IRENE RYAN SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS

KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATRE FESTIVAL

REGION V

FESTIVAL XXXVI

Monday, January 19 to Saturday, January 24, 2004

Denver, Colorado

The Irene Ryan Scholarships provide recognition, honor, and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education. The Irene Ryan Foundation awards 19 regional awards and two fellowships annually. 16 of the awards consist of a $500 scholarship for the representatives of the regional KCACTF. There are two scholarships of $2,500 each for the winners at the national festival in Washington, D.C. In addition, the student judged the Best Partner in the national auditions is awarded a cash prize of $250. Other awards at the national level include a fellowship to attend the Society of American Fight Directors' National Stage Combat Workshop, the Williamstown Theatre Festival Fellowship for outstanding minority candidates, the KCACTF Classical Acting Award of $500, the Mark Twain Comedy Acting Awards of $2500 and $1000, and a fellowship to attend the Margolis method Summer Intensive in Minneapolis, a fellowship to attend the Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre and Mad River Festival, and an offer to become a member of the acting company of the Sundance Theatre Laboratory. The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships are, indeed, scholarships; so the Foundation sends the award to a school designated by the winner where it is used to pay tuition and fees for further education, not necessarily limited to theatre arts.

The following applies to Irene Ryan scholarship auditions held at regional festivals and at the national festival:

1. Only those performers who have appeared in either a participating or associate KCACTF entry and are bona fide students in a college or university at the time of the KCACTF response are eligible. For the purpose of these awards, a bona fide student is:

· an undergraduate student registered for at least six semester or equivalent quarter hours;

· or a graduate student registered for at least three semester or equivalent quarter hours;

· or a continuing part-time student enrolled in a regular degree or certificate program.

Undergraduate, graduate, and continuing part-time students must be matriculating and seeking a degree at the time of the KCACTF official response.

2. The chair of the theatre department (or the equivalent academic officer) must verify the student and partner's status in writing to the regional chair and/or vice-chair prior to the regional festival's Irene Ryan auditions.

3. Each director of a participating or associate production must inform all eligible students of the Irene Ryan rules.

4. Each college or university may nominate one student performer from the cast of each of its participating entries and one student performer from the cast of each of its associate entries. KCACTF representatives may nominate two additional performers from the casts of participating entries, and one additional performer from the casts of associate entries.

5. The regional chair or delegate shall notify each of the nominees of his or her selection as an Irene Ryan competitor.

6. Each competitor shall bear all expenses of attending the regional festival (unless these expenses are otherwise provided for within the region). (Transportation, lodging, and a per diem allowance are provided for each national festival competitor and for each partner. However, if a regional finalist cannot be present for the National Festival Saturday evening rehearsal at the Kennedy Center, the additional airfare for his/her Sunday arrival will not be the responsibility of the Kennedy Center of KCACTF.) Please note: The Saturday evening Irene Ryan rehearsal at the Kennedy Center is a closed rehearsal. Only candidates, their partners, and accompanists will be allowed. Coaches may attend the Sunday dress rehearsal but will not be admitted to the Saturday night rehearsal.

7. Not more than sixteen nominees shall appear in final auditions at the regional festival. In those regions where more than sixteen competitors qualify for the regional festival, the regional chair will determine a screening system. The screening system should insure that no nominee should perform more than twice on any day, so screening and final rounds may be scheduled over a two-day period. Whenever possible, pre-screening rounds should be combined with an audition workshop.

8. The regional pre-screening and final auditions will normally occur prior to any of the productions scheduled for regional festival presentation. However, when the regional chair can use final round judges who have not seen festival productions prior to the final round, that round may be held any time.

9. Academic professionals affiliated with regional institutions must not judge the final round of the regional festival.

10. The names of the winners and the first alternate shall be communicated first to the regional chair and subsequently announced at a time designated by the chair.

11. Audition material should be selected from the following:

· material in the public domain

· material written for or by the candidate

· material for which permission of the rights holder can be secured (for more information, check PERFORMANCE RIGHTS )

Written proof of permission from the rights holder must be presented at each level of Irene Ryan auditions for any material which has not previously been designated as available.

Cuts or changes to published material may be in violation of copyright. KCACTF expects that nominees will abide by the rights holder’s restrictions regarding cuts and changes. KCACTF affirms the author’s right to have his/her work presented to the public with integrity.

KCACTF will pay any royalties for material presented in the National "Evening of Scenes" at the Kennedy Center. Please note: Irene Ryan candidates selected to perform at the Kennedy Center's National Irene Ryan Evening of Scenes must provide his or her regional chair or vice-chair with proof of royalty clearance for the selected audition material (if it has not previously been designated as available) within 10 days of the close of the regional festival. All rights documentation will then be forwarded to the KCACTF national office. If the candidate is unable to provide rights clearance documentation, the regional chair reserves the right to send the Irene Ryan regional alternate to the KCACTF Washington Festival.

12. Each candidate and partner shall be introduced by name and selection only.

13. A rehearsal shall be scheduled in the performance space before the final round of auditions.

14. Only basic lighting is permitted and will be provided by the host for the rehearsal and performance.

15. When an actor or actress has qualified for auditions at the regional festival, he or she should very carefully choose two contrasting scenes to be presented at the festival. The presentation shall be limited to five (5) minutes, including transitions between scenes. Timing of the audition will begin with the first action or word in character following the set-up and introduction. Participants exceeding the five-minute (plus 15 second grace) time limit risk disqualification. Audition pieces will be timed at every level of auditions, including the KCACTF Irene Ryan “Evening of Scenes” in Washington. Any performer exceeding the five-minute, 15-second limit at the Kennedy Center National Festival performance will be disqualified.

16. The Irene Ryan audition must be composed of two separate selections. At least one selection must be a scene performed with a partner who is a bona fide student at the time of initial screening. (No Irene Ryan competitor may perform with another Irene Ryan competitor). If both selections are performed with another actor or actress, the same person must be used in both scenes. If a musical number is one of the two scenes, the accompanist will not count as the partner.

17. At the regional level, an Irene Ryan partner may serve as a partner a maximum of two times per festival. A scene partner must be a bona fide student either during the term in which the KCACTF respondent originally screened the production, or during the term in which the Regional Festival occurs. Candidates and their partners need not be students at the same institution.

18. It is recommended that no costume as such be used. A costume accessory may be used.

19. Two chairs and a table will be provided by the host for the audition. If simple hand props are used, the competitor must provide them.

20. The two winners of the regional Irene Ryan auditions must provide the regional chair with two 8"x10" photos labeled with his or her name, permanent address, and school address. Each winner must also provide to his or her regional chair (within one week of the closing of that regional festival) the name of the school and the administrative official at that school to whom the regional scholarship funds should be directed. The regional chair will forward this information to Kingsley Colton, Executive Director of the Irene Ryan Foundation.

21. Awards are also given to two recipients for outstanding musical acting and two recipients for outstanding classical acting. The recipients will be selected from the semi-final round by two separate panels of qualified region five colleagues. First and second place awards in each category will be $100 and $50 respectively.