High School Scholarship Acting Competition

The 42nd William Inge Theatre Festival

High School Acting Competition

ACTING COMPETITION:

Thursday, April 3rd, 2025, at 9:00 AM

Independence High School, Independence, Kansas

The schedule has been designed to take into consideration high school schedules with the acting competition two weeks prior to the Festival dates and the winning acting scenes performing Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM. The William Inge Theatre Festival, April 17-10, 2025 will have a matinee of Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Stanley on Thursday, April 17th at 9:00 AM and following will be workshops with our invited guests on the Independence Community College Campus (1051 W. College Avenue, Independence, KS) Thursday 12:30-1:45 PM and Friday 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. The selected High School Competition scenes will take place from 4-5:30 PM Thursday afternoon.

  • Deadline for scene selection entries: Monday, March 10, 2025.
  • $900 in cash award scholarships available.

Students compete for scholarship awards and the opportunity to perform their winning scene Thursday, April 17, 2025, at the William Inge Boyhood Home at 4:00PM for audiences at the 42nd annual William Inge Theater Festival.

PLAYWRITING COMPETITION:
The Willaim Inge Festival Foundation High School Playwrighting Competition at the 42nd William Inge Theatre Festival is a scholarship competition sponsored by The William Inge Festival Foundation

The Playwrighting Competition brings together young playwrights from across our region to participate in a reading of their play during the 42nd William Inge Theatre Festival, April 17-19, 2025.

Playwriting Competition 

Applications Period: December 18, 2024 – (Extended to) February 18th, 2025. Applications are due no later than midnight CST on February 18, 2025, with notification by March 18th, 2025. Note: the receipt of applications will be limited to the first 25 to apply. Only the first 25 applications will be reviewed. $500 in cash award scholarships available.

These are amazing opportunities for your students to demonstrate their talent and participate in the Official State Theatre Festival of Kansas. Students compete for scholarship awards, and the opportunity to be a guest artist at the 42nd Annual William Inge Theatre Festival, April 17th -19th, in Independence, Kansas.

The William Inge Festival 21st Annual High School Acting Competition Form may be Accessed Here Playwriting Entry Form

ACTING COMPETITION SUMMARY:

The acting Competition takes place at 9:00 AM on Thursday, April 3, 2024 at Independence High School, 1301 N. 10th Street, Independence, KS. Each participant is invited:

  • Each participant is invited:
    • to attend the Inge Festival April 17-19, 2025, all public, non-meal events, performances, panels, and workshops. (All high school specific workshops and events are scheduled the mornings of Thursday April 17th and Friday, and 18th)
    • to receive Theatre Scholarship (books and tuition) if they decide to enroll at Independence Community College post-high school graduation.

The Winning Scenes from the Acting Competition will perform at the Inge House at 4:00 PM on Thursday, April 17th, 2025.

ACTORS IN THE FOUR SELECTED SCENES MUST BE AVAILABLE TO PERFORM on Thursday, April 17th. The four selected scenes will be announced on Thursday April 3rd, the day of the competition.

Cash Award Scholarships will be dispersed April 17th during the Inge Festival:

  • Winner, Best scene: $400 – The two actors in the winning scene will each receive a $200 scholarship, paid directly to the students.
  • Runner-Up: $300 – Two actors in the runner-up scene will each receive a $150 scholarship, paid directly to the students.
  • Outstanding Individual(s): $200 – Four additional performers (not in either of the winning scenes) will receive $50 Outstanding Individual award scholarship, paid directly to the students.

The number of scenes in the competition are limited. The total number of scenes will be decided pending the number of entries. A single school is limited to three entries.

GUIDELINES

Criteria and Format of Scenes:

  1. Each two-person team may select a scene between 3 to 5 minutes long from a William Inge play (please visit https://ingecenter.org/festival/high-school-acting-competition/ for links to Some Suggested scenes here) or from any past playwright honoree (select your own scene)
  2. Scene has one minute each for Setup and Strike.
  3. Scenes must be roughly age appropriate and fall within a G to PG13 rating.
  4. The words of the play may not be altered to fit your individual needs.
  5. You will be required to send a copy of each of your selected scenes (with title of play, name of playwright, and act and scene location in the play) when registering to Lea Shepard, dreech@yahoo.com. Please scan the script and e-mail it.
  6. High schools are limited to three scene entries.
  7. All actors must be slated to graduate from high school in 2025 or 2026 (i.e. presently juniors or seniors).
  8. Actors may only appear in one scene.
  9. All scenes must have an adult “sponsor.” A “sponsor” is defined as a teacher, parent/guardian, or other responsible older adult. A sponsor may supervise more than one scene.
  10. Applicants, complete the Inge Center – HS Acting Competition registration form. (please visit Acting Competition Entry Form

For questions, contact Lea Shepard at dreech@yahoo.com (of the William Inge Festival Foundation & competition chair) or call at 620-332-4477

Each scene will have access to:

  • 4 – 18”-square acting cubes
  • 4 – 15’’x 15”x 24” rectangle acting cubes

For each scene:

  • No props are allowed.
  • The set must be able to set up and clean up in 60 seconds or less total.
  • Clothing may be suggestive of character, but costume and make-up is discouraged.
  • Lighting will be a general wash. No specials will be provided.
  • There will be no sound cues.

SCHEDULE (Full Festival Schedule will be Released Spring of 2025)

Thursday April 3rd, 2025: Acting Competition! (Independence High School)

  • Arrive at 8:30 a.m.
  • The competition begins at 9:00 AM.
  • Notification of scenes selected for Festival performance at the Inge House will be given by the end of the competition day.

Thursday, April 17th, 2025: William Inge Theater Festival (Independence Community College and various locations around Independence, KS)

PLAYWRITING COMPETITION SUMMARY

The William Inge Center for the Arts will host its fourth High School Playwriting Competition.

Playwriting Competition 

Applications Period: December 18, 2024 – (Extended to) February 18, 2025. Applications are due no later than midnight CST on February 18, 2025, with notification by March 18, 2025. Note: the receipt of applications will be limited to the first 25 to apply. Only the first 25 applications will be reviewed. $500 in cash award scholarships available.

Applicants should complete the Playwrighting Competition Form Registration Form. For questions, contact For questions, contact Lea Shepard at dreech@yahoo.com (of the William Inge Festival Foundation & competition chair) or call at 620-332-4477

Requirements

Submit a play

  • Playwrights must submit a 10-minute play or one-act play, no more than 10 minutes read-time – (less than 10 page count.)  Plays that are longer than 10 minutes will be disqualified.
  • Plays should require no more than 6 actors. The play may be designed to have actors play multiple roles. If that is the case, doubling must be indicated in the character list.
  • Character list must include character breakdown (age, race and gender identity for the purpose of casting).
  • Plays may not include the author’s name or contact information anywhere on the script.
  • Playwrights may only submit one play per cycle.

Attend

  • Playwrights are required to attend the Festival. If you cannot attend, you are ineligible to apply.
  • Each playwright is required to attend the reading of their play during the 42nd William Inge Theatre Festival. More details will be sent out to those accepted.

Travel, transportation, and lodging

  • For pre-planning purposes, selected playwrights should at least plan to attend Thursday morning April 17, 2025, through Saturday early evening April 19, 2025.
  • Each playwright is responsible for their own travel, transportation, and lodging needs.

Fees

There are no fees for the application process. Selected Playwrights will be responsible for their travel and lodging.

Benefits

  • Professional Public Reading: Playwrights will receive a professional public reading of their play.
  • Written feedback from judges.
  • Invitation to attend the Inge Festival from April 17-19 to all non-meal ticketed performances, panels, and workshops.
  • Offer of Fine Arts Activity Scholarship (tuition) if enrolled at Independence Community College.
  • Opportunities to Network: Each year the New Play Lab creates additional opportunities to network with our professional Guest Artists

Winner and Runner-up.

Winner’s script.

  • The Winner’s script will have a rehearsed reading of their 10-minute play at the William Inge Theater Festival, during the New Play Lab. WINNER MUST BE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND THE READING PERFORM ON EITHER THURS. April 17 OR FRI. April 18th. (Date pending.)
  • The playwright will hear a critique of the play from professional respondents. For more about the New Play Lab, visit https://ingecenter.org/new-play-lab/
  • The winner’s play title will be featured on the William Inge Theater Festival website, social media pages, and the New Play Lab program.
  • The winning playwright will receive a $300 scholarship, paid directly to the student by April 19th.

Runner-Up

  • The runner-up playwright will receive a $200 scholarship, paid directly to the student, by April 19th.
  • You and your chaperone are invited to attend the William Inge Festival non-meal events.

Application Guidelines

  • All scripts must be submitted in PDF format.
  • This is a Blind Review. Your title page may not have any identifying information — no author name or address — or it will be disqualified.
  • Give your script file the name 2025 + Title (for instance, 2025 Bus Stop).
  • Limit script length to a 10 minute read-time – not page count. (Submissions longer than 10 minutes will be disqualified).
  • Character list must include character description as well including age, race and gender identity relevant for casting.
  • Applicants must enter a short synopsis of their play as it might appear in the Play Lab program. (Maximum 75 words.)
  • Winner must send bio and headshot to be included in the program and other promotional

FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE WILL BE LISTED: www.ingecenter.org

Questions about Festival? Dee Byrd-Molnar (620) 332-5648; dmolnar@ingecenter.org

Questions about the Scholarship Competition: 

Lea Shepard (620) 332-4477; dreech@yahoo.com