Theatre Tuscaloosa and Shelton State Community College will host the Alabama Conference of Theatre’s annual Community Theatre Festival (ACTFest) November 5-6 in the Bean-Brown Theatre on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College (9500 Old Greensboro Rd).
ACTFest gives community theatre artists from across the state an opportunity to showcase their work and the potential to earn a place at the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) Community Theatre Festival. Participating companies prepare a 60-minute (maximum) performance, which may be an entire one-act play or a cutting or selection from a full-length play. Each company must fit all its scenery and props into a 10-foot by 10-foot square before its performance. The rules require companies to set-up during a 10-minute window, perform during a 60-minute window, and break down and return their sets to their 10-by-10 squares during a final 10-minute strike window. Three independent adjudicators then review each performance and ultimately determine which productions will go on to represent Alabama at SETC (March 1-5, 2023 in Lexington, Kentucky). Up to two productions at SETC will be selected to compete at the national American Association of Community Theatre Festival (June 17-23, 2023 in Louisville, Kentukcy).
“ACTFest is the first stop on what could be a national journey for the shows entered in the festival,” said Theatre Tuscaloosa Managing Director Adam Miller. “Not only is this an amazing opportunity for Tuscaloosa audiences to see some of the best and brightest talent from all across our state, it’s a chance to bring state, regional, and even national recognition to our community!”
Last year, Theatre Tuscaloosa’s production of Love and Cheese Toast was selected to participate in the 2021 national festival that was held virtually due to the pandemic. Two performers, Layla Khan-Hickman and NorQuina “Q” Rieves, from the show were honored with “Outstanding Achievement in Acting Awards” during the festival.
This year’s ACTFest will feature five performances by community theatres from four Alabama cities.
Saturday, November 5, 2022
1. The Actor’s Charitable Theatre (Tuscaloosa, AL): Holy Ghosts by Romulus Linney
2. Spark Theatre Company (Dothan, AL): I and You by Lauren Gunderson
3. Self Express Productions (Winfield, AL): Fools by Neil Simon
Sunday, November 6, 2022
4. Theatre Tuscaloosa (Tuscaloosa, AL): Launch Day (Love Stories from the Year 2108) by Michael Higgins
5. Wetumpka Depot Players (Wetumpka, AL): A Storm Came Up by Kristy Meanor
All performances are open to the general public, and Theatre Tuscaloosa’s patrons are encouraged to attend and support the cast and crew.
“We need y’all to come out and cheer on our performers during the festival,” said Theatre Tuscaloosa Executive Producer Tina Turley. “Since we’re hosting, it’s like we’re the home team on game day, and having our audiences here to support us and the other companies would mean the world to us.”
The cast of Launch Day (Love Stories from the Year 2108) includes Margaret Carr, Gabriel Carden, Amaria Jackson, Ebony Wesley, Jessica Briana Kelly, DeAnthony Mays, Sam Hodo, Brandy Johnson, Kazarious Brown, Mileidy Crespo-Jones, Hallie Grace Hamner, and Steven Yates.
To protect the integrity of the performance and adjudication process, no one will be admitted after each performance starts. Audience members are therefore strongly encouraged to arrive at least 30 minutes early in case there are last-minute adjustments to the performance schedule and/or unanticipated traffic or other delays. Tickets and ACT memberships are non-refundable.
Tickets are on sale now. Tickets to individual performances are $10.00 each, and seating for each show is general admission. Those who would like to attend three or more performances may purchase an annual membership in the Alabama Conference of Theatre (ACT) for $25, which includes admission to all ACTFest events, including a series of three educational workshops about various aspects of theatrical production. For the first time this year, ACTFest will also include individual events (IEs) in solo acting, solo musical theatre, group acting, and group musical theatre. For more information about ACT and membership dues and requirements, visit www.altheatre.org or call 205.483.2282.
For tickets to individual performances and more details, click here or call 205.391.2277.
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Theatre Tuscaloosa is a 501c3 not-for-profit community theatre located on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College. Theatre Tuscaloosa has been enriching the greater Tuscaloosa community since 1971 through quality theatrical productions and educational outreach.
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