State University of New York at Fredonia Theatre & Dance

Welcome to the audition portal for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the State University of New York Fredonia. Fredonia is one of the 64 campuses making up the State University of New York (SUNY) system at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia!  Our Department offers students the most comprehensive array of degree programs in Theatre and Dance within the SUNY system, providing them with focused, conservatory-style professional training within a rich and wide-ranging liberal arts education.  Here, we seek not to produce “cookie-cutter” actors, singers, and dancers, but to help our students find and develop their own unique creative voices, as well as to provide them with the skills critical to success in the professional world.  Additionally, as fully 20% of Fredonia’s student body majors in the performing and/or visual arts, we have built a well-deserved reputation as SUNY’s Fine Arts Campus.

SUNY Fredonia is a participant in the Musical Theater Common Pre Screen for the 2023-2024 cycle. 

The Department of Theatre and Dance at SUNY Fredonia currently offers the following degree programs:

• Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts - No audition required.  Any student academically accepted to Fredonia may choose to major in Theatre Arts.
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting - Audition required.
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance - Audition required.  Please see this page for additional information.
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre - Audition required.
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatrical Production and Design - Portfolio review required.  Please see this page for additional information.

In addition to our five degree programs, the Department offers minors in Dance, Dance Studio Administration, and Theatre.  Students who would like to pursue secondary studies in Theatre or Dance while focusing on a major in another discipline are encouraged to consider these options.  Add to these programs the innumerable performance and production opportunities available both through the Department and the more than 170 student-run organizations on campus, and it is safe to say that no other SUNY liberal arts institution can offer students the range of experience that Fredonia can.  We also compare favorably with private institutions, providing high-quality training for significantly less cost, for both in-state and out-of-state students.

Students from Pennsylvania and Ohio are also eligible for our $6,000 Good Neighbor Award. This award is for all Pennsylvania and Ohio residents or those who attend their last two years of High School in PA or OH, and who do not qualify for in-state tuition in New York. The award is renewable for all four years, and significantly reduces the cost of out-of-state tuition.

Newly housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Theatre and Dance works closely with Fredonia’s School of Music, Department of Visual Arts and New Media, Department of Communication and Department of English to furnish students with numerous opportunities for collaborative and cross-disciplinary work.  The Rockefeller Arts Center (RAC) was recently voted one of the 25 Most Amazing College Theatre Complexes by Best College Reviews, and underwent an extensive renovation, including the addition of a 60,000 square-foot studio wing in 2016. This facility houses the Department’s state-of-the-art teaching facilities including  4 Acting studios, 4 Dance studios, Costume Shop, Scene Shop, Light & Sound Lab, Drawing & Drafting Lab, and Computer-Aided Drafting Lab.  Students will also have the chance to work extensively in the RAC’s four performance spaces: the 100-seat Merrins Studio Theatre, the 150-seat Alice E. Bartlett Theatre, the 360-seat Robert W. Marvel Theatre, and the 1200-seat Harry King Concert Hall. 

Students interested in any of Fredonia’s programs in Theatre and Dance must apply to Fredonia using the SUNY Application Portal or the Common Application portal.  We recommend that students complete their application to Fredonia before submitting their audition materials whenever possible, as this expedites the admission process.  For details regarding audition requirements and submission deadlines, please use the “Start an Application” link on the left side of this page.  " We look forward to meeting you through your audition and to, hopefully, welcoming you to the FredTADA family!

For more information check out BFA in Acting Brochure and BFA in Musical Theatre Brochure or watch the video below."