SoC Acting and Music Theater Showcase

Goals/Objectives of fund:

The goal of this fund is to support student access to School of Communication undergraduate curricular and co-curricular activities. Most specifically, this fund provides financial assistance to senior acting and musical theatre undergraduate students who have been selected to participate in the Senior Performance Showcase opportunities over spring break and towards the end of spring quarter.

Description of the fund:
Each academic year, the Northwestern University Theatre department hosts two opportunities for graduating seniors to perform for professional regionally affiliated agents, casting agents, and managers. Historically, the Theatre department and SoC have provided financial support for qualifying students with demonstrated financial need to offset the cost of participation in these opportunities. Costs include transportation, lodgings and headshots for New York Showcase, and headshots for Chicago Showcase/NU Faces. Taped auditions for Acting and Music Theatre Showcase will be uploaded to the School of Communication by early MARCH. Taped auditions for NU Faces (formerly Chicago Showcase) will be uploaded to the School of Communication website in Early JUNE. We found that this approach was highly effective for student visibility and acquiring representation and work in the past few years.

All students participating in Acting and Musical Theatre Showcase NYC 2025 and NU Faces 2025 will have access to one or more of the following: performance coaching, self-taping instruction, equipment and/or technical assistance through academic coursework. Participating students will be responsible for costs related to procuring professional headshots and travel if they are selected to participate in NYC. The average cost of participation per student this academic year is approximately $1,500 for professional acting headshots, printing, travel to NYC and 3 nights of shared lodgings. The average cost of participation for NU Faces this academic year is $500 for professional acting headshots and printing. Students who participate in both Showcase and Faces are only eligible for one award. Award amounts are based upon demonstrated financial need.

Funding Application deadlines and schedule:

Acting and Music Theatre Showcase NYC: Eligible students audition in November/December and are selected in December to participate the following Spring. The Acting and Music Theatre Showcase grant application opens Friday, January 17, 2025 and will close at 5:00 pm CST Thursday, March 28, 2025.

NU Faces: Eligible students will be contacted in April to participate in a mandatory informational meeting that month. The NU Faces grant application will open Friday, April 4, and will close at 5:00 pm CST Thursday, June 13, 2025.

Applications for both opportunities will be reviewed on a rolling basis; awardees will be contacted via email regarding award amounts and disbursement/reimbursement processes. Students are responsible for booking their own headshot appointments and travel arrangements.

Eligibility requirements:

Participating students must be in good academic standing and have an appropriate relationship with the acting and/or music theatre curricula. Acting and Music Theatre Showcase participants are encouraged, but not required to also participate in NU Faces. Students applying for Acting and Music Theatre Showcase and/or NU Faces financial support must have been notified by the selection committee that they have been selected to participate in Acting and Music Theatre Showcase and/or NU Faces. Students are only eligible to apply to ONE of the two funding opportunities – EITHER NY Acting and MT Showcase OR NU Faces.

If you have questions regarding your eligibility to participate in NY Showcase or NU Faces, contact either David Catlin d-catlin@northwestern.edu or KO ProKO@northwestern.edu

Please contact Chris Neuhaus christopher.neuhaus@northwestern.edu if you have questions regarding the status of your financial support application.

Once you have been notified of your award amount, questions regarding the status of your financial disbursement should be directed to Scottie Akines scott.akines@northwestern.edu