ADVANCED CAMP AUDITIONS
Auditions for Summer 2025 Something Rotten Jr are open to PDC students currently in 5th - 8th gr who have been in at least two shows with us.

Auditions will be held at St. David of Wales in the basement classroom on Thursday January 30, Friday January 31, Sunday February 2 and Monday February 3.
Please do not sign up for an audition time slot during your rehearsal time.

An advanced PDC student is not necessarily the absolute best singer or dancer, but has theater skills they have developed over many classes, camps and shows. Having been in our shows, the advanced student takes a great deal of pride in being a serious student and working hard individually and as a team to create a terrific show. They know how to support each other because being in a show is never about one role or one actor, but the cast as a whole. In advanced camp we do not spend as much time developing our fundamental theater skills through games and activities because it is expected that these students have already learned them. Caroline will not only consider what happens at the audition, but also base decisions on the student’s dedication, work ethic, attitude and performance in previous camps or classes (or on recommendations from other PDC directors in other schools if she has not spent as much time with them).

This audition is for placement in the camp only. We will not officially cast the show until we hold callbacks on the first day of camp. Callback information will be sent one week before camp as we have done for advanced camp auditions in the past. All kids will have a call back song assigned. On day one, students will learn a dance combo and sing for roles. Decisions on acceptance into the camp will be sent via email and posted here b February 6th so students can decide if they’d like to proceed with this camp or register for a different camp. Regular registration is February 8th. Please only register your child for one camp on the first day. Students can register for additional camps on February 9th at 9am and beyond provided there is still space. Financial assistance and payment plans are offered the same as for any camp.

Audition Details

The audition will consist of preparing a short portion of the song (more details coming soon below) and a short interview with Caroline after you sing. It will take about 5 minutes. Please be a few minutes early so we can stay on schedule. Please remain quiet in the hall.

Everyone will sing the same song until call backs on the first day of camp.
Please listen to both songs here to understand the humor and tone of the show (there are also sides and lyrics- sheet music coming soon). You will sing an excerpt from A Musical as the character Nostradamus. from the 22 second mark through 53 second mark (through to “…then ya gotta create a musical!”).
Something Rotten Jr (vocals)
Something Rotten Jr (instrumental)
Nostradamus and Nick sides (for understanding A Musical and the character Nostradamus a little better)
Opening lines and lyrics to A Musical
SHEET MUSIC COMING SOON
Your audition should be memorized.

STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE:
PLEASE audition even if you think you won’t get in. Caroline will make this experience as light and fun as possible in the short time you are in the room - she is already proud of you for signing up. Auditioning is a valuable experience, it shows us that you are serious and your bravery will be remembered. Try not to get discouraged. Please know that not getting into advanced camp is often just a numbers game- some years we will have many older or experienced kids audition and some years we may have fewer. Some years we will have a show that requires a variety of different ages and heights or a special dance ability. Some years we may choose to double cast or try something different - or any number of other considerations may go into placement and casting. If you want to continue with theater as you get older please continue to try again and again. The more auditions you have the less scary they will seem.

We don’t know how many kids will audition. Maybe only 30 kids will and that means 30 kids get in. There are 65 audition slots available.

Some helpful or just fun links: Broadway Rehearsal Something Rotten Sneak peek

Why require auditions?

As PDC grows, we believe holding auditions for specific camps or classes is better and fairer than whose parent is faster at registering online. In the past we have had students who were not prepared for the rigor of camp and did not have the basic theater games and activities committed to memory like some of our other students who were stuck on the wait list. Or, we had students who did not uphold the integrity and drive that advanced students are expected to have at camp.

We know kids have varying levels of ability and interest in theater. There should be a camp for driven, experienced kids and other camps for kids who are starting out or just want to have some fun.

We have about 100 eligible kids across all of our after school programs and previous summer camps who are in grades 5 - 8 this year and who will have done at least 2 shows with PDC. Some kids who have been in our program since kindergarten end up on wait lists. Last summer we had about 40 kids on a wait list for our camps (even after our 1-camp-per-kid restriction!). We’ve noticed many of the students who end up on wait lists are in the middle school age range -and those camps/classes fill the fastest- so we want to provide enough spaces for them to try being in musical theater productions and build skills.

We do hear, see and consider your feedback via email, phone calls, conversations and our end of summer poll while making decisions for future camps or classes. We know many less experienced middle schoolers would like to join the fun with their advanced theater friends who they have watched on stage over the years. Please understand advanced camp is like a varsity sports team - new kids would be very lost without the proper fundamental skills and experience. Ballet has levels of dance, karate has belts to achieve, soccer has club teams, etc. We know from experience that new students will have a better personal, confidence-building experience in one of our other camps.

PDC acknowledges that Portland has many wonderful children’s theater companies in town that offer valuable training and that many students may have had years of experience at other spaces. Because we have so many eligible students, PDC can not make exceptions for your child no matter their level of experience or talent. We are happy to offer other terrific and challenging camps to take instead where they can lead and shine.

If you have questions that have not been answered on this page please email Caroline.