GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES
The following information applies to Irene Ryan scholarship auditions
held at regional festivals and at the national festival:
1. Student Status: 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 pursuing a degree at the time of the KCACTF official response.
The chair of the theatre department (or their delegate) must verify in writing the candidate and partner’s bona fide student status either by signing their festival registration forms, or a verification letter
2. Notice of Guidelines: Each director of a participating or associate production shall inform all eligible students of the Irene Ryan guidelines.
3. Number of Nominees: 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.
4. Notice of Nomination: The regional chair or their delegate shall notify each of the nominees of his or her selection as an Irene Ryan competitor.
5. Expenses: Each Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition participant shall bear all expenses of attending the regional festival (unless these expenses are otherwise provided for within the region), including festival registration. Registration, transportation, lodging, and a per diem allowance are provided for each national festival participant and for each partner.
6. Composition of Preliminary and Semifinal Rounds: Not more than sixteen nominees shall appear in final round at regional festivals. If more than sixteen competitors qualify for the regional festival, the regional chair must determine a screening system insuring that no nominee perform more than twice on any day. Whenever possible, the auditions should be combined with oral feedback sessions from judges, an audition workshop, or both.
7. Final Round Scheduling: The regional screening and final rounds should normally occur prior to the performance of any regional festival production. However, if the regional chair can ensure final round judges who will not have seen any festival productions prior to the final round, that round may be held any time during the regional festival.
8. Final Round Judges: Academic professionals affiliated with regional institutions must not judge the final round of the regional festival.
9. Announcement of National Finalists: The names of the national finalists and the first alternate shall be communicated first to the regional chair and subsequently announced at a time designated by the chair.
10. Audition Introduction: Each Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition nominee and partner shall be introduced by name and material selection only—no school affiliation shall be identified.
11. On-site Rehearsal: At the regional festival, a rehearsal shall be scheduled in the performance space before the final round of auditions. Coaches may attend this rehearsal. At the national festival, an initial and a dress rehearsal will be scheduled: the initial rehearsal is a closed rehearsal—only candidates, their partners, and accompanists will be allowed. Coaches may attend the dress rehearsal.
12. Audition Time Constraints: Including transitions between scenes, the audition presentation shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes in the preliminary round, a maximum of five (5) minutes in the semifinal round and a maximum of six (6) minutes in the final round. Timing of the audition will begin with the first action or word in character following the setup and introduction and will not stop from that point onward. All introductions should therefore be made before beginning the audition.
Participants exceeding the time limit (plus a 15-second grace period) will be disqualified at all levels, including the KCACTF Irene Ryan "Evening of Scenes” in Washington.
13. Audition Material and Partner Requirements: The regional preliminary round requires an audition comprising one two-person scene not to exceed three (3) minutes in length. The audition must be performed with a partner who was a bona fide student at the time of the initial KCACTF response or during the term in which the regional festival occurs (confirmed in writing as outlined in #1 above). If the audition incorporates singing, at least 50% of the scene must be in dialogue or duet with partner and the accompanist will not count as the partner (unless the accompanist performs as a character in the audition).
The Regional semifinal round requires an audition comprising the preliminary round audition scene and a second two-person scene or song using the same partner in both. Singing may be incorporated in the second two-person scene under the same conditions that apply to the preliminary round scene. The audition will not exceed five (5) minutes total.
The Final Round audition (performed at both the regional and national festivals) shall consist of the semifinal round audition plus a monologue or solo musical number. The audition will not exceed six (6) minutes total.
14. Partner Limitations: No Irene Ryan nominee may serve as partner for another Irene Ryan nominee. A student may serve as partner for no more than two (2) Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominees per festival. All scene partners must have been a bona fide students at the time of the initial KCACTF response or during the term in which the regional festival occurs (confirmed in writing as outlined in #1 above). Nominees and their partners need not be students at the same institution.
15. Audition Clothing: It is recommended that no costume as such be used. A costume accessory may be used, but the nominee must provide it.
16. On-Site Lighting: Only basic lighting is permitted for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition rehearsals and/or performances and will be provided by the festival host.
17. On-Site Furniture and Props: Two (2) straight-backed armless chairs and one (1) table will be provided by the festival host. If simple hand props are used, the nominee must provide them.
18. Information forwarded to the National Festival: Within ten days of the closing of the regional festival, each national finalist must provide the regional chair or designee with:
· two 8"x10" photos labeled with the actor’s name, permanent address, and temporary school address (if different from permanent address).
· the name and complete school mailing address of the administrative official to whom the regional scholarship funds should be directed.
· Local hometown newspaper contact information (for publicity purposes).
· proof of royalty clearance for the selected audition material (if it has not previously been designated as available). If a national finalist is unable to provide rights clearance documentation within the ten (10) day period, the regional chair reserves the right to send the Irene Ryan regional alternate to the national festival in the finalist’s place.
The regional chair will immediately forward all information to Kingsley Colton, Executive Director of the Irene Ryan Foundation, and to the KCACTF national co-managers.
19. Rights and Royalties: Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship 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
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 per the information below. If you receive written permission, you should bring the letter with you to each round of festival competition. Any royalty charges for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition material is the sole responsibility of the nominee. Be advised that. If required, any royalty must be paid prior to receiving written permission to perform the material. Please plan accordingly.
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 their 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.
To find the publisher of a particular play, go to the following website:
http://www.playscripts.com/findaplay/index.shtml Then, click on the publisher of your scene and/or monologue for performance rights information.
Information from the most prominent rights holding companies in the U.S. appears below:
http://www.samuelfrench.com/
If Samuel French holds the performance rights to your piece, look through the following two instructions:
If your play is on the GREEN LIGHT PLAYS LIST
http://www.kcactf5.org/Ryans/Performance%20Rights/
Ryan%20Green%20Light%20List.htm
you have permission to perform the piece with no royalty charge. DO NOT CONTACT SAMUEL FRENCH IF A PROPERTY IS ALREADY ON THE GREEN LIGHT LIST!!! It is pre-approved for use, and doesn't require anything in writing. NO ROYALTY CHARGE will be assessed for these properties unless the nominee appears in the final round of the regional auditions and/or the national auditions in Washington. The royalty will then be $15.00 (or $75.00 in the case of Neil Simon properties) per performance.
If your play is on the RED LIGHT PLAYS LIST
http://www.kcactf5.org/Ryans/Performance%20Rights/
Ryan%20Red%20Light%20List.htm
you may NOT perform this piece, and you MUST NOT ask permission to do so. That request has already been made and denied. Please consult these lists carefully and do not call Samuel French with questions regarding availability. If a script is on the Red Light list- DO NOT CONTACT SAMUEL FRENCH TO PLEAD YOUR CASE. Perform another piece.
If you've checked both the RED and GREEN light lists several times and your SAMUEL FRENCH property doesn't fall on either list- THIS MEANS THAT AVAILABILITY STATUS HASN'T YET BEEN DETERMINED AND THE STUDENT NEEDS TO FAX SAMUEL FRENCH FOR PERMISSION- DO NOT CALL or WRITE.
The request can be faxed to:
Stephen Schreuder, Amateur Leasing
Samuel French, Inc.
212.206.1429
http://www.dramatists.com/
ALL Dramatists Play Service properties are pre-approved for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship use, with no written permission required, for no royalty until the National Auditions at the Kennedy Center, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PLAYS WRITTEN BY SAMUEL BECKETT—(THESE ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE AUDITIONS).
http://www.broadwayplaypubl.com/
All properties are available with no royalty charge.
http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/
A royalty charge applies only if you advance to the final round of competition.
http://www.icmtalent.com/noflash.html
40 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
Tel: 212-556-5600
No Fax number is listed.
208 W. 30th St., 401
New York, NY 10001
212.868.1068
Fax: 212.868.1052
All of the plays and playwrights represented are available for use in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions with no royalty charge.
Most Smith and Kraus collections and monologue books include a blanket permission statement for audition use. These collections provide a loophole if you’re desperate to perform a piece listed on Sam French’s "red light” list of plays. Remember, however, the particular piece you’re interested in performing MUST be found in one of these collections that include blanket permission.
DO NOT CALL TAMS WITMARK! If your school has an ASCAP license, you should be covered by the license as representatives of your school.
Check with an appropriate faculty member for clarification.
MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI)
If your school has an ASCAP license, you should be covered by the license as representatives of your school. Check with an appropriate faculty member for clarification.
If your school has an ASCAP license, you should be covered by the license as representatives of your school. Check with an appropriate faculty member for clarification.
JOYCE KETAY (Literary Agent)
The Joyce Ketay Agency, Inc.
1501 Broadway #1908
New York, NY 10036
212.354.6825
Fax: 212.354.6732
All of the plays and playwrights represented are available for use in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions with no royalty charge.
EDWARD ALBEE
Edward Albee's plays are now available for use in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions with the following rules:
-none of the scenes are to be altered in any way, including the deletion of characters' lines for the formation of a monologue. -The scenes must be performed contiguous and unaltered (no internal cuts). No royalty is required unless the student is a national finalist for the scholarship here at the Kennedy Center.