Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance (GVPTA)

Programs + Initiatives

2022 Unified General Auditions (UGAs)

The 2022 Unified General Auditions (UGAs) were presented virtually, with performers' recorded auditions and introductions provided to directors and theatre hiring personnel from across the region via an online viewing platform over a set period of time. 


Applications are closed. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on the 2023 program. 


2022 UGAs Timeline

​Here are the important dates to remember:

  • March 7 @ 1:00pm – Deadline to apply
  • March 10 @ 12:00pm - Extended deadline to apply
  • March 14 – Notification of application results
  • March 29 – If invited, deadline to submit self-tape audition and materials
  • Mid-April –Materials are made available to participating theatre companies
  • Mid-June – UGAs close and a summary of participating theatre companies will be provided to performers

Eligibility & Expectations

​Expand the accordion below to learn about whether you're eligible to apply, and what to expect if you're invited to participate in the UGAs. 

Am I eligible to apply for the UGAs?
  • You must be based in British Columbia. 
    • Individuals who have temporarily relocated outside of B.C. due to the pandemic but intend to return by the summer are eligible to apply.
  • Full CAEA members in good standing with the union are eligible to apply and participate with no fees.
  • Full UBCP/ACTRA members in good standing with the union and theatre-specific credits or training on their resume, are eligible to apply and participate with no fees.
  • All other performers who are not full CAEA or UBCP/ACTRA members may apply. If invited to participate, you must be a current GVPTA Individual Member (sliding scale starting from $10) to confirm your spot.
  • Performers who participated in the 2021 digital UGAs are not eligible.
What should I expect if invited?
Performers invited to participate in the UGAs can expect the following:
  • You will submit an audition package containing your video audition, a headshot, and resumé. See "If I'm invited" below for further details and guidelines.
  • All UGA packages will be available to watch by invited directors and company representatives over a two-month period.

  • Callbacks are at the sole discretion of each attending production company or director, all of whom will contact you using the information on your resumé. See FAQ for more details.

How do I apply?
​Past application requirements.

Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee a spot to audition. 
1. General Details
  • Your full name, email, and phone number;
  • The city in B.C. you're based in;
  • Whether you participated or were invited to participate in the UGAs in the past.
2. Headshot
  • One headshot in PDF or JPEG format (maximum 10MB);
  • File format must include your Full Name, Content of file, and PDF/JPEG format. (e.g. Jane_Doe-Headshot.pdf);
  • Digital dimension equivalent to a 8 x 10” printed shot;
  • Please ensure the headshot looks like you.
3. Theatrical Resumé
  • One document, a maximum of two pages in PDF format (maximum 10MB);
  • File name must include your Full Name, Content of file, and PDF format. (e.g. Jane_Doe-Resume.pdf);
  • Ensure your name and contact information are included;
  • Recommended: Put your theatre credits at the top of the resumé;


Tip: Search "Sample Theatre Resume" online for some clear examples of formatting, typically a three-column format.

4. Audition Type
Indicate your intention to do either a monologue-only or monologue and song audition.
5. Union Status
  • Indicate whether you are a full member of CAEA or UBCP/ACTRA (member number required);
  • If non-union, whether you're a current GVPTA member.
If I'm invited...
​Following the application review, performers who are selected to participate in the UGAs will be asked to submit a self-taped video to be viewed by directors.

Your recording will include an audition (maximum of 3 minutes) and optional self introduction (maximum of 2 minutes).  The total video length cannot exceed five (5) minutes.

Each director will have access to watch your audition videos and to download your headshot and resumé, in order to directly contact performers they wish to see for a specific callback at a later date. 
Audition Video Requirements
Performers will submit a video which may be a maximum of five (5) minutes in length. 

Your one video file will include, in the following order:
  1. Slate (name and audition pieces)
  2. Audition piece(s) (maximum of 3 minutes)
  3. Introduce Yourself (optional; maximum of 2 minutes... up to the total video length of 5 min)

Video specifications:
  • All submission videos must be in .MOV or .MP4 format
  • Resolution: 720 p - 1080 p (HD)
  • Compressed files preferred (maximum 200 MB)
  • Filmed horizontally
Audition Specifications
  • A short slate of your full name, pronouns and which pieces (one or two) you will be performing. 
  • Your audition pieces, together, may be a maximum of three (3) minutes in duration. You can present either:
    • Monologue only - Monologues must be memorized and from a published playwright/script. We recommend choosing either:
      • Two contrasting 90-second monologues, OR 
      • One 3 minute monologue that shows your range. 

    OR:

    • Monologue and singing. If this option is selected, we recommend choosing one monologue and 32 bars from one song. Note: We are not offering singing-only audition slots.
      • Monologues must be memorized and from a published playwright/script.
      • Singing auditions may be either acapella OR with music (as either a live backtrack or accompaniment by your own instrument).
Introduction Specifications (optional)
For the remainder of the time following your audition, up to the maximum of five (5) minutes for your video package, you are welcome to introduce yourself to the directors. This may include, but is not limited to: 
  • Your artistic practice - Who are you as a person and performer? What kind of training or experience helped define your practice? What are your values as a performer?
  • Relevant skills - Any relevant skills from your resume you’d like to share?
  • Interests - What are your interests? Inspirations in theatre? Fun facts about yourself?

An introduction to your audition is not required for your audition video, but can be helpful for directors to get to know you better!

​Frequently Asked Questions for Performers

If you have any additional questions, contact Davey Calderon at davey@gvpta.ca.

1. How do the 2022 UGAs work?

Performers invited to the 2022 UGAs will submit a video of up to 5 minutes in duration that includes their audition and a brief introduction of themselves. These videos, along with performers' resumés and headshots, will be accessible to participating directors for approximately two months. 
2. How do I get invited to participate in the UGAs?

Review the eligibility criteria and fill out the application form linked at the top of this page by the deadline.
3. How do I become a GVPTA member?
If you are invited to participate in the UGAs, and you are not a full CAEA or UBCP/ACTRA member, you will be required to have a current GVPTA Individual Membership to confirm your spot. 

If you are not a current member, you will be asked to fill out a membership application form and pay an annual fee (sliding scale from $10). Find more information about membership here
4. Why are you not hosting Qualifiers this year?

In previous years, prior to the pandemic, we hosted Qualifiers in order to assess performers to be invited to participate in the UGAs. Because the 2022 UGAs are online, we will not be pre-auditioning performers. 


Applying for the UGAs does not guarantee an invitation to participate. 

5. How long can my audition video be?

The total video length cannot exceed 5 minutesThe audition portion can be a maximum of 3 minutes and introductions can take up the remaining time. 


Example 1: 

  • Slate (20 seconds)
  • Audition (3 minutes)
  • Introduction (1 min 40 seconds)

Example 2: 
  • Slate (15 seconds)
  • Audition (2 minutes 45 seconds)
  • Introduction (2 minutes)
6. Does my audition piece need to be memorized?

Yes, in order to showcase yourself in the best light, your audition should be memorized.


7. Where should I be looking during my audition?

When you’re performing, please focus your gaze just off camera to the side or above camera, just like you would do for stage or taped auditions. 


For your slate and introduction portion, you should look into the camera.


8. Will I get a callback from any of the directors?

Callbacks are at the discretion of each director and producing company, all of whom will be provided with your resume to reach out to you directly. 


GVPTA is not a producing organization, and will not hold any callback auditions or be a liaison for any of the participating companies.

9. Who will I be auditioning for?

All GVPTA Member Companies are invited to view the video submissions. Independent directors and non-member companies are also invited to participate if they intend to hire or create work in the next year. Given the shift to digital auditions which can be viewed over the course of two months, we cannot guarantee the number of directors or which individuals from the companies will watch your audition.


For our current list of GVPTA member companies, check our member directory.

10. I'm a singer. Is there a musical audition?

Singers may choose to perform a monologue as well as a song within your available audition time frame. You can choose to sing acapella or with music (as either a live backtrack or accompaniment by your own instrument). Please note that we are not offering singing-only audition slots.

11. What are some video and audio best practices and advice? Can I view an example?
General best practices for filming your audition video:
  • You’re welcome to film yourself with your phone, video recorder, or video camera;
  • Make sure you have front lighting so we can see your face;
  • Try your best to record in a quiet room or at a time with the least amount of background noise. Audio quality is key!
  • Do not use overlay filters or effects while filming your video;
  • Make sure you are framed in the shot and about 3/4s of you is visible (torso up), and camera is at eye level (not from above or below shots);
  • Do some research before-hand on your video settings, if you are new to self-taping checkout the articles below:

We've created an example audition video to help guide you, at https://youtu.be/T_I2rRA8LG4.
12. Can I view an example of a recording?

To help you prepare your recording, we've created a sample video for reference: https://youtu.be/T_I2rRA8LG4.

13. What technical support can the GVPTA offer for submissions?
If you have specific technical complications for your submission our team can try and help, albeit limited resources ourselves. 

Specifically if you have trouble with your media files (video or audio) being attached to our online application form, then feel free to use either WeTransfer or shareable Google Drive link and send that to Davey at davey@gvpta.ca.

Please let us know if you have any barriers or challenges as you prepare your materials.

Articles on alternatives for submitting video or audio files:
  • WeTransfer is a free to use platform (although you can sign up to get more features) where folks can transfer files and prevent further compression (ie prevents file quality to be compromised). If you need a quick tutorial on how to use it, check out this video (made by JayCLife). Troubleshooting for WeTransfer can be found here on their Help page.
  • Google Drive Sharing is a way to use your Google Drive to share files (make sure to upload those files in your Drive first). If you need a quick tutorial on how to set up a shareable file via Google Drive, check out this video (made by LAT IT Trainer).