Theater Students Visit Chicago for 2026 National Unified Auditions

March 3, 2026

The Perpich students and instructors at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago

Every February, inside the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, the theater departments of several dozen colleges converge to hold the National Unified Auditions, a make-or-break, do-or-die audition week for anxious, hopeful theater kids. This year, four students from Perpich Arts High School were part of the action, travelling to Chicago for the experience. From February 2–5, 25 select university theater programs conducted simultaneous auditions and interviews for admission.

When Elsie Erickson (Musical Theater 2026) first heard she’d be traveling to Chicago for the National Unified Auditions, her reaction was immediate: “I was really excited,” she said. “I was gonna have to go with my parents or by myself if we didn’t go as a school to audition. So I was like, ‘this is gonna be really cool’.”

The trip to Chicago on Amtrak’s Borealis line included instructors Kevin Hohlstein and Tory Peterson and four students: Elsie Erickson, Natalie Campbell (Musical Theater 2026), Ruth Civettini (Musical Theater 2026), and Gwyn Devillers (Musical Theater 2026). Before the high-stakes auditions, the group spent the weekend exploring the city and immersing themselves in theater.

They participated in a workshop with The Neo-Futurists and Connor Shioshita Pickett, Artistic Director. The ensemble is known for creating fast-paced, personal performance pieces. The experience pushed Erickson outside her comfort zone. “It was kind of hard,” she said. “You can’t play a character… it was more of a meditation grounding experience. You’re writing about your own life and putting it into your body.” The group then attended a performance of “The Infinite Wrench: Thirty Plays in Sixty Minutes”.

The group later attended a performance of “The Dance of Death” at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where Erickson found herself captivated not only by the show but by the space itself. “The architecture was incredible,” she said. “It just added to the show.” Upon returning to Perpich, the Theater students were able to connect with Steppenwolf founder and actor, Jeff Perry, via video call. They discussed the rise of regional theater and of Steppenwolf, from the suburb of Highland Park to Chicago.

When auditions began, the pace shifted. Erickson completed nine auditions over two days, one scheduled in advance and the rest as walk-ins. “Game faces were always on,” she said. “They’re always watching you. Or you’re networking.”

Despite the pressure and the hundreds of theater students from across the country, Erickson surprised herself with her calm. “I thought I would be a lot more nervous than I actually was,” she said. “I was just kind of cool as a cucumber.”

Elsie Erickson (left) with classmate Natalie Campbell

She also found the auditions more personal than expected. Rather than quick, five-minute slots, some schools scheduled 20-minute windows that allowed time for conversation. “I was able to have conversations with the people who were auditioning me,” she said. “They got to know me.”

For juniors at Perpich who are considering Unifieds in the future, Erickson’s advice is simple: “Just go for it. You never know what they’re looking for.” She encourages students not to count themselves out based on assumptions about talent or cost. “If they want you, they’ll pay,” she said. “You truly have no idea what their standards are or what they’re looking for.”

Beyond the auditions, the trip offered something just as meaningful: time together with classmates and friends. The Perpich students spent their evenings doing skincare, watching cartoons, and talking in their hotel room. Mornings meant doing makeup by the window, overlooking the city skyline.

“It was kind of incredible,” Erickson said. “Just to spend time with people that I would not have gone on a trip with out of the blue randomly.”

For Erickson, the National Unified Auditions were more than a college search milestone. The experience was a reminder that growth happens both onstage and off.