saturday: Tech & Design Portfolio Reviews in Audition Room 9am-5pm, Virtual MasterClasses

** For a complete, hour-by-hour  listing of all classes & events, please visit the "Schedule" tab **
 

The Artistic Review Materials are used for the schools to get a first look at you. They are similar to prescreens, but they are not something that you will "pass" or "not pass." They are just used as a "get to you know as a performer" for the schools and programs attending PUA. They generally follow the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen (MTCP), which all of our schools have agreed to follow. The artistic review materials will consist of: Musical Theatre Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds): Headshot Resume Slate Video 2 Contrasting Song Cuts (MTCP Option C) 1 Monologue Dance Video (MTCP Option B) Ballet Video (Optional) Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended. See description below) Acting Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds): Headshot Resume Slate Video 2 Contrasting Monologues Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended.) Musical Theatre & Acting Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds):    Headshot Resume Slate Video 2 Contrasting Song Cuts (MTCP Option C) & 1 Monologue (MTCP Option A) or  2 Contrasting Monologues (Choose 2 using MTCP Option A) & 1 Song Cut (MTCP Option C) Student has the option of uploading a second contrasting song or monologue to Accepted. It is not a requirement, but an option available to the student. Dance Video (MTCP Option B) Ballet Video (Optional) Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended.) Tech & Design Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds): Headshot Resume 1 Portfolio Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended.) All artistic review materials must be labeled in the following format: - Title of Song – Musical/Show – Your First & Last Name - Title of Play – Playwright – Your First & Last Name - Dance - Your First & Last Name - Slate - Your First & Last Name - Wildcard - Your First & Last Name - Resume - Your First & Last Name When filming videos, be sure to film in landscape (horizontal) format and to position the camera at eye level. For more information of the slate, dance and wildcard videos, see the individual questions pertaining to those topics.

All students participating in PUA (juniors, seniors, MT, Acting & Tech & Design) will need upload artistic review materials to Acceptd. To get guaranteed, constructive feedback on the materials, please be sure to upload by September 1st. After that date, feedback will not be provided! The artistic review video materials are used for the schools to get a first look at you. They are similar to prescreens, but they are not something that you will "pass" or "not pass." They are just used as a "get to you know as a performer" for the schools and programs attending PUA.

The artistic review video materials are similar to prescreens, but are not used to prevent you from coming to PUA. PUA reviews your media to make sure that you can be seen and heard by the college faculty members who will review your videos. If there is a major issue that we recommend you correct before we make the prescreen available to PUA schools, we will contact you. We review the media not to prevent you from attending, but to set you up for success. The schools and programs attending PUA will have access to those materials approximately one week prior to the in-person event in October. They will use the materials to get to know your student as a performer (or as a creative if you are Tech & Design) and as a reference resource.

Along with a slate, headshot and resume, all students will upload videos per the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen (MTCP) guidelines, which all schools participating in PUA have agreed to adhere to. The videos will consist of song(s), monologue(s), dance, portfolio (if Tech & Design) and an optional Wildcard. Each element will be a separate video that is 60-90 seconds in length. Please note that there is no acapella singing, so you should video with audio tracks of your music or film with an accompanist. If you are filming with an accompanist, please follow the filming guidelines in the MTCP and do not have the accompanist in frame. Only the student should be in frame from waist up (see below for a link to the MTCP for more guidance on filming tips). Additionally, if you are applying to Musical Theatre or Musical Theatre Plus Acting, you will need to film a dance video. Acting-only candidates do not have to film a dance. For dance, use Option B. The ballet video is optional. The dance video should also be between 60-90 seconds in length. You can use self-choreographed steps, have someone choreograph a dance for you, or you can use a dance from a school that has given permission for others to use for their dance videos (see the question on dance for more information on this and a link to the dance videos). It is not a requirement of the MTCP to credit the choreographer or to name the song that you are dancing to. However, if you choose to you can credit the choreographer and/or name the song in a caption on the bottom left or right corner of the video. This can be accomplished using video editing software like iMovie. All files must be labeled in the following format: Title of Song – Musical/Show – Your First & Last Name Title of Play – Playwright – Your First & Last Name Slate - Your First & Last Name Wildcard - Your First & Last Name Dance - Your First & Last Name Resume - Your First & Last Name Headshot - Your First & Last Name When filming, be sure to film in landscape (horizontal) format and to position the camera at eye level. Both seniors and juniors for all disciplines are required to upload the review materials to Acceptd. The artistic review materials will consist of: Musical Theatre Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds):    Headshot Resume Slate Video 2 Contrasting Song Cuts (MTCP Option C) 1 Monologue (MTCP Option A) Dance Video (MTCP Option B) Ballet Video (Optional) Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended. See description below) Acting Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds):    Headshot Resume Slate Video 2 Contrasting Monologues (Choose 2 using MTCP Option A) Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended.) Musical Theatre & Acting Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds):    Headshot Resume Slate Video 2 Contrasting Song Cuts (MTCP Option C) & 1 Monologue (MTCP Option A) or  2 Contrasting Monologues (Choose 2 using MTCP Option A) & 1 Song Cut (MTCP Option C) Student has the option of uploading a second contrasting song or monologue to Accepted. It is not a requirement, but an option available to the student. Dance Video (MTCP Option B) Ballet Video (Optional) Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended.) Tech & Design Students (all videos are to be 60-90 seconds):    Headshot Resume 1 Portfolio Wildcard Video (Optional but highly recommended.) All artistic review materials must be labeled in the following format:  - Title of Song – Musical/Show – Your First & Last Name  - Title of Play – Playwright – Your First & Last Name  - Dance - Your First & Last Name  - Slate - Your First & Last Name  - Wildcard - Your First & Last Name  - Resume - Your First & Last Name The slate is a separate video for the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen and must be uploaded to Acceptd. Please do not to slate before each song and monologue. The Wildcard video is optional, however it is a great way for schools to get to know you beyond songs and monologues. It is a way to show your personality to the schools and an opportunity to share something about you. The Wildcard can be ANYTHING you want - a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, poetry you've written, an instrument you play, etc. “What do you want the schools to know about you?” Like all the other videos, the Wildcard video should be between 60-90 seconds in length. For more information of the slate, dance and wildcard videos, see the individual questions pertaining to those topics. To find out more about the 2026/2027 Musical Theatre Common Prescreen and its requirements, and to get more filming tips, CLICK HERE:

The schools will get access to the materials on Acceptd at midnight October 1, 2026. All materials MUST be in your Acceptd profile prior to October 1st. The date to get guaranteed, professional feedback on your materials is September 1st. If you upload materials after that date, you will NOT receive professional feedback on your materials. Once materials are submitted, students will receive the feedback in approximately one week, But, some do receive feedback sooner than that.The window for the student to log into Acceptd and swap out any materials utilizing the free feedback received on them is September 23-30.

To be in line with the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen (MTCP), all videos that you upload to Acceptd should be between 60-90 seconds in length. This is for all videos: Monologues, Songs, Dance and Wildcard.

PUA follows the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen (MTCP), and the MTCP requires the media review files to be saved and labeled in the following format: - Title of Song – Musical/Show – Your First & Last Name - Title of Play – Playwright – Your First & Last Name - Dance - Your First & Last Name - Slate - Your First & Last Name - Wildcard - Your First & Last Name - Resume - Your First & Last Name For the dance video, it is not a requirement of the MTCP to credit the choreographer or to name the song that you are dancing to. However, if you choose to you can credit the choreographer and/or name the song in a caption on the bottom left or right corner of the video. This can be accomplished using video editing software like iMovie.

As long as you upload your artistic review files by September 1st, you are guaranteed to get constructive feedback from our professional panel of industry expert reviewers. Each year, we use a rotating panel of experts that consist of people that are active in the industry and also some of the professional coaches from MTCA. Many think of the feedback as "free coaching!"The reviewers look at Headshot, Resume, Song Videos, Monologue Videos, Dance (if applicable), Tech Portfolio (if applicable) and Wildcard in order to set the student up for success. PUA reviews your media to make sure that you can be seen and heard by the college faculty who will review your videos. As you would expect, the dance, vocal, monologue and wildcard videos are reviewed. However, reviewers also look over resumes, general formatting, labeling of videos to ensure they comply with MTCP requirements, etc. NOTE: PUA Panel reserves the right to not review and give feedback to submissions that are incomplete and required portions are missing. Also, given time restraints on returning the feedback, PUA Panel may not be able to give feedback to any Optional Media.Once students receive their feedback, they will have a one time opportunity between September 23-30 to refilm their audition package and swap out any materials utilizing the feedback provided to them by the panel. The students will be changing out materials themselves and do not need to email the materials to PUA. Feedback will not be given on any new materials submitted during this period. This will be the only time period students will have access to Acceptd to change their materials. After these dates, no other changes to materials will be permitted. After submitting your materials in Acceptd, you can expect to have feedback returned to you in approximately 1 week, as there are multiple people doing the review. However, some do receive it sooner than that.

Yes! After receiving your feedback (if you submitted your videos by the 9/1 feedback deadline), you will have a one-time opportunity to resubmit updated materials! You will be swapping out the materials yourself, without having to contact PUA. The window for the student to log into Acceptd and swap out any materials utilizing the free feedback received on them is September 23-30. This will be prior to the schools having access to the materials on October 1st. So, if you swap out videos, headshot or resume, they will only have access to the final version submitted.Please remember that this is a feature exclusive to PUA and is not standard practice for the college audition process. For any non-PUA schools you are applying to, you will not be allowed to change out videos once you submit.

When filming your artistic review materials, it may not always be possible to have a live accompanist when you film. If that is the case, it will be necessary to have audio recordings for the music of your song cuts. Please do not use karaoke tracks for filming your artistic review materials. Sources for obtaining accompanist tracks can be local resources like your voice teacher or your school band teacher. There are also online resources like Musicnotes and Sheet Music Direct and apps that you can use such as Appcompanist, PianoTrax or Tomplay Sheet Music. You can also check our Resource tab on our website for a track recording service that we endorse and is highly recommended (*separate service from PUA and will incur a fee)

For students applying to Musical Theatre or Musical Theatre plus Acting, you will need to film a dance video. The dance video should be between 60-90 seconds in length. . You should use Option B of the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen (MTCP), which is simply to "show us your best version of choreographed dancing or moving." The ballet video is optional. You do not slate the dance video (or any of the videos). The only slate is the separate slate video. The dance video should be labeled in the following manner: Dance - Your first name, your last name It is not a requirement of the MTCP to credit the choreographer or to name the song that you are dancing to. However, if you choose to you can credit the choreographer and/or name the song in a caption on the bottom left or right corner of the video. This can be accomplished using video editing software like iMovie. The dance sample should be in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident. Choose choreography and movements that highlight your strengths. The schools want to see your best version of dance and movement. Please make sure your setup allows the viewer to see you completely, from top of your head to the floor. Your whole body should be in view for the entire dance. Pay attention to the framing to ensure you are in frame the entire time. Your dance sample can be self-choreographed or choreographed by a friend or a dance instructor. Additionally, the MTCP has provided dance combinations from colleges and universities that you have permission to use. Please see the next question for more information regarding this option. For more information and tips regarding Dance from the MTCP, please Click Here. Acting-only candidates do not have to film a dance

Yes! To assist students with the dance videos, several institutions have provided resource videos for students who do not have access to a choreographed combo for this process. Schools have given permission for you to use their choreography (or a combination of it) to any of the schools you are applying to that ask for a dance video (not just PUA). This videos can be accessed by Clicking Here and scrolling to "Dance Tips."

For PUA you will follow MTCP Option A. Students should choose monologues that are age-appropriate (generally within 5-10 years of your actual age) and that feel authentic to your culture, background, and lived experience. Active monologues are often better for auditions; an active monologue takes place in real time and focuses on what you want and puts you in direct communication with an imaginary scene partner. Your character should be speaking to someone specific and there should be high stakes involved. When you choose a piece that is relating to another character with a clear objective, it gives you the opportunity to connect with that non-present scene partner, and pursue an emotional arc versus a piece that narrates a past experience. Additionally, it can be helpful to avoid monologues that rely on extreme emotions as it can be hard to believably justify those responses in a short piece.

The Wildcard video is optional, however it is a great way for schools to get to know you beyond songs and monologues. It is a way to show your personality to the schools and an opportunity to share something about you. The Wildcard can be ANYTHING you want - a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, poetry you've written, an instrument you play, etc. “What do you want the schools to know about you?” The Wildcard video should be between 60-90 seconds in length.

The slate is a separate video for the Musical Theatre Common Prescreen and must be uploaded to Acceptd. The slate video should be no longer than 10 seconds. You should not slate in your song and monologue videos. The slate is an opportunity for the schools to get a sense of your personality and to learn your name and how to pronounce it correctly. Please look directly at the camera and speak in a clear manner. Per the MTCP, please state your name and pronouns (pronouns are optional). Please do not to slate before each song and monologue since yoou will be labeling each video with your name and the title of the piece you are performing.

The artistic review materials are kept on Acceptd for the year and then are archived when the new audition cycle begins. If you participated in PUA as a junior, those old videos will be wiped from the system and you will create a new senior profile.

There is no need to have your artistic review review materials filmed professionally. We recommend using a neutral background, good lighting (ring lights work well) and your smartphone on a tripod. Professional actors use similar set-ups to send in video audition submissions! When filming, be sure to film in landscape (horizontal) format and to position the camera at eye level. For you lighting, keep the lighting source in front of you or to the side of you and behind your recording device. If the lighting source is behind you, it will cast a shadow over your face. Keeping the lighting to the front or the side of you will ensure your face is lit with no shadows. Place your music source (the speaker) closer to you rather than your recording device. By having the accompaniment near you, your voice and music will reach the microphone on your device in a more balanced manner. It never hurts to do a trial run so you can watch the video back to ensure that everything is working properly, the lighting is good and the sound quality is what you are expecting. Also, you can ensure that your video is within the time constraints required. We recommend wearing solid, non-distracting clothing in a flattering color so the focus is all on the actor (see the FAQ addressing this topic for more detailed information). To find out more about the 2025/2026 Musical Theatre Common Prescreen and its requirements, and to get more filming tips, CLICK HERE:

When filming any video materials, weather for PUA, other school's prescreens or for a professional video audition, the main rule is to wear neat, simple, non-distracting clothing in a flattering color. You want the actor to be the main focus and not what they are wearing. Try to avoid loud prints or clothing with logos. Solid colors work better on film. Also, avoid distracting jewelry, such as large necklaces or pendants, large earrings, watches, etc. Also, make sure your hair is not hiding your eyes and face. You want to look natural in order to keep the focus on the performance, not what you are wearing. Keep it simple and you will shine! For dance, you should wear something that is easy to move in. Also, please wear something that is close to the body so the faculty can easily observe your lines.

No, you are completely in control of what videos you submit to schools outside of PUA. Every school that uses Acceptd has its own portal on Acceptd. And, a given school can only see the videos you upload to that school's portal. They can't see any other media you have on Acceptd for other schools or PUA.

The short answer is no! Schools that are not part of PUA will not be able to see your videos that are uploaded into the PUA portal on Acceptd. Only schools participating in PUA will be able to see those videos.