▁and ▁grade ▁eight , ▁first ▁term ▁report ▁card . ▁They ▁must ▁also ▁submit ▁a ▁filled - out ▁form ▁indicating ▁their ▁preference ▁of ▁arts ▁major ( s ) ▁and ▁minor , ▁their ▁preference ▁of ▁academic ▁subjects ▁( ac ade mic , ▁applied ▁or ▁locally ▁developed ) ▁and ▁their ▁past ▁instruction ▁in ▁their ▁area ( s ) ▁of ▁interest . ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁aud ition ▁process , ▁they ▁must ▁write ▁an ▁ess ay ▁on ▁a ▁suggested ▁topic ▁( known ▁only ▁on ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁aud ition ▁and ▁written ▁on ▁location ) ▁and ▁under go ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁some ▁distinguished ▁individuals ▁from ▁the ▁school ▁( grad u ates , ▁instruct ors , ▁etc .) ▁in ▁their ▁area ▁of ▁interest . ▁Each ▁year ▁approximately ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁students ▁are ▁aud ition ed ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 ▁students ▁are ▁accepted , ▁primarily ▁at ▁the ▁grade ▁ 9 ▁level , ▁however , ▁some ▁students ▁may ▁be ▁accepted ▁at ▁higher ▁grade ▁levels ▁should ▁places ▁become ▁available . ▁ ▁The ▁arts ▁E SA ▁offers ▁art istic ▁programs ▁for ▁students ▁who ▁successfully ▁complete ▁the ▁aud ition ▁process ▁in ▁the ▁major ▁of ▁their ▁choice , ▁namely ▁D rama , ▁Dance , ▁Contempor ary ▁Art , ▁Film , ▁Music ▁( B and ▁or ▁Str ings ), ▁and ▁Musical ▁Theatre . ▁At ▁E SA ▁students ▁have ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁an ▁experienced ▁arts ▁fac ulty ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁numerous ▁professional ▁" vis iting ▁artists ". ▁ ▁D rama ▁Main stage , ▁the ▁depart ments ▁head lin er ▁production