4 Tips on Recruiting Kids for Musical Theatre

Photo: Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (Stuart Country Day School; Princeton, NJ)

Get the word out: There’s a role for everyone in the theater! Take time to build your musical theater program through active recruitment. Here are a few ideas:

1. Hold a pre-audition workshop where you teach everyone an audition song and some fun choreography. This is a great way to introduce kids to the audition process without all the pressure of an actual audition.

2. Offer a backstage tour and a technical theater workshop, then recruit your stage crew from the kids who show interest.

3. There’s nothing like a personal invitation. Simply approaching a student and saying, “I really think you’d have a great time in our upcoming musical – will you audition?” can really make a difference.

4. Have your students perform a number from last year’s production at an assembly, the mall or any place families gather. Hand out flyers announcing your auditions for this year’s show.