To get an audition, please follow these two easy steps:
STEP 1: complete our online application by March 31, 2012 (first come, first served)
STEP 2: attend our Auditions/Information Session from 1:30pm to 5:30pm on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at the Holiday Inn
(30 Carlton Street) in the ROSEDALE ROOM.
There is absolutely no fee to participate in Spectra.
If you missed this deadline, please subscribe to Spectra so you can
receive notices about our 2013 Auditions (in October).
WHO CAN AUDITION?
Spectra welcomes groups AND solo acts from all disciplines. Due to liability, we cannot accept dare-devil acts, acts that use fire, or other potentially dangerous acts.
To audition at Spectra, you should:
be a resident of Ontario
be 16 years of age OR OLDER
be respectful
celebrate diversity
be talented
be motivated
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE AUDITION
Please try to arrive on time for your audition (1:30pm sharp on Sunday, April 1 in the Rosedale Room in the Holiday Inn - 30 Carlton Street).
When you arrive you will be given a registration form and a waiver to sign. After this, the event producer will hold a one-hour information session on how Spectra works. At this time, feel free to ask questions.
After the information session, each auditionee will be called into a private room (the Avenue Room) where they will audition before (three or more) members of our friendly Jury. Those who register online first will be auditioned first.
When you audition, please come prepared to perform for one minute. NOTE: if you are entering more than one discipline, you will be given an additional minute for each discipline you enter.
Please note: at the auditions, we cannot provide a sound system or microphone, but a CD player will be available if your act requires music or a backing track (under these circumstances, please bring a CD or an MP3 player with your track and be prepared to quickly cue your track).
While the auditions are taking place, Spectra will offer two professional workshops in the holding tank (at no cost):
2:30pm to 4:00pm - Overcoming stage fright
4:00pm to 5:30pm - How to build a network of fans & produce your own shows
Everyone who auditions at Spectra will receive an email on April 2, 2012 from the event producer. At this time, you will be slotted into one of six groups:
GROUP A - performing on Friday, April 13, 2012 (at 11:30pm)
GROUP B - performing on Friday, May 11, 2012 (at 11:30pm)
GROUP C - performing on Friday, June 8, 2012 (at 11:30pm)
GROUP D - performing on Friday, July 13, 2012 (at 11:30pm)
GROUP E - performing on Friday, August 10, 2012 (at 11:30pm)
WAITING LIST
Once you receive this email, please reply (confirming your participation) by April 4. If we don't hear from you by this date, we will assume you are not interested and will give your spot to someone on our waiting list.
If you are invited to perform at Spectra, please make sure your performance is no longer than four-minutes.
On nights you perform, a Jury will evaluate your performace and the audience will vote for their favourite performers. Based on a combination of Jury scores (50%) and audience votes (50%), the top performers will receive prizes and be invited to perform the following month.
Everyone who performs will receive a prize (if you are part of a group act, you will need to divide your prizes).
After the five showcase rounds have concluded, the eight performers (representing the following disciplines with the highest scores) will be chosen to perform in the Grand Slam on September 14 for additional prizes.
top vocalist
top musician
top comedian
top dancer
top carnival performer
top drag king
top drag queen
top cultural act
MULTI-DISCIPLINE PERFORMERS
Multi-discipline performers will be given an extra minute of audition time for every discipline they wish to enter at Spectra (and evaluated separately for each discipline).
The breakdown of disciplines at Spectra is as follows:
cultural acts (opera singers, latin dance, traditional music, etc)
If you are a multi-discipline performer, you can only represent ONE discipline (at a time) and earn only ONE spot in the 2012 Grand Slam. Once you withdraw or are eliminated, you will be put on the Waiting List under your second (or third) discipline-of-choice so you will be invited back to win more prizes.
If you are representing a specific discipline, there’s nothing stopping you from wowing the audience by giving a multi-discipline performance (for example: if you are a singer/dancer but are chosen to represent the dance discipline, you are permitted to sing while you dance -- so long as your performance properly showcases your abilities as a dancer).
VIDEO AUDITIONS
You may audition at Spectra by emailing a video link (of a performance) to producer@queeridol.ca. The deadline to apply this way is March 25, 2012. This option is only available under the following circumstances:
if your work or school schedule prevents you for attending the auditions on April 1 (but you're still available to perform in our showcase on the second Friday of the month from 10pm to 2am at 120 Church Street, Toronto)
if you use a musicial instrument that needs to be hooked into a sound system
if you live outside Toronto but are able to commute here for your showcase performances and/or rehearsals (if the Jury accepts you).
PERFORMERS AGED 16 to 18
You must be 16+ to participate in Spectra. Performers under 19 will need parental consent to participate and must wear a special armband because the showcase is held in a venue that serves alcohol. No other guests (under 19) are allowed to attend the showcase (at 120 Church Street).
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY
The venue where the showcase is held is not wheelchair accessible. However, if a performer using a wheelchair wishes to participate in Spectra, special accommodations will be made. Please contact the Producer by March 25, 2012 to discuss these arrangements.
