Musical Theatre Initiative
For Festival 44, The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 is pleased to continue the new Musical Theatre Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to celebrate and recognize musical theatre productions and the student and faculty artists associated with those productions within Region 1. The Musical Theatre Initiative hopes to offer educational opportunities at festival for both students and faculty to further their knowledge and appreciation of this artform.
New!
The Richard Maltby, Jr.
Award for Musical Theatre Excellence
The KCACTF Region 1 Richard Maltby Jr. Award for Musical Theatre Excellence recognizes outstanding musical theatre performance by a student in higher education theatrical productions. One student is nominated per entered production. Throughout the calendar year, KCACTF respondents select nominees while attending Region 1 entered productions. Nominees attending the annual Region 1 festival will participate in a musical theatre performance event. One award recipient will be chosen after the performance and announced at the award ceremony at Festival. See the links below for additional information.
RICHARD MALTBY, JR.
BROADWAY: Conceived and directed two Tony Award winning musicals: Ain't Misbehavin' (1978: Tony, N.Y. Drama Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards -- also Tony Award for Best Director.) Fosse (1999: Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards); as well as RING OF FIRE, The Johnny Cash Musical Show, (2006). With composer David Shire: director/lyricist: Baby, (1983, book by Sybille Pearson; seven Tony Award nominations); lyricist: Big, (1996, book by John Weidman; Tony nomination: Best Score); lyricist/conceiver, TAKE FLIGHT (2010, book by John Weidman), With Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, co-lyricist: Miss Saigon (Evening Standard Award 1990; Tony nomination: Best Score, 1991); co-bookwriter/lyricist: THE PIRATE QUEEN (2007). Director, THE STORY OF MY LIFE (2009). Director/co-lyricist: American version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song & Dance, (1986 Tony Award for star, Bernadette Peters.) OFF-BROADWAY: director/lyricist Starting Here, Starting Now, (1977, Grammy nomination) and Closer Than Ever, (1989, two Outer Critics Circle Awards: Best Musical, Best Score), both written with composer David Shire. REGIONAL: director, MASK (2008, Pasadena Playhouse); director, THE 60'S PROJECT (2006, Goodspeed). FILM: Screenplay, MISS POTTER, (2007) about Beatrix Potter, starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor (Christopher Award, best screenplay.). Contributes devilish crossword puzzles to Harpers Magazine. Son of well-known orchestra leader; Five children: Nicholas, David, Jordan, Emily and Charlotte.
LINKS
Musical Theatre Nomination and Award Criteria
Musical Theatre Event Participation Details
Musical Theatre Nominee Showcase
Musical Theatre Cabaret Night
Nomination and Award Criteria
Student nominees and the award recipient are chosen based on the following criteria:
• Student shows the ability to make varied and specific acting choices, which are expressed throughout a performance that synthesizes text, music and dance.
• Student shows the ability to play urgent and clear objectives.
• Student possesses a healthy and flexible vocal instrument, through which they make varied, informed musical choices that add texture and layers to their overall performance.
• Student demonstrates physical strength and dexterity, expressing their character fully through gesture, stage movement and dance.
• Student demonstrates the ability to make acting, physical and vocal choices that meet the demands of and are appropriate for the musical theatre form.
Festival Participation Details
Once nominated, students who attend festival will participate in a musical theatre performance event.
The festival process for this event will work as follows:
• Students are asked to prepare two musical theatre selections. The first selection should be a full song and the second selection should be a 32-bar cut. It is required that the pieces be from different eras of musical theatre history and be contrasting in style and tone. Both pieces combined should not exceed 5 minutes.
• Once students have determined their musical selections, titles of the selections must be emailed to the Chair of Musical Theatre, Ryan McKinney, by January 1st, 2012. Please send all emails to
Ryan.McKinney@kingsborough.edu
• Students need to bring copies of their sheet music, in the correct key, clearly marked with any accompanist notes, three-hole punched and not cutting off any necessary bass line notes, key signatures or other musical markings
• Rules and regulations regarding performance permissions are the same as the Irene Ryan Auditions. For information on permissions, please see the Irene Ryans Information Page at
KCACTF.ORG_NATIONAL
• If you are also an Irene Ryan Nominee and you are performing a song for your Irene Ryan monologue, you may (but you do not have to) also use that song as one of your selections for the Musical Theatre Event.
Musical Theatre Nominee Showcase
During the festival, the musical theatre nominees will present their prepared material for the festival audience in a Musical Theatre Showcase. This event will take place one evening, usually after a performance of one of the invited productions. Respondents and Reviewers consisting of professionals in the field will also view the showcase and from this performance, they will select the musical theatre award recipients. We hope everyone will join us again this year for this event, as last year's proved to be an exciting and entertaining evening.
Musical Theatre Cabaret Night
The Musical Theatre Initiative will host a Musical Theatre Cabaret Night at Festival 2012. It is open to ALL Region 1 students. When students arrive at festival, they can sign-up to participate at the registration desks at each hotel. Students should bring their own sheet music, in the proper key, with any accompanist notes clearly marked. An accompanist will be provided. In the interest of allowing as many students to participate as possible, please keep songs between 2-3 minutes. Thank you.
Any students or faculty with questions regarding the musical theatre initiative can contact Ryan McKinney, Chair of Musical Theatre, at Ryan.McKinney@kingsborough.edu.
Thank you and we look forward to celebrating musical theatre with you at Festival 44!
