we are excited to invite you to the 5th annual west ...€¦ · we are excited to invite you to the...

Weareexcitedtoinviteyoutothe5thAnnualWestMichiganTheatreFestival,January31&February1,2020

atGreenvilleHighSchool!

ATheatreFestival?Weneedtoparticipateinthat…Timeschangeandsodotheneedsofstudentsandprograms.TheWestMichiganTheatreFestival(WMTF)isaTheatreFestivaldesignedforstudentsandprogramsfromacrosstheStateofMichigan.ThegoaloftheFestivalisforstudentstoperformtheirworksforotherstudents,andgetfeedbackandcritiquethathelpsperformersandtechniciansimprovetheircraft,theirprogramandhelpthemontheirway

intoCollegePrograms.

TheWestMichiganTheatreFestivalissponsoredbyWesternMichiganUniversity’sDepartmentofTheatreand

TheGrandRapidsCivicTheatreSchoolofTheatreArts.LearnfromsomeofthebestTheatreEducatorsinWestMichiganaboutwhereyourproduction

strengthsare,andhowtoimproveperformanceaswell.

Allinanon-competitiveandsupportiveenvironment.

SCHOOL OF THEATRE ARTS

Findoutmore:

https://wmichtheatrefestival.com/Email:chapmanc@gpsmi.us

Sowhat’ssodifferentaboutthisFestival?Thebigdifferencescomedowntofivethings;Time,content,critique,awards,andmoney.

TIME:UnlikeotherFestivalsettings,theWMTFopensperformancesupto60minutes.YourOneActcanbreatheandnotbeundersuchatighttimeconstraint.TakingplaceinearlyFebruary,usetheWMTFcritiquetohelpimproveyourproductionformoreperformances.ContactFestivalAdministrationifyourproductionneedsmorethan60

minutes.Theonlyissueifyourproductionislonger,itmayimpactyourcritiquetime.CONTENT:ThereisnooverridingthemeofcontentattheWMTF.BringaComedy,aDrama,aMusical,whateveryourstudentsareworkingon.Isyourprogramsmaller?Evenclassroomproductionshaveaplaceonourstage.Iscuttingapieceproblematicforyou?BringoneactofyourMusicalinstead.Noshoworprogramistoobigortoosmall.Theonlylimitationplacedonyourproductionisoffstagestoragespace,andhowbigatruckyoumightneedforscenery.

CRITIQUE:Cliniciansworkwithyourstudentsonyourset,inthespace,immediatelyfollowingyourproduction.Cliniciansworkspecificactingmomentswiththecast,anddealwiththeactualtechinthespace.The30minutecritiqueisconductedbyTheatreProfessionals.EachproductionwillhavetwoClinicians,onewhosefocusisActingandPerformance,theothersisDesignandStagecraft.

(Picturedfromtop:EastGrandRapidsHighSchool“Almost,Maine”,GreenvilleHighSchool“BullshotCrummond”,andaProductionCritiqueinProgress)

AWARDS:Everyparticipatingschoolfillsoutballotsnominatingperformanceandtechfromeveryotherproductionforrecognitionawards.Yourstudentsarethevoicethatisheardinrecognizingotherstudentsandtheirproductions.

MONEY:Thereisonlytheannualonetimeparticipationfeeof$250.ThisfeehelpsoffsetFestivalcostssuchasclinicianfees,participationawards,mailings,Websitefees,etc.Youmaynothaveashowinproductionbutyourschoolcanstillparticipateasspectators.SchoolsthatwanttotakeupaSpectatingroleonlypaya$100fee!SpectatingSchoolsgettosubmitawardballotsandparticipateinanyworkshopsthatareoffered.

That’stheWMTFinanutshell.Non-competitive,yetrewarding.AFestivalsettingthataimstoimprovestudents&programs.Twodaysofschoolsperformingtheirbestwork.Workshopsintroduceactorsandtechnicianstonewskills&techniques.There’sroomformoretowatchshows,learn,andmakenewfriends.

(Picturedfromtop:ChesaningHighSchool“TheOddCouple:FemaleEdition”,MidlandHighSchool“TheCuriousIncidentoftheDogintheNight”,Mt.

PleasantHighSchool“Box”)