Dave Klasko '07 landed parts in two plays to be produced this season by troupes in the Undergraduate Theater Collective (UTC). An actor since sixth grade, Klasko has endured his share of grueling auditions. But in stretching to woo the UTC's directors, he was awkwardly forced to impress people who are also his classmates and friends. "The directors aren't condescending," said Klasko. "However, you shouldn't expect any favors, because they will do what is best for the show, not what is best for a friendship," said Klasko.

The audition process for the UTC groups at Brandeis is a challenging, invigorating and tiring time-both for students wanting to be cast in shows and for the directors of those shows who must make difficult choices.

The UTC consists of five on-campus theatrical groups, all of which hold auditions once a semester.

Samantha Saltzman '06 said she auditioned for Hair and Kiss of the Spider Woman because she loves the theater. Saltzman decided to become a theater major last summer because, she said, "I was going to do what I loved, no matter how impractical it was."

After taking the initial steps of signing up for auditions and filling out a form detailing personal information and acting experience, students introduce themselves to the director and production staff. They are required to recite a monologue, sing a song, perform a selection from the script or do any combination of the above. The directors have the authority to stop an actor at any time in the audition process.

The day after auditions, callbacks are posted. In callbacks, actors perform again to help directors clarify who they would like for specific roles. The directors assess their first and second choices for each part.

After this comes common casting, when four shows are cast at the same time. Once the directors of the different shows have decided whom they want to cast, they all meet with the head of the UTC-this year, it's Dave Stromes '05-to see if any actors have been cast in multiple shows.

When holding auditions, Stromes said he looks for "someone who walks in and believes in what they are doing."

"An actor needs to come in, surprise the director and have an immediately accessible stage presence," said Adam Curley '07, director of Proof.

"You need to bring something that will make it so that at the end of the night when the production staff goes through audition sheets nobody says, 'Wait, what did she sing again?'" said director of Hair Brian Paternostro '07.

Jenny El-Far '07 will play Claire in Proof this semester. Her love of theater led her to try-out.

After the initial audition, El-Far attended callbacks. "The director tries different combinations, but you usually end up reading for a specific role," she said. "There were very talented actresses there; the competition was pretty stiff."

At 1:30 a.m., the director called saying she had the part.

Josh Mervis '08 will be performing in Proof and The Underpants. Mervis found a unique source for his audition monologue: the back of a Java City mug. "I'd been looking at it for too long; I had to do something with it," he said.

Mervis enjoys auditioning because "it's fun, like a rush, especially when your friends are directing. You never know what's going to happen," he said.

Klasko auditioned for all of the shows and is playing Hal in Proof and Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Klasko auditioned for the UTC because, "performing is my favorite thing to do in life. I found I have a deep desire to perform, entertain and evoke emotion from an audience. That is the most amazing feeling in the world."

When preparing for the auditions, Klasko said that "each show required a different kind of preparation."

To find the right monologue, "I read the synopsis and looked for a monologue with that style of acting. It is helpful to look for a monologue with a similar style to focus attention on your skills in a particular area."

It is difficult to compare the UTC auditions to those in the outside world. Curley believes there is a "greater level of benevolence here, because you are probably auditioning someone you've met before, so cordiality and respect is required."

In Carnow's professional auditioning experience, he recalled that there was a specific appointment with the director, and there were not any people waiting outside. "It's just the director, producer, production assistant and artistic director. Here it is everyone. It is very uncommon to have a stage manager in the auditions, not that their opinions aren't valuable, it's just that it normally doesn't happen," Paternostro said.

Actors and directors value the variety the UTC offers.

"The UTC is amazing and unique. We [Brandeis] are the only school that puts on this kind of high quality ambitious theater outside of the actual theater department." Klasko said. "The UTC is filled with people, even Pre-meds, who love theater and excel but don't see it as where their academics take them."

Paternostro feels choosing sides can be less stressful, as funny moments often emerge.

"My favorite thing is when someone comes in who is really nervous, they're shaking and their shoulders are tense, their knees are locked but you calm them down. They take a breath and then this beautiful voice emerges. Auditions are fun; they shouldn't be stressful.