Other DTM Events at the Festival

Design Storm Project

What is it?

Are you interested in collaboration? Design Storm is your opportunity to collaborate with new people from across the region at our Annual Festival. Directors, designers, and dramaturgs from different schools are teamed up to create the production of their dreams in a timed collaborative event, where participants from all areas have the opportunity to approach a classic or contemporary text in a way that is unlike all previous productions. More Info on the Design Storm Project page.

Stage Management Intensive

What is it?

Put your stage management skills to use at Festival! Participating in the Stage Management Intensive gives you the opportunity to learn from and connect with other stage managers in Region 3 while helping to make the Festival run..  

SMI is an opportunity to be involved in managing Festival events and work with other student artists from around the region. Any student who would like to be more involved in managing events at Festival is invited to apply for the Stage Management Intensive. Events included for the SMI participants:

• • National Playwriting Program, including the 10-Minute Play Festival
  • Costume Parade and Evening of Scenes
  • Musical Theatre Intensive
  • Devised Theatre
  • KCACTF Acting Scholarship Auditions, including the Irene Ryan nominees
  • Design, Technology, and Management events
  • National Student Directing Fellowship Award program (SDC)
  • General Festival management

Additionally there will be exclusive workshops and roundtable discussions on the topic of stage and production management with industry professionals. 

This program is not part of the KCACTF Stage Management Fellowship event. The Stage Management Intensive is the program that makes the Festival run! Students participating in the KCACTF Stage Management Fellowship at the DTM Expo are not required to stage manage at Festival and are invited to apply to the Stage Management Intensive if they would like that experience.

I’m going to go for it – How do I register?

1. Register for the Festival
2. Prepare your application materials (see below)
3. Submit your application materials on the DTM Events Registration page

How to Prepare

Submit the following application materials: 

• • Application
  • A letter of intent, written solely by you, including: a short commentary of your stage manager’s “approach”, a brief statement about why you believe you may gain a positive experience by participating in the Festival, and your intention to practice stage management in the future
  • Resume
  • Letter of Recommendation focusing on your stage management experience

Tech Olympics

What is it?

Flex your “technical theatre muscles” in a fast-paced hands-on event. Grab a tech buddy to put together a team and join us for an exciting time! Teams of two people compete in 5 events, judged on time and accuracy. Single participants can be paired with another single participant at the event. The competition has staggered starting times, with each event not lasting longer than 10 minutes. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will be determined by the individual event guidelines. The Team Spirit winner will honor the team with the most enthusiasm and excitement and will be determined by all event  leaders.

Tech Olympics sponsors include: USITT, USITT Midwest Regional Section, ETC.

I’m going to go for it – How do I register?

1. Register for the Festival
2. Check the Region 3 Festival schedule for date, time, and location of the event
3. Register on-site at the Tech Olympics Welcome Table when you arrive at the event

Tentative Events (Subject to Change)

• • Lighting: Hang and Focus an ellipsoidal reflector spotlight on a shuttered pattern taped to the wall. Points will be determined by time, accuracy, and safety.
  • Sound: Wire and adjust the sound system so that you can be heard through the loudspeaker. Points will be determined by time and accuracy.
  • Knots: Be prepared to tie a variety of knots in order. Points will be determined by time and accuracy.
  • Wardrobe: How quickly can you sew on a button? Try this challenge to find out. Points will be determined by time and accuracy.
  • Prop Scene Shift: Mimicking a quick and quiet scene change, be prepared to shift the props. Points will be determined by time and accuracy.

Faculty and Staff Participation

Be a leader for a Tech Olympics event! We are looking for faculty/staff to assess teams of students as they participate in Tech Olympics. We also need general volunteers for the event to help it run smoothly.If you are interested contact DTM Co-Chair, Peggy Mead-Finizio at mameadfi@svsu.edu

Costume Parade

What is it?

Do you have a fabulous costume, or set of costumes, that deserves being showcased at the regional festival? Consider entering your work in the Costume Parade, which will be held in conjunction with the Evening of Scenes. A selection of the region’s best costumes will be selected to come center stage in the Region III Costume Parade. The purpose of this event is to highlight the work of both costume designers and costume technicians.

What costumes are eligible? Any costume or group of costumes used in an Associate or participating KCACTF production during the current Festival year may be entered for consideration in the Costume Parade and will be selected in early December by the committee. Entrants may be undergraduate or graduate students, staff or faculty.

How to register!

1. Register for the Festival
2. Register for this event on the DTM registration page

Costumes can be entered into consideration in two ways, either through self-submission or production respondent nomination. Submissions are limited to five costumes per production.

Self-submission: 

If you’d like your costumes to be considered, submit a Design, Technology, & Management Registration form online, making sure to check “Costume Parade.” Then email a list of costumes you wish to nominate to the Regional Design, Technology & Management Chairs. Include images of the actual costume (not of the rendering). Please label the images as logically as possible. These costumes will then be considered for selection in the Costume Parade.

Respondent Nomination: 

Respondents using the online response form will be able to nominate costumes at the time the response is completed. These nominations will be forwarded to the coordinator of the Costume Parade who will email nominees asking for images. These costumes will then be considered for selection in the Costume Parade.

If Your Costumes are Selected:

• • You will need to bring the costume(s) and model(s) to wear the costume. The model does not have to be the original actor who wore it in your production.
  • You will need to provide a short description of who wore it, in what play, who made it, and any other interesting details about material or process. 
  • You will need to attend a rehearsal, and the Costume Parade presentation. The schedule of the Costume Parade will be determined in December, however, it usually happens on the Wednesday evening of our Festival.

Please note that this is not a competition and no prizes will be awarded for any entry.

Next Steps DTM

What is it?

Audition and interview at festival with casting directors and artistic representatives of Equity and non-Equity theatre companies, potential summer employers and graduate schools in our region. This is your opportunity to make a first impression and pave the way for connections that could shape your future. At the very least, you will sharpen your audition and interview skills, get a head start on your headshot, resume and portfolio
preparation, and receive feedback on your presentation.

Interviews will be scheduled for Friday January 10 1:00pm-5:00pm. Location TBA.

Next Steps Home Page

I’m going to go for it – How do I register?

Registration for this event will take place at the festival. Please come to the DTM information desk to see the list of participating theatre companies and grad schools and to sign up for an interview time. If you have any questions please contact DTM Co-Chair Kim Instenes at kinstenes@carthage.edu.

How to Prepare

Prepare for your interview by researching the theatre companies or schools you would like to interview with. A list will be available at the festival. Bring your resume and portfolio (either digital or hard copy) to the festival to show at the interview. Practice a short introduction, one minute or less, of yourself and your work to open the interview with. Relax and be yourself.