Alabama Thespian Festival Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Alabama Educational Theatre Association

Each year the Alabama Thespian Festival invites college representatives to audition high school Junior and Senior Thespians as prospective future students in their programs.  Any high school junior or senior thespian, who is a registered festival participant, can participate in college auditions.

In addition, ALEdTA provides scholarship opportunities for graduating seniors who plan on pursuing the arts in college.  Any high school graduating senior thespian with a registered troupe, who is a registered festival participant, can participate in scholarship auditions.  Participation in the Thespian Scholarship Auditions program is required for the following scholarships:

• The Theatre Performance Scholarship is a one-time $1000 scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors planning to major in the performing arts. Fields include: theatre, film, musical theatre, vocal performance, or dance.
• The Theatre Educator Scholarship is a one-time $1,000 scholarship awarded to one graduating senior working toward a career in theatre education or technical theatre education.
• The Donnie Bryan Technical Theatre Scholarship is a one-time $2,000 scholarship awarded to a graduating senior entering a college program to major in technical theatre.
• The Grant J. Stephenson Theatre for Life Scholarship is a one-time $1,500 scholarship awarded to a graduating senior that has spent their high school career working for theatre, but will not be majoring/minoring in theatre at the collegiate level.

IN GENERAL

1. Dress neatly. No costumes.
2. Bring presentation aids, other materials with you.  One chair and a small table will be provided.
3. You must bring a track if needed.  No live accompanist or a cappella singing will be permitted.  A boombox with CD, AUX Line In, Bluetooth, and Ipod/Iphone connectivity will be available during your audition.
4. When preparing monologues, avoid selections with dialects/accents or any classical material.
5. Arrive at audition session ten minutes early for your time slot.
6. Bring hard copy résumés and headshots (that are part of the resume- no stapling or taping of pictures).
7. You will be allowed to leave as soon as you are finished.

TIME

• HS Junior College Audition: 90-second performance + 5-minute interview
• HS Senior College and/or Scholarship Audition: 90 seconds for performance + 5 minutes for interview
• ALL: 5 minutes for technical theatre presentation + 5 minutes for interview
• ALL: 5 minutes for theatre educator presentation + 5 minutes for interview

Theatre Performance:

Applicants should showcase their best 90 seconds of performance. This could be one monologue or song, two contrasting monologues or songs, or one song and one monologue.

Restrictions:

1. Must be a solo presentation
2. No dance auditions will be permitted.

Donnie Bryan Technical Theatre:

Technical Theatre Applicants must prepare a portfolio. Possible content: blueprints, photos, renderings, sketches, models, and/or illustrations of scenic and costume designs and light plots. Poster boards, PowerPoint, photos, or other exhibition materials are highly encouraged. If an applicant has taken drafting, technical drawing, and/or visual art courses, include examples of that work. Stage management, publicity, or theatre administration applicants, please include production journals, promptbooks, or marketing materials.

Restrictions:

1. Must provide a concise and organized explanation of the portfolio.
2. Applicant must provide their own laptop. Power outlets are available.

Theatre Educator:

Students applying for the theatre educator scholarship must plan to major in theatre education. Applicants in this area might include a performance piece, lesson plan, video of teaching, and/or technical portfolio.

Restrictions:

1. Must provide a concise and organized explanation of the portfolio.
2. Applicant must provide their own laptop. Power outlets are available.

The following forms must be turned in by Feb 1st in order to participate in the college and scholarship auditions. Forms/ Head shots/ Resumes will not be accepted at the festival. You must preregister in order to audition for either the senior scholarship auditions or the college/ university auditions.

Grant J. Stephenson Theatre For Life:

The Grant J. Stephenson Theatre For Life Scholarship is a $1500 scholarship for a senior theatre or technical theatre student who is going to college but not planning on majoring in theatre, technical theatre, film, or any theatre-related major or minor.  The scholarship will be awarded to a deserving student who has been actively involved in their school’s theatre program and plans to use the training they have received in their chosen career. The award will be sent directly to the student’s chosen college once they have matriculated.

Restrictions:

1. Fill out the Google Application Form.
2. The applicant must be a member in good standing of ITS, have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA and be recommended by the sponsor of his/her school’s ITS troupe.
3. The applicant will scan and email a copy of their transcript to althespians@gmail.com prior to the application deadline January 14.
4. The applicant will electronically submit their application and two letters of recommendation (one from their troupe director or drama teacher and one from another teacher, administrator or counselor).
5. The applicant will create a digital display and/or portfolio presentation that will be presented on Saturday at the Alabama Thespian Festival for adjudication.

• Displays should include evidence that cites specific examples of work and other materials that would demonstrate the breadth and depth of the applicant’s participation in the life of the local troupe or other theatre activities in the participation in the life of the local troupe or other theater activities in the community.
• The display should contain a photograph of the applicant.
• Applicants will be asked to present their display and interview with an adjudication team at the Alabama Thespian Festival.