The Theatre for Youth Festival is for theatres performing for youth audiences. The productions can be productions by adults for the youth or productions by youth for youth. This is a festival format and will include an adjudicative session. In order to provide more schools with an opportunity to perform, a new time limit of 30 minutes is being added. Because of limited time before schools adjourn, we are limited on the number of productions. The production slots will be filled on a first-come first-serve basis. The FEE for participating in the Theatre for Youth Festival is $75.00 per production unless you plan to stay for the entire festival weekend in which case the fee is $50. Anyone interested in participating in the full festival will need to register and pay the individual festvial and membership fees as well.

For more information contact:

William Rester (william.rester@gmail.com), Picayune Memorial High School
Daisha Walker (daisha.walker@mgccc.edu), MS Gulf Coast Community College – Perkinston

Registration Deadline:  October 1, 2011

REGISTRATION

Festival Rules

Who May Enter

Any amateur group is eligible to participate. No double entries of plays. A play that is entered in community and in the high school division at the state level may not be entered in theatre festival for youth. Up to seven groups may register, after which the registration will be closed .

When selecting productions please keep in mind that this is the Theatre for Youth Festival and plays should be appropriate for young children.

Festival Fees

• Any theatre performing in the Theatre for Youth will be responsible for paying the theatre festival fee of $75 per theatre/production unless the group plans to stay for the festival in which case they will pay $50.
• Anyone planning to stay for the entire festival or remaining portion of the festival will need to either pay the applicable weekend pass or the festival fee + MTA membership fee.

What May Be Presented

• Productions entered in festival may be of any type provided the material presented is appropriate for children.  It is up to each participating group to inform the Chair of the Children’s Theatre Division if their show contains material that makes it unsuitable for younger audiences.  Care will be taken to match each show with an appropriate audience.
• The total length allotted for each individual production is thirty minutes, minus set-up and strike.
• The time allotments for performances ARE enforced, and they are timed.

Other Production Rules

• This must be the first time this production has been in a festival. This means that the production cannot participate in the High School Drama Festival and then perform in the Theatre for Youth Festival.
• Each group needs to come prepared to set-up and strike their own set.
• The house will remain open during set-up. However, the doors will close and remain closed during the production.
• Any special requirements (time slots, technical requirements, use of special effects, etc.) need to be approved by the Chair of the Children’s Theatre Division.

Requirement To Participate

• Before at the MTA Festival each group is required to submit the following to the Chair of the Theatre for Youth Festival
• Proof of payment of Royalty (if applicable)
• Entry fee for Children’s Festival
• Entry/Information sheet

Facilities Of Host Theatre

• The host community will provide a facility in which to perform.
• The host facility will provide basic lighting and sound as needed.
• Each participating group is responsible for furnishing sets, props, and furniture needed for its production.
• Off stage storage will be provided for sets, etc.

Performance Order

The order of performance of the Theatre for Youth Festival is at the discretion of the Chair of the Theatre for Youth Festival.  Care is taken to match show appropriateness to age of audience.  For example: Shows intended for very young children will be placed at the time in which audiences of that age are available.

Service To Host Community

The Mississippi Theatre Association Theatre for Youth Festival supports the idea of providing theatre experiences to Mississippi’s children at no cost.  To this end, the host city of the Theatre for Youth Festival will bus children in to the festival to see the shows.

Response

A qualified respondent will be chosen by the Vice President of the Mississippi Theatre Association to evaluate each show.  The Theatre for Youth Festival is NON-competitive in nature, but will be ranked for two best play awards. The respondent’s job is to give relevant feedback and advice to casts.  The response periods are timed to five minutes each and are open to all.  Respondents are chosen on their ability to communicate feedback to young people in a tactful and sensitive way.

Awards

There will be two “best play” awards given: one for K-12 performing groups, and one for adult college/community groups.  There will also be an all-star cast award given to one cast member of each play.  Additionally, there will be a “special recognition” award given to any performer group whose tech, costumes, or any other feature deserves recognition, and this will be at the discretion of the adjudicators.

Adjudication

Adjudication for the theatre for youth festival will contain the same indicators as the high school division, with an emphasis on the unique qualities of children’s theatre: Exaggeration, colorful sets and costumes, audience interaction, engaging characterizations.