January 20, 2022
Dear Parent/Guardians
Your child is invited to audition for the Performing Arts Program at Stephen A. Halsey, JHS 157. If you are interested in applying to our middle school arts program please read below.
The information on this page is provided to give students time to practice and prepare for auditions in advance.
- This year, students will be able to submit virtual audition videos and materials for middle school arts programs directly through MySchools(https://www.myschools.nyc/en/).
- Students will be able to upload auditions in late January. More information about submissions will be available at that time. The deadline to submit auditions will be Tuesday, March 1.
Please click on the link that follows to begin the process:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/middle-school/MSAuditions
Students are asked to prepare the following for their audition:
Vocal Music: Perform one vocal selection. Choose a song that you like to sing. It can be in any style. Please perform the song memorized, if possible. Please sing your piece a cappella (without a karaoke track or piano accompaniment). If you have any questions, please contact the choral director Ms. Shikowitz at sshikowitz@schools.nyc.gov
Band/Instrumental Music: Instrumental (Band) Music Audition: Students who play an instrument should prepare a solo that is less than 4 minutes long. Students may audition on any instrument including piano, guitar, violin, viola, cello, bass, drumset, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, or trombone. Students will be evaluated on accuracy and overall musicianship of the performance, as well as the overall difficulty of the selected solo. Any questions may be directed to our band teacher Sarah Wolff: swolff4@schools.nyc.gov.
Visual Art: The aim is to have the clearest picture possible of your unique artistic abilities and talents. Remember, Halsey is looking for your potential, and that means how your present skills will grow and develop over the four years you will be spending at their school. Portfolio Upload: Photographs of 4 to 8 pieces of original artwork that includes the following: Piece 1: A self-portrait using a graphite drawing pencil and paper done from observation (from observation means you draw yourself by looking in a mirror) Piece 2: A still life of at least 3 items, using a graphite drawing pencil and paper done from observation (from observation means you draw objects placed before you on a surface in front of you)Piece 3: A figure drawing, using a graphite drawing pencil and paper. You may pose a friend or a family member in front of you. Draw the human figure from observation (from observation means you draw a live person). If you do not have access to a friend or family member, you can google an image for reference. Make sure you draw the entire figure and fill the page: do not cut off parts of the head or feet. Draw your figure with realistic proportions. Try to use value or lines to draw the folds on the clothes. Include any observed details and draw the facial features. Include some background elements placing the figure in a simple setting to make sure your figure does not look like it is floating in space. Questions may be emailed to Ms. Lamere: slamere@schools.nyc.gov.
Label Clearly your Name, Age, Address, Telephone Number, Grade, Current School.
Theatre Arts: Perform and video record a 1-2 minute memorized monologue from a published play of your choice (age appropriate). A suggested source for monologues from published plays can be found in Great Scenes and Monologues for Children Ages 7-14 edited by Craig Slaight and Jack Sharrar. Please also see the attached list of suggested monologues. Applicants should be prepared to introduce themselves, the character they are playing, and the play the monologue is from. Video record showing full body or at least waist up, so that you can reveal the body language of your character you are portraying in your monologue. Students will be evaluated on their ability to use vocal expression and body language to reveal the character’s feelings, emotions, actions and experiences. Questions may be emailed to Ms. Schwarz: eschwarz@schools.nyc.gov.
Dance: Prepare and record a short solo 1:00 minutes in length to music of any dance style that shows your strengths and passion for dance. Begin by introducing yourself, and explain how you created or learned your dance. Record so that full body movements are shown. Wear dance attire: leotard, tights, leggings, yoga pants, exercise or sweatpants and a fitted t-shirt. Questions may be emailed to Ms. Gruet: jgruet@schools.nyc.gov.
If you have any questions regarding the audition process, please contact our Parent Coordinator Michael Zevon by email at mzevon@schools.nyc.gov.
Sincerely,
Vincent Suraci
Principal, J.H.S. 157
Suggested Audition Monologues
ANGELA: There is no pit in this peach. It is hollow. Instead of the pit, there is a whole little world, a little blue-green crystal-clear ocean, with little schools of tiny darting silver fish. On a tiny rock sits a mermaid with little teeny-weenie kinky yellow hair. A tiny sun is being pulled across a little china-blue sky by teeny-weenie white horses with itty-bitty wings. There is an island with tiny palm trees and a tiny thatched hut. Next to the hut stands a tiny man and woman. She is wearing flowers and leaves. He is wearing one single leaf. On their heads are little bitty halos. In their arms is a little bitsy baby. He isn’t wearing anything.
From ROOSTERS, by Milcha Sanchez-Scott
JENNY: You know what it is about murder mysteries? No, listen. I think the reason people like murder mysteries is that, in a murder mystery, everything is significant. The people in murder mysteries are living in a significant world. A world where everything is there for a reason. Even before the murders happened, you know that one is going to happen and you know that everything is a clue. Or rather, you know that some things are clues and some things are just obfuscation, they’re snow. And you know that everybody has a secret of some kind. A secret that’s like a soul. Murder mysteries are religious, in a way. Don’t laugh. They’re like the way you feel when you’re in love. When everything’s in a special light. They’re a couple of hours of everything meaning something, for God’s sake. And then they’re over and you’re back to your old life, to real life. To mortgages and pork loin and potatoes and making rhubarb pie.
From THE BLIZZARD, by David Ives
SALLY: A ‘C’? A ‘C’? I got a ‘C’ on my coat-hanger sculpture? How could anyone get a ‘C’ in coat hanger sculpture? May I ask a question? Was I judged on the piece of sculpture itself? If so, is it not true that time alone can judge a work of art? Or was I judged on my talent? If so, is it fair that I be judged on a part of my life over which I have no control? If I was judged on my effort, then I was judged unfairly, for I tried as hard as I could! Was I judged on what I had learned about this project? If so, then were not you, my teacher, also being judged on your ability to transmit your knowledge to me? Are you willing to share my ‘C’? Perhaps I was being judged on the quality of coat-hanger itself out of which my creation was made… now is this not also unfair? Am I to be judged by the quality of coat-hangers that are used by the dry-cleaning establishment that returns our garments? Is that not the responsibility of my parents? Should they not share my ‘C’? (Beat. As if the teacher is responding.) Thank you, Miss Othmar. (To audience.) The squeaky wheel gets the grease!
From YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, based on the comic strip PEANUTS by Charles M. Schulz, book by Clark Gesner
CHARLIE BROWN: I think lunchtime is about the worst time of day for me. Always having to sit here alone. Of course, sometimes, mornings aren’t so pleasant either. Waking up and wondering if anyone would really miss me if I never got out of bed. Then there’s the night, too. Lying there and thinking about all the stupid things I’ve done during the day. And all those hours in between when I do all those stupid things…. There’s that cute little redheaded girl eating her lunch over there. I wonder what she would do if I went over and asked her if I could sit and have lunch with her?… She’d probably laugh right in my face…it’s hard on a face when it gets laughed in. There’s an empty place next to her on the bench. There’s no reason why I couldn’t just go over and sit there. I could do that right now. All I have to do is stand up…I’m standing up!… I’m sitting down. I’m a coward. I’m so much of a coward, she wouldn’t even think of looking at me. She hardly ever does look at me. In fact, I can’t remember her ever looking at me. Why shouldn’t she look at me? Is there any reason in the world why she shouldn’t look at me? Is she so great, and I’m so small, that she can’t spare one little moment?… SHE’S LOOKING AT ME!! SHE’S LOOKING AT ME!!
From YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, based on the comic strip PEANUTS by Charles M. Schulz, book by Clark Gesner
GEORGE: Hello, Emily, I just wanted to say you made a fine speech in class. Gee, it’s funny, Emily. From my window up there, I can just see your head at nights when you’re doing your homework over in your room. You certainly do stick to it, Emily. I don’t see how you can sit still that long. I guess you like school… Emily, what do you think? We might work out a kinda telegraph from your window to mine; and once in a while you could give me a hint or two about one of those algebra problems. I don’t mean the answers, Emily, of course not…just some kinda hint… Anyway it was nice talking to ya. Goodbye.
From OUR TOWN, by Thornton Wilder
