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As part of the mission of KCACTF we must continually look at programs in terms of access and intent.  There have been a lot of changes to the Irene Ryan Scholarship Auditions over the past few years as we not only adapted to a global pandemic, but to the changing needs of students.  It is difficult to break from long-held traditions while exciting to find new and innovative ways to celebrate student work.  To reiterate the mission/goals of KCACTF:

• Encourage, recognize, and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs;
• Provide opportunities for participants to develop their theater skills and insight, and achieve professionalism;
• Improve the quality of college and university theater in the United States; and
• Encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, especially those written by students; the classics, revitalized or newly conceived; and experimental works.

Specifically, The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships provide recognition, honor, and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education.

In looking at bullet points one and four, in order to encourage, recognize and celebrate work, we must eliminate barriers.  All students should be able to participate in a scholarship audition regardless of faculty nomination.  Faculty often select material and cast productions.  By opening the process to all, we eliminate any subconscious bias. We are continuing the “self-submission” option for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, in addition to the long-held practice of nominations from the director and production respondent. Additionally, in-person preliminary round auditions give all students the opportunity to publicly showcase their work and receive feedback at the regional conference. 

By returning to an in-person preliminary round, we strengthen bullet points two and three.  All students who prepare material for presentation (including Ryan partners) will have the opportunity for their work to be seen by others at the regional conference.  While the industry is moving toward increased self-tapes, we encourage students to seek out opportunities to grow in this area.  In keeping with the mission, our role is to celebrate the work and the best way to do that is to see it live in the moment.  The regional conference experience creates a community unlike any other.  By making all rounds in-person, we hope to foster that community that can lead to professional connections and growth.

The Ryan Scholarship audition is an opportunity to recognize outstanding student performers but it can also be a learning environment in which students can learn from their peers through observation and engagement with the work of other students at the festival.  Recognizing that the greatest number of participants are in the preliminary round, the greatest opportunity for in-person observation occurs in the preliminary round.  This switch helps us to strengthen bullet point number two.

Affording more opportunity and live engagement at our regional conferences allows us to continue to improve the quality of theater in the United States, and to enhance the in-person experience for our students. These opportunities manifest in learning, networking, and skill building through peer interaction.

The changes to the Irene Ryan Scholarship Audition are meant to encourage new participation, celebrate all work, and most importantly, build a stronger community of emerging young artists!  We must remember - this is an opportunity not a competition.  To that end, below is a copy of the KCACTF Diversity and Inclusion Statement.

KCACTF Diversity and Inclusion Statement

èßäAVAmerican College Theater Festival affirms its commitment to policies and practices of promoting inclusion and diversity in its leadership, both regional and national, as well as in its programming. We pledge to nurture talent in all areas of the theater based solely on merit and achievement. We encourage production respondents to avoid discriminatory comments and embrace the variety of artistic choices generated by the diversity of perspective that exists on college campuses across the country. We promote collegial exploration of new ideas, supported by a clear understanding of long-held artistic practices, fully respecting the communicated intentions of the playwright.

We encourage discourse that affects positive change in the ways that under-represented groups are portrayed onstage, and we oppose acts of cultural appropriation and character depictions that deepen existing cultural divides. We embrace the idea that diversity in experience and perspective makes our organization stronger and more relevant and is therefore essential to our educational mission of training the future artistic leadership in American theater.