Theater & Music Theater

Try on Theater

Try On Theater Days offer a welcoming introduction to theater making in the Princeton theater and music theater program at the Lewis Center for the Arts (LCA). At scheduled times throughout the year, the program holds community evenings and workshops to encourage students (and other campus community members) to participate in our student-driven season in many capacities. This process replaces traditional solo auditions with group workshops and serves as an opportunity for students to get involved in other aspects of theater, such as stage management, design, sound engineering, production, and more.

Try on Theater Days was highlighted as a feature story and included among 2022’s 10 Most Popular Posts in American Theatre, the national magazine for the American professional not-for-profit theater industry.

Try on Theater Day: December 9, 2024

Come learn, play, and move! Try-on some theater making — and be cast in a show or sign on to participate backstage. No experience needed.

Open to all Princeton students, staff and faculty; priority for casting is given to Princeton students.

What to Expect

We’ll start with a round of introductions and a brief physical warm up. There will be two collaborative theater making exercises in small groups. One prompt will ask students to create a short performance without language, and the other will ask students to work with a written excerpt of their choice from a packet they will receive at the workshop. There will also be a brief music section during which students will learn a snippet of a song and sing in small groups. Students will not be asked to sing solo. There is no need to prepare anything before the workshops. Text excerpts will not be provided in advance.

 

Casting for Theater & Music Theater Program Shows

Monday, December 9
Slot 1: 2-3:30 PM
Slot 2: 4-5:30 PM
2nd floor studios at Lewis Arts complex

Come and join us for a collaborative workshop if you are interested in performing. No preparation is needed and no participant will be required to perform alone. Casting for spring 2025 season shows and other projects including:

  • Ti-Jean and His Brothers by Derek Walcott, directed by abigail jean-baptiste ’18. Ti-jean and His Brothers is a West Indian fable where fantasy meets reality. It is a folklore set in a forest that tells the story of 3 brothers, their individual weaknesses, and their quest to beat the Devil at his own games. It’s a story of family, mischief, humility and of course—Caribbean history. Performances on April 11-12 & 17-19.
  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Chesney Snow. A queer reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that centers process and joy. Performances on April 11-13.
  • A table read for the first act of Ghoul Drool, a new play by Ash Jackson ’26. Welcome to the twisted candy store “Ghoul Drool Chocolates & Confections,” where a ragtag group of employees navigate an absurdist war zone, their own ambitions, and a relentless battle with bizarre customers under the watchful eye of their boss, The Ghoul. This episodic theater project weaves together immersive misadventure and dark comedy as our eclectic ensemble confronts the sociological cost of consumerism against the onslaught of a candy-coated apocalypse.

Sign up for Casting

 

Questions?

For questions about TOT Days, please contact Carmelita Becnel at cbecnel@princeton.edu or Jane Cox at janecox@princeton.edu.

 

Photos from Try on Theater Days

A large group of people stands in a circle around the perimeter of a theater space.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 3, 2024, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Niru Vijaya Krishnan

One person smiles and speaks into a mic while others smile and watch.

Jane Cox addresses students as they participate in the Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 3, 2024, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Niru Vijaya Krishnan

A group of people mingle, some linking arms with others in front of them in a group activity.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 3, 2024, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Niru Vijaya Krishnan

A crowd of people stand and look and reach upwards above their heads.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 3, 2024, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Niru Vijaya Krishnan

One person speaks with a mic while another sits playing the piano.

Solon Snider and Shariffa Ali participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 3, 2024, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Niru Vijaya Krishnan

A large group of people sit on the ground in a circle around the perimeter of a theater space.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 3, 2024, in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Niru Vijaya Krishnan

Two students smile and interact in front of others standing in the background during Try on Theater Community Day.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 5, 2023 in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Allison Ha

A large group of people raising their hands in a dark room with colorful lighting. A woman on the left holds a microphone and a book.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 5, 2023 in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Allison Ha

A large group of students mingle, talk and laugh in the Drapkin Studio during the community portion of Try on Theater Days.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 5, 2023 in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Allison Ha

Two students smile and interact in part of a larger group at Try on Theater Days.

Students participate in Try on Theater Days community event on Sept. 5, 2023 in the Wallace Theater. Photo by Allison Ha