High School Scholarship Acting Competition

high school acting competitors

The 41st William Inge Theatre Festival

High School Acting Competition

Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, at 9:00 AM

Independence High School, Independence, Kansas

NOTE: The schedule has been designed to take into consideration high school schedules with the acting competition happening Wednesday morning and the winning scenes performing Thursday April 18, 2024, at 4:00 PM. The William Inge Theatre Festive, April 18-20, 2024, will have a matinee of THE REVOLUTIONISTS on Thursday April 18th 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. The selected High School Competition scenes will take place from 4-5:30 pm Thursday afternoon.

•          Deadline for scene selection entries: Monday, April 1, 2024

•          $900 in cash award scholarships available

This is a worthwhile opportunity for students to demonstrate their talent and participate in the Official State Theatre Festival of Kansas. Students compete for scholarship awards and the opportunity to perform their winning scene Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the William Inge Boyhood Home at 4:00 PM for audiences at the 41st annual William Inge Theater Festival.

ACTING COMPETITION SUMMARY:

The Acting Competition takes place at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, at Independence High School 1301 N. 10th Street, Independence, KS.

  • Each participant is invited:
    • to attend the Inge Festival April 18-20, 2024, all public, non-meal events, performances, panels, and workshops. (All high school specific workshops and events are scheduled the mornings of Thursday and Friday, April 18th and 19th)
    • 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 18th, 2024.

ACTORS IN THE FOUR SELECTED SCENES MUST BE AVAILABLE TO PERFORM on Thursday, April 18th. The four selected scenes will be announced on Wednesday, April 17th.

Cash Award Scholarships will be dispersed April 18th 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 (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 Kym Kays  (Secretary of the William Inge Foundation Board & scholarship committee member) at kym.kays@gmail.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 2024 or 2025 (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. https://forms.gle/QA4oNGEWSMWRcLBx8  

For questions, contact Lea Shepard at dreech@yahoo.com (President 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

Wednesday, April 17th, 2024: 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 day.

Thursday, April 18th, 2024: William Inge Theater Festival (Independence Community College and various locations around Independence, KS)

Friday, April 19th, 2024: William Inge Theater Festival (Independence Community College and various locations around Independence, KS)

  • 10:00 – 12:00 AM Theatre workshops and panels
  • 12:00 – 2:00 PM Regional and National Professional Playwrights and Theatre Professionals Respond to the first session of the New Play Lab Play Readings and to help those playwrights to fully realized their work.
  • 2:30 – 4:30 The 7th Annual New Play Lab play readings. Playwrights from across the nation will have their plays read for an audience.
  • 7:00 PM Performance of THE REVOLUTIONIST by Lauren Gunderson. An ICC Theatre Production with guest director, Emily Goodpasture Giles, and Cast which includes ICC students and guest artists.

Saturday, April 20th, 2024: William Inge Theater Festival (Independence Community College and various locations around Independence, KS)

  • 9 :30 AM Library Conversation with Regional Artists about creating Theatre, and Art
  • 11:00AM – 1:00 PM Regional and National Professional Playwrights and Theatre Professionals Respond to the second session of the New Play Lab Play Readings by engaging the playwright and their work.
  • 2:00PM Performance of THE REVOLUTIONIST by Lauren Gunderson. An ICC Theatre Production with guest director, Emily Goodpasture Giles, and Cast which includes ICC students and guest artists.

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 or Kym Kays (620-330-7597; kym.kays@gmail.com