2022 Pittsburgh Steeline “Hype Man” Auditions
Do you think you have what it takes to be the face and voice of the Pittsburgh Steeline?! Here is additional information on how you can become our next Pittsburgh Steeline Hype Man (or Hype Woman)!
What is the Hype Man?
The Steeline Hype Man is the person who introduces the Steeline before our performances on game day when we play for fans outside the stadium. The Hype Man gets fans pumped up, helps start “Here We Go Steelers” cheers, introduces each of our pieces, and basically just helps everybody have a good time! The links below provide a few examples of previous “Hype Men” in action!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us1SscMsybY&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--P3PI61hmA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73cZqqlTCOk
The Steeline Hype Man also gets to go into Steelers games and assist with the live game day production from the Steeline performance area. There will be light “roadie” type duties associated with supporting a live music ensemble, including assisting members with basic setup tasks such as helping setting up drum stands, passing out microphones, and being an extra set of available hands while our performers get/remain ready to perform during the games.
What are the Qualifications?
1.) Must have “stage presence,” and be an experienced PERFORMER. Drumming experience is not required! You must have experience working a crowd, comfortable using your voice to address a crowd, come across as engaging and confident, and be able to get people excited in a fun and positive way. We’re looking for people who are personable, extroverted, can be silly, and aren’t afraid to ask people to cheer and get loud! The past people with the following types of experience have done well as our Hype Man:
-Frontman/Frontwoman of bands
-Musicians
-MC’s
-Musical Theater Performers
-Actors
-Comedians
-Public Address Announcers
While the role of Hype Man is not limited only to people with these backgrounds, these types of skills are a major plus. We generally tend to find that individuals who have experience as musicians or experience working with musicians are typically best suited for the role.
2.) Must be at least 21 years of age by August 1st, 2022.
3.) “Hype Man” is the title of the role. This position is not limited by gender. Anyone interested who meets these requirements can apply to be our “Hype Man.”
4.) Must reside within 2 hours drive AND less than 100 miles (according to Google Maps) from Heinz Field.
What is the Time Commitment?
1.) Must be available for every Steelers home game, pre-season through playoffs. We report to Heinz Field about 4 hours before kickoff, and leave around 1 hour after the game ends. There are 10 home games each season, and most of them happen on Sunday afternoons or evenings. The Steelers schedule will be available at www.steelers.com by late April. This opportunity is essentially at 10 day per year commitment.
2.) Must be available to come to one or two of our Steeline rehearsals during the beginning of the season (Wednesday evenings, 7-10 PM in Pittsburgh). This is just to go through our performance set and make sure you’re comfortable working with our group.
3.) While not required, the Steeline Hype Man will have the opportunity to work for pay at other, non-Steelers game events that feature Steeline performances throughout the local area. We perform at parades, corporate events, concerts, Steelers special events and fan events, and many other interesting opportunities. While we don’t have opportunities at all of these, many throughout the year give us the opportunity to bring our Hype Man along to work if they’re available!
What is the Compensation?
1.) Like all of our performing musicians and staff, our Hype Man receives a small stipend payment for every game they work. This position is employment as an independent contractor. All performers must complete a w9 form at the start of the season, and be legally permitted to work in the United States.
2.) Credentialed access to every Steelers home game! We perform live from the field during Steelers home games!
3.) Free Steeline/Steelers clothing apparel throughout the year as needed. You will also be issued an official Steeline jersey to wear to all Steelers games.
What is the Audition Process?
We will be holding open auditions for this position. To begin the process, please fill out a brief online application below. After we receive your application, we will review it and then contact you about auditioning. The audition will happen in 2 rounds:
Round One: Video audition. You will be asked to submit a brief video (cell phone video OK) of you doing sample Hype Man announcements. We will reach out to you directly about the procedure and requirements for this after we receive your online application.
Round Two: In person audition. On Sunday, June 12th, from 2 PM to 5 PM, we will hold an in-person audition in Pittsburgh for a select group of auditionees based on the first round of video submissions. You will interact live with our musicians at this audition. If you are selected for round two, we will contact you directly.
Final Things to Remember
The Steeline casts a pretty wide net for who we consider to be a good Hype Man. We’ve had people from a wide range of backgrounds, ages, and walks of life take on this role for us. We are an easy group of people to work with, and consider ourselves very welcoming and friendly. At the same time, we take our role as the Official Drumline of the Pittsburgh Steelers very seriously, and hold our Hype Man, musicians, and staff to a high standards when it comes to punctuality, performance quality, being a team player, and putting forth 100% effort at all times. We love what we do, and hope that you are interested in joining us! Please fill out the application below, and we will be in touch!