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Theatre Gap Initiative

North Carolina , United States

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Welcome to the Theatre Gap Initiative Experience


The Theatre Gap Initiative seeks to promote and advance Black, Indigenous, and People of Color for placement in well-respected Bachelor of Fine Arts programs in the art of Theatre and Musical Theatre, through rigorous training and a transformative experience. 

Under the direction of Tony Award-winning theatre educator Corey Mitchell, TGI is a catalyst for increased inclusivity and visibility of Black Indigenous and People of Color performers in collegiate and professional theatre. TGI will admit 24 students in their gap year to study from August to March. We will assist with the entire process of college admission into BFA and Conservatory programs, including; Applications, FAFSA forms, resume writing, new headshots, pre-screen process, auditions, interviews, college selection, and scholarship applications.

The TGI Confrère will meet in person Monday-Friday from 9 AM to 2:30 PM for classroom, dance, vocal, and acting instruction. Students will also receive additional instruction and guidance from college counselors and a one-to-one mentor from college professors from across the country. In addition to virtual and live auditions, the Confrere will also attend National Unified Auditions, the cooperative, simultaneous auditions and interviews by some of the nation’s most recognizable BFA theatre programs that take place in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. In March, students will perform an end-of-program Showcase. The Theatre Gap Initiative curriculum involves the months-long development of each student’s Tool Kit (skillset) and Book (performance material).

Eligibility
  • High school graduates with at least a 2.5 GPA taking a year off before applying or reapplying for college admission.
  • College students on leave who intend to either return to or reapply for college programs


TGI Curriculum

The Theatre Gap Initiative curriculum involves the months-long development of each student’s Tool Kit and Book. Weekly instructions will consist of group training; one-on-one instruction; and each student will be paired with a college professor (virtually) to serve as their mentor. The instructors will be a mix of TGI teaching artists, master class presenters, and educators from Central Piedmont Community College.

The Actor’s Tool Kit includes readings and exercises that develop facility with acting techniques and the skills required of professional performers:

  • Character Creating & Building, based on the teachings of Uta Hagen and others
  • Communication, based on the teachings of Sanford Meisner and others
  • Movement, based on the teachings of Anne Bogart and others
  • Improvisation
  • Cold Readings
  • Acting for the Camera (acting track)
  • Public Speaking
  • Music Theory

The Actor’s Book is an actual book of music and acting material the artist can offer in any audition situation. The Book includes:

Musical Theatre – character research and scene work to act through a song. The student prepares one piece of each of these types, in the actor’s range, as well as one piece each for a lead and for an ensemble player (one Up-Tempo + One Ballad + One Comic in each category). For each song, the student prepares the full song + 32- bar long-cut + 16-bar short-cut.

  • Classic Broadway (Pre-Oklahoma)
  • Golden Era of Broadway (Oklahoma to Fiddler)
  • Contemporary (1970 – 2000)

Acting Monologues - character research and scene work in each of these types, in the actor’s range (one Serious + One Serio-Comic + One Comic for each category).

  • Classic (Shakespeare)
  • American Golden Age (Thornton Wilder, Neil Simon, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Lorraine Hansberry, etc.)
  • European (Ibsen, Shaw, Brecht, Ionesco, Chekov)
  • Contemporary
  • Current

Acting Duets - character research and scene work to prepare partner scenes in each of these types, in the actor’s range (one Serious + One Comic for each category).

  • Classic (Shakespeare)

Dance and Movement - students will receive rigorous training in both dance and movement for the actor. Styles of dance will include

  • Jazz
  • Ballet
  • Character/Musical Theatre 
  • Alexander Technique
  • Viewpoints
  • Laban Movement Analysis
Housing and Transportation

For students who are not in the immediate vicinity, housing and transportation are available. Students live in apartments adjacent to the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. There is a resident assistant exclusively for TGI that also lives in the apartment complex. Students have a private bedroom and bathroom. Theatre Gap also provides a supplement to help with the rental costs for students who need it.

Audition Requirements- this is NOT a high pressure application:

  • Video recording of two (2) songs and one (1) monologue
  • Submit recent photographs and a resume of pertinent training and performance experience
  • One letter of recommendation from an Arts educator or director
  • Statement of Artistic purpose (maximum length 250 words)


Program cost:

There are no application fees.

The cost for TGI Confrère is $7200. This cost covers CPCC tuition, trip to the CAP Auditions in Atlanta, and TGI classes & programming. For the spring semester, students will also attend the National Unified Auditions (either NYC or Chicago). There are partial scholarships available for students who demonstrate a financial need.

The application deadline is JUNE 15, 2024

Limited need-based financial aid for tuition is also available.

Thank you. We look forward to seeing you!

Questions? Please contact info@theatregap.org

To learn more about the Theatre Gap Initiative visit www.theatregap.org

If you have technical issues, please visit our Acceptd Support Help Desk.