Alabama Thespian Festival Scholarships
Scholarship Sponsored by Alabama Educational Theatre Association
Overview
Each year the Alabama Thespian Festival invites college and university representatives to hold auditions for high school Junior and Senior Thespians who are considering continuing their theatre studies in college. Any registered festival participant who is a high school junior or senior Thespian is eligible to take part in college auditions.
ALEdTA also offers scholarship opportunities for graduating seniors planning college study in the arts. Any graduating senior Thespian from a registered troupe who is a registered festival participant may audition for scholarships. Participation in the Thespian Scholarship Auditions program is required to be considered for the following awards:
- Theatre Performance Scholarship — one-time $1,000 for a graduating senior planning to major in a performing-arts field (theatre, film, musical theatre, vocal performance, or dance).
- Theatre Educator Scholarship — one-time $1,000 for a graduating senior preparing for a career in theatre education or technical theatre education.
- Donnie Bryan Technical Theatre Scholarship — one-time $2,000 for a graduating senior entering a college technical-theatre program.
- Grant J. Stephenson Theatre for Life Scholarship — one-time $1,500 for a graduating senior who has been active in high school theatre but does not plan to major or minor in theatre (or any theatre-related field) in college.
Important deadlines and registration
- All required forms must be submitted by February 1 in order to participate in college and scholarship auditions. Forms, headshots, and résumés will not be accepted at the festival; you must preregister to audition for senior scholarships or college/university auditions.
- For the Grant J. Stephenson Theatre for Life Scholarship, applicants must email a scanned copy of their transcript to althespians@gmail.com prior to the application deadline of January 14.
General audition guidelines
- Dress neatly; no costumes.
- Arrive at your audition slot at least ten minutes early.
- One chair and a small table will be provided. Bring any other presentation aids or materials you need.
- Bring hard-copy résumés and headshots. Headshots should be part of the résumé (no staples or tape).
- You may leave the audition area as soon as you have finished.
- If you require music, you must bring your own track. No live accompanist or a cappella singing is allowed. A boombox with CD, AUX line in, Bluetooth, and iPod/iPhone connectivity will be available for playback.
- When choosing monologues, avoid dialects/accents and classical pieces.
Time limits
- High School Junior — College Audition: 90-second performance plus a 5-minute interview.
- High School Senior — College and/or Scholarship Audition: 90-second performance plus a 5-minute interview.
- Technical Theatre (all applicants): 5 minutes for presentation plus 5 minutes for interview.
- Theatre Educator (all applicants): 5 minutes for presentation plus 5 minutes for interview.
Theatre Performance audition
- Prepare your strongest 90 seconds of material. This can be:
- One monologue or song,
- Two contrasting monologues or songs, or
- One song and one monologue.
- Restrictions:
- Presentation must be a solo.
- Dance-only auditions are not permitted.
Donnie Bryan Technical Theatre audition
- Prepare a portfolio that demonstrates your technical-theatre experience and skills. Accepted materials include blueprints, photos, renderings, sketches, scale models, lighting plots, costume designs, and other illustrative work. Poster boards, PowerPoint presentations, or other visual displays are highly encouraged.
- If you have completed drafting, technical drawing, or visual art coursework, include representative samples. Stage management, publicity, or administration applicants should include production journals, promptbooks, or marketing materials when relevant.
- Restrictions:
- Provide a clear, concise, and organized spoken or written explanation of your portfolio during the presentation.
- You must bring your own laptop; power outlets are available.
Theatre Educator audition
- Applicants aiming for the Theatre Educator Scholarship should plan to major in theatre education. Materials may include a performance excerpt, a lesson plan, video evidence of teaching, and/or a technical portfolio.
- Restrictions:
- Provide a clear, concise, and organized explanation of the portfolio or materials.
- Bring your own laptop; power outlets are available.
Grant J. Stephenson Theatre for Life Scholarship — details and requirements
- Purpose: $1,500 awarded to a graduating senior who has been heavily involved in high school theatre but does not intend to major or minor in theatre, technical theatre, film, or any theatre-related discipline in college. The award supports a student who plans to apply the skills learned in theatre to a non-theatre college major or career. The scholarship funds will be sent to the student’s college after they have matriculated.
- Application requirements:
1. Complete the Google Application Form.
2. Be a member in good standing of ITS and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2.
3. Be recommended by the sponsor of your school’s ITS troupe.
4. Scan and email a copy of your transcript to althespians@gmail.com before the January 14 deadline.
5. Electronically submit the application and two letters of recommendation (one from your troupe director/drama teacher and one from another teacher, administrator, or counselor).
6. Create a digital display and/or portfolio presentation to be presented on Saturday at the Alabama Thespian Festival for adjudication.
- Display guidance:
- Include specific examples and artifacts that demonstrate the scope and depth of your participation in your school troupe and other theatre-related activities.
- Include a photograph of the applicant in the display.
- Applicants will present their display and participate in an interview with an adjudication team during the festival.
If you have questions about audition requirements, deadlines, or submission procedures, contact Alabama Thespians via the festival information channels or althespians@gmail.com.