AACTFest 2021 Invitational
AACT has restructured the AACTFest festival system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—and to better support the mission of the National Festival. Scheduled for June 14-20, 2021, AACTFest is where we'll gather in a virtual setting to learn, trade stories, and see compelling theatre from across the nation.
To search the nation for outstanding productions worthy of sharing at a national festival, AACT used an invitational system to choose the 12 featured productions at AACTFest 2021.
The new structure was put into place because the state-to-regional process that normally chooses 12 productions to be featured at nationals was impossible when so many state and regional festivals were cancelled or postponed.
Application Process
Applicants must:
- Be a current AACT-Member Theatre
- Obtain the support of your Board, Executive Committee, or President
- Submit two letters of support from persons unrelated to your theatre, illustrating the support of your community for your theatre, and/or testifying to your theatre's creative and artistic abilities.
- Before completing the online application, both read and understand the changes in the AACTFest Handbook, which has been adapted for the 2021 invitational format. (You can find the handbook HERE.)
- Complete and submit the application below with support materials by November 1, 2020
Overview
- AACT will accept applications from member theatres who are willing to produce a play to be evaluated by traveling adjudicators within a set timeline. A theatre must also be able to demonstrate financial capability, and (should it be selected) support from its governing body to attend AACTFest 2021 in Louisivlle, Kentucky.
- Theatres may choose to do a full-length production within their season, or present a cutting specifically for the festival. If a full-length production is viewed, the theatre must also have a 60-minute cut version of the play, along with permission to do so.
- Applications will be accepted from July 1, 2020 to November 1, 2020. From the field of applicants, 50 theatres will be chosen to be interviewed.
- Interviews will be conducted based on the order in which applications are received. Interview dates will be announced soon.
- From the field of interviewed theatres, 25 will be chosen to showcase a performance for adjudication.
- Adjudicators will travel to those chosen theatres during a time frame that will be announced soon. Five sets of two adjudicators will attend each production. Each set will see a roster of five productions, and from that field will nominate two of the top fully realized performances. If fewer than two productions on a roster are not completely realized, an adjudication team may opt to pass its vote to another set.
- The adjudication team will be available to meet with the production director and/or company for an extended feedback session, following the adjudicated performance
- Region X will have a production selected. Because Region X is composed of companies for U.S. Armed Forces in Europe, it will have a separate set of adjudicators
- The list of AACTFest 2021 Producting Theatres will be announced in Spring 2021.
- Questions? See FAQs, below.
Applications
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