IRENE RYAN WELCOME

*DEADLINE TO REGISTER FOR THE IRENE RYAN SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION IS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2008

WOW! Congratulations! You're probably reading this because you, your partner, or your student has been nominated to participate in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions. On behalf of Rachel Evans, Associate Irene Ryan Coordinator, CONGRATULATIONS from both of us! We look forward to seeing you at the 2009 Region II Festival which will be held at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, January 13-17, 2009.

If you have not participated in the last three years, the audition rules have changed. PLEASE NOTE THEM! We have gotten very positive feedback for faculty, judges and students themselves about the changes instituted 3 years ago, and they are here to stay! Please click on the links to the left, and read through carefully. Feel free to contact me with any questions or clarifications of the new rules.

Faculty Members:

You can be a judge or respondent even if you coached or directed students in productions for which they are nominated. It's a great way to learn about the Irene Ryan process from the inside, to better serve the needs of your students in years to come. It looks pretty good on your vitae, too! Please fill out the Call for Festival Judges and Respondents form (click the link on the left) and hit submit. We could use your talent and support at festival. DEADLINE TO APPLY: Monday, December 1, 2008.  

*The region does give priority for judging spots to active regional respondents.

Coaches:

Take some time to go over the rules changes so you can guide your students accordingly.

Candidates and Partners:

Take responsibility for the success of your experience and seek out faculty help in preparing for the audition.

You must secure rights for the material you are choosing or risk being disqualified. Click on the link to the left, and review carefully. You must secure the rights before you arrive at the festival, and bring that information with you to the registration desk.

Remember you must complete the Irene Ryan Registration Form for both you and your partner (which you may send back on line), which is separate from your Festival Registration. The is no additional fee for participating in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition, but there is a festival registration fee, which entitles you to participate in workshops, see productions, and take part in other festival opportunities (10 Minute Play readings, Short Forms, dramaturgy, criticism and design opportunities to name a few). By submitting the form, you affirm that you were a current student at the time of your nomination.

Partners may work with two different Ryan candidates-no more than two. Ryan candidates may not partner other Ryan candidates. For this and other pertinent information, read the section on rules.

The best part of this process is the opportunity to grow and learn from the experience. While there are only two regional winners, each student will get personal feedback from respondents who watch their auditions at each level of the process. There will also be workshop opportunities to hone your monologue skills during the week.

The Irene Ryan Foundation offers a variety of awards and fellowships annually. The two regional winners will receive a $500 scholarship. There are two scholarships of $2,500 each for the two national winners. The Irene Ryan Foundation Scholarships are, indeed, scholarships; so the foundation sends the award to a school designated by the winner where it is used to pay tuition and fees for further education, not necessarily limited to theatre arts.  

It's incredibly exciting to be at University of the Arts. Thanks in advance to all of you, students and faculty, who work so hard to make the Irene Ryan Auditions such a valuable part of the regional festival. Those of you that pour your heart and soul into the material that you present challenge us to be better teachers and artists, so "hit me with your best shot!" Again, please don't hesitate to contact me at evandenb@mcdaniel.edu with questions regarding the auditions. I can't wait to see you all in January.