Auditions

The audition flow takes a production from "we're casting" to "we have offers out" without paper. It has four stages: form, submission, slots, and the day-of.

Stage 1 — Build the form

Open your production's Auditions tab and click Edit Form. The form starts with a default set of fields covering the basics: name, contact, conflicts, prior experience, and the role(s) the performer is interested in. Customize as needed:

• Add fields — text, long-form text, single-select, multi-select, date, file upload (headshots, resumes), or a video URL.
• Required vs optional — required fields block submission until filled.
• Role preferences — the performer can rank the roles they are interested in. The catalog's character list pre-populates these.
• Conflict calendar — performers mark dates they cannot attend. These flow through to the casting board so you can see scheduling problems before you offer a role.

Stage 2 — Share the form

Each production has a public audition form URL — typically app.musicalendars.com/forms/<your-key-code>. Share it on your company's website, your school newsletter, or anywhere your audition pool lives. Anyone with the link can submit; no account is required. A returning performer who already has a MusiCal account is offered the option to sign in so the form pre-fills from their performer profile.

The form is live the moment you finish editing it. To close auditions, set a deadline in the form settings — submissions are blocked after that timestamp.

Stage 3 — Review and score submissions

Submissions land in Auditions → Submissions. For each performer you can:

• Read the full submission, including any uploaded files and video links.
• Score the submission on a 1-to-5 scale, or use a custom rubric if your company set one up. Multiple staff members can score independently; the scoreboard averages.
• Tag the performer with anything useful — a callback list, a specific role you want to see them read for, "consider for swing".
• Comment privately with other staff. Comments are not visible to the performer.

The Scoreboard view sorts performers by average score, by tag, or by role preference, so you can quickly identify who you want to call back.

Stage 4 — Schedule audition slots

If you are running in-person callbacks, open Auditions → Slots. Block out the dates and times you have the room, then either:

• Assign performers manually — drag a name from the submission list onto a slot.
• Open self-scheduling — the performer receives a link letting them pick from the available slots.

Each performer gets a confirmation with their slot time. Slots can be one-on-one or group (ten people for an ensemble dance call, for example).

Stage 5 — The day of auditions

Open Auditions → Check-In on a tablet at the audition table. As performers arrive, search by name or scan the QR code from their confirmation email to check them in. The check-in screen shows the schedule for the day and flags late or no-show performers. Notes you take during the audition (next to your scoring) are saved against the submission, so the same notes appear on the scoreboard back in the office.

Exporting

Need a CSV for the music director, or a paper backup for the table? Auditions → Export gives you the full submission list with scores, tags, and notes in a single file. Common uses: emailing the music director the prepared piece each performer brought, printing a paper running order for the day, or archiving submissions after casting closes.

After auditions

Once you have a sense of who you want, move to Casting and Offers to send role offers and turn accepted offers into a final cast list.