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Center for the Arts

CFA Audition Information

Application Selection Criteria

Students are chosen for the CFA program based on their strengths and skills level exhibited at their performing arts audition and/or visual arts portfolio review; prior training and experiences as stated on the application; recommendations from teachers or others included in the application; and student transcripts and attendance records.

CFA Open House

Thursday, October 8, 2026 6:30 p.m. @ Henrico High School Auditorium

CFA Auditions: Saturday, January 9, 2027

CFA AUDITION DETAILS

Date & Location:
All auditions will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2027, at Henrico High School’s Center for the Arts facilities. The inclement weather date is Saturday, January 16, 2027. Make-up auditions are scheduled only in the event of a conflict with an HCPS-sanctioned event (sporting event, band/choral event, etc.) or by a serious medical condition documented by a licensed physician or doctor. All make-up auditions must be coordinated in advance with the CFA Specialty Center director. Students who fail to complete their audition or portfolio review automatically forfeit their CFA Specialty Center application.

Students may audition for one or two discipline areas but may enroll in only one area if accepted to the CFA as a rising 9th grader. Call the CFA Office at 804-228-2718 if you have questions about selecting an audition session.

CFA Auditions Sessions:

  • CFA Audition Sessions
    • Session A: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
    • Session B: 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
    • BREAK: 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
    • Session C: 1:30-3:00 p.m.
    • Session D: 3:15-4:45 p.m.
  • If you are applying for ONE discipline area, please select one audition session time.
  • If you are applying TWO different discipline areas, you must sign up for two different audition session times. We recommend that audition sessions are scheduled back-to-back (for example sessions A & B or C & D).
  • Please remember to write down your selected audition session(s)!

Audition Day Procedures:

  • Students should check in for their audition(s) 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start of their audition session. Check-in for Performing Arts students is located at the Henrico HS Auditorium Lobby; check-in for Visual Arts students is located at the CFA Visual Arts Building.
  • Applicants must plan to stay for the entire duration of the audition session.
  • Parents may not attend the audition. We will have a waiting area where parents can relax during their student's audition. The FCFA Booster Organization will be offering parent Q/A panels during each audition session; please see the check-in tables for more information.

Questions?
Please contact the CFA Office at 804-228-2718 for any questions about auditions.

  • Auditions for Dance Applicants on Saturday, January 9, 2027

    Audition Sessions
    Session A: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
    Session B: 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
    Session C: 1:30-3:00 p.m.
    Session D: 3:15-4:45 p.m.

    Dress
    Students should wear clothes they can move in: leotards, tights, leggings or jazz pants. No T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, skirts, shorts or jewelry can be worn. Wear clothes that do not have large patterns, drawings, writings or advertisements on them. Bring any dance shoes that you own. No stocking feet or socks. Please have hair pulled back and fixed so that it does not hinder movement.

    Audition
    Dance applicants will be asked to participate in a series of movements from several techniques such as ballet, jazz and modern dance for approximately 90 minutes. Students will learn a short combination of steps that they will perform with a small group as part of the audition. No prepared solo dance is needed for the audition; all dance is taught at the time of the audition. Each student will also have a brief interview. Each applicant must plan to stay for the entire audition time slot. Dance auditions will take place in the CFA Dance Studio.

  • Auditions for Musical Theater Applicants on Saturday, January 9, 2027

    Schedule
    Session A: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
    Session B: 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
    Session C: 1:30-3:00 p.m.
    Session D: 3:15-4:45 p.m.

    Dress: Musical theatre applicants should wear comfortable clothing for their auditions: leotards, tights, jazz pants or sweatpants with a close-fitting T-shirt. Bring jazz shoes for the dance audition if you have them. Otherwise, wear tennis shoes. No stocking feet or socks.

    Audition: Applicants will participate in a dance audition as well as a vocal audition. Individual vocal auditions will consist of one prepared piece of music from a Broadway musical or show, popular music, school choral music, church choral music or any other solo vocal literature. Rap music is not acceptable for this audition. Students must perform the song with the accompaniment. No a cappella singing is permitted. Students may bring the sheet music as an accompanist will be provided, or students may bring an accompaniment instrumental or karaoke version without vocalists on an MP3 player, flash drive or iPhone. All devices must be clearly marked and cued to start. Students will be vocalized to obtain range, aural memory and vocal tone. Each applicant must plan to stay for the entire audition time slot. Musical Theatre auditions will be held in the Henrico High School auditorium.

  • Auditions for Theatre on Saturday, January 9, 2027

    Audition Sessions
    Session A: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
    Session B: 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
    Session C: 1:30-3:00 p.m.
    Session D: 3:15-4:45 p.m.

    Dress: Students should wear clothes they can move in: tights, sweats, leotards, T-shirts or tank tops. Please do not wear clothes that have large drawings, writings or advertisements on them.

    Audition: Theatre applicants should prepare a monologue. A monologue is a cutting from a play that can stand on its own and does not require dialogue between two or more people. You will find books that contain monologues in your library or in bookstores. The monologue should be a minimum of one minute and a maximum of two minutes in length and should be memorized. Please avoid classical or Shakespearean monologues. Songs and poems will not be heard for this audition. Students will also participate in improvisational exercises with other applicants. Candidates will have a brief interview in which they will be asked about their interests in the center and their theatrical experiences. Each applicant must plan to stay for the entire audition time slot. Theatre auditions will take place in the CFA Black Box Theatre and the CFA Theatre classrooms.

  • Auditions (portfolio reviews) for Visual Arts on Saturday, January 9, 2027

    Audition Sessions
    Session A: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
    Session B: 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
    Session C: 1:30-3:00 p.m.
    Session D: 3:15-4:45 p.m.

    Audition: Visual arts applicants should bring a portfolio of their artwork. This work may have been produced in a school art program, through private lessons or at home. The portfolio should contain eight pieces of art. In your portfolio, you must include the following: two drawings (mandatory) from life (not your imagination or copies of pictures); six other pieces can be from your imagination but should demonstrate your best craftsmanship; variety of work including painting, drawing, printmaking and collage; variety of subject matter such as portraits, landscapes, still-life, design, abstract work; and three-dimensional art (not mandatory). If you are currently enrolled in an art class at school, please bring work from your art class. If you are not, complete the life drawings at home.

    The applicant will have a brief interview and drawing exercise to complete while waiting. Students should be prepared to discuss their reasons for wanting an advanced visual arts training at the center. Each applicant must plan to stay for the entire audition time slot. Visual Arts auditions will be held in the CFA Visual Arts Building.