Festival Mondiale? Mon Dieu!

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Marianna Wells
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1 Festival Mondiale? Mon Dieu! (Note: You have not accidentally received the French version of WACT News) In 1957 the first World Festival of Amateur Theatre (Le Festival Mondiale du Théâtre Amateur) was held in the principality of Monaco under the high patronage of Their Serene Highnesses Prince Ranier and Princess Grace. The World Festival of Amateur Theatre was, and is, the official competition of the International Amateur Theatre Association (IATA). Amateur is used in this context of to love ; thus, an amateur is one who does something for love and pleasure rather than for monetary remuneration. The typical American definition of amateur, implying a relative lack of skill, is not accepted by IATA. While IATA handles the international aspects, the festival itself is an almost entirely Monégasque production organized by the Studio de Monaco, home of the Cercle Artistique Monégasque d Amateurs de Théâtre. This year the International Amateur Theatre Association will be holding its World Theatre Congress in Monaco July 28 August 6, This world theatre meeting is the largest gathering of community/amateur theatre people from all over the world. It is an open festival with performances from approximately twentysix different countries of the world. The United States will be represented with a production of I Love You, You re Perfect, Now Change from Tacoma Musical Playhouse in Tacoma, Washington. Other performances will be from Germany, Italy, Cameroon, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Japan, South Africa, Ireland, Russia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Slovakia just to name a few. Frank Peot, WACT s Vice President, will again be one of the official delegates to the congress as a representative of the United States. Other official US delegates include George Crepeau (Ohio), Roger Ellis (Michigan), Shirley Harbin (Michigan), Tim Jebsen (Texas), and John Sullivan (Iowa). These six delegates will meet in congress with representatives from approximately forty-six other countries of the world to discuss common issues related to community/amateur theatres worldwide. It promises to be an exciting, enlightening, and worthwhile experience for everyone. It is a place where many countries of the world meet together, all speaking the common language of amateur theatre US Attendees: Roger Ellis, Alyson Brown, Shirley Harbin, George Crepeau, Frank Peot, Janice Weigen, Ross Rowland, Linda Ylvisaker WACT News June, Page 1

State and regional festivals have chosen the following productions to perform at AACTFest 05 in Kalamazoo, Michigan: National AACTFest 05 AACTFest is the national theatre festival of the American

Leading up to the national festival there have been more than forty state festivals, and eleven regional festivals.

2 State and regional festivals have chosen the following productions to perform at AACTFest 05 in Kalamazoo, Michigan: National AACTFest 05 AACTFest is the national theatre festival of the American Association of Community Theatre. The 2005 national festival is being held in Kalamazoo, Michigan, June 14-18, 2005, it is the final festival in an almost two year long festival cycle. Leading up to the national festival there have been more than forty state festivals, and eleven regional festivals. Advancing companies have been selected to proceed at the state and regional levels and will now perform and be adjudicated at the national festival. The five day festival consists of performances, workshops, parties, and meetings where community theatre people have the opportunity to see some of the best community theatre in the nation, learn from top notch theatre experts, and make contacts with other theatre enthusiasts from all over the country. AACTFest began as the Festival of American Community Theatres (FACT) in It was originally designed as a mechanism for the United States to select a representative to the World Theatre Congress held in Monaco every four years. It has evolved into a much larger festival held every two years across the United Stages. The principal purpose is to provide a means to affirm, support, and nurture community theatre companies as they strive toward excellence. Acme Theater Productions (Maynard MA) Lonely Planet The Hard Bargain Players (White Plains, MD) Xphiles Unrequited River City Family Theatre (Elhart, IN) Nunsense A-men Manatee Players (Bradenton, FL) Metamorphoses Delta Center Stage (Green Ville, MS) The Glider Theatre Cedar Rapids (Cedar Rapids, IA) Boy on Blacktop Road Slightly Off Center Players (Deer Park, TX) All in the Timing Bas Bleu Theatre (Fort Collins, Co) Beast on the Moon Prescott Fine Arts Association (Prescott, AZ) It Had To Be You Bellingham Theatre Guild (Bellingham, WA) Sons of a Common Mother Roadside Theater (Armed Forces Europe) Suburb Festivals are wonderful opportunities to meet new people, see new productions, and learn innumerable things to take back to your own community theatre. It s not too late to register for the festival at The entire festival cycle follows a format prescribed by AACT through the AACTFest Handbook. Each producing company is allowed to present any performance of a theatrical nature. Companies have ten minutes to set their stage, sixty minutes to perform, and ten minutes to strike back to a bare stage. Following each performance the adjudicators publicly critique the performance they have just witnessed. WACT News June, Page 2 WACT News is published quarterly by the Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre for its members and is annually distributed to an expanded list of known community theatre organizations and interested individuals. Publication dates are March, June, September (expanded list) and December. Volume 3, Number Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre All Rights Reserved

Coming Soon(er than you think) If you haven't already, mark your calendars for WACTFest 2006. This "off-year" festival/conference will be held in Beaver Dam February 24-26.

Saturday will be a day of workshops, adjudicated performances, socializing and networking with other theatre enthusiasts. Sunday we will wrap things up with a business meeting and brunch.

3 Coming Soon(er than you think) If you haven't already, mark your calendars for WACTFest This "off-year" festival/conference will be held in Beaver Dam February A full weekend of theatre is being planned, including a special performance of THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (abridged) presented by the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre on Friday night. Saturday will be a day of workshops, adjudicated performances, socializing and networking with other theatre enthusiasts. Sunday we will wrap things up with a business meeting and brunch. The festival will also host the Region III annual meeting. Reserve this weekend now and join us for a great time in Beaver Dam. If your theatre would like to volunteer to perform, or if you would like more information on this event, please contact one of the festival chairs: Carla Gallun (920) qtsfam@sbcglobal.net Deb Jahnke (920) say.hi2us@charter.net set (a rather large one consisting of flats, furniture and set dressings), but will have one custom built at the Town Hall Theatre. The two-man play tells the intense story of a recently widowed, eighty-five year old man and a twenty-nine year old man who become close friends while helping each other with deep, personal problems. Joining the Racine Theatre Guild in Dundalk for the eleven day festival will be ten other companies from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Germany. In addition to the adjudicated festival, each company will present a half-hour, lunch-time entertainment. The Guild's male members are presently rehearsing a series of Broadway melodies under the title of "6 EDJITS FOOSETING AROUND WITH A BROADWAY SONGBOOK." Their renditions are sure to be a great hit, especially with real Guinness in plentiful supply. The Guild company returns to the United States on Monday, June 6. Mr. Green Goes to Ireland Members of the Racine Theatre Guild left Friday, Dundalk May 27 for the Dundalk International Maytime Festival where they have been invited to present the full production of "Visiting Mr. Green" written by Jeff Baron. A "cut" version was presented at the WACT state festival this past winter, taking home excellence awards in acting and set design. Thanks to the Dundalk Festival sponsors, the Guild will not have to ship its In Community Theatre there are no strangers, only friends you haven t met yet. WACT News June, Page 3

Word Search On April 8 th, the Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa got their act together and took it on the road to represent Wisconsin at the Region III AACTFest in Grosse Pointe Michigan.

4 Word Search On April 8 th, the Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa got their act together and took it on the road to represent Wisconsin at the Region III AACTFest in Grosse Pointe Michigan. The troupe didn t make it past registration before running into old friends and making new ones. Friday night saw everyone gathered at the Fries Auditorium in the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, a beautiful facility on the shore of Lake Erie. The evening progressed with a production of The Laramie Project by the Emerald City Players of Dublin, Ohio and the Elkhart (Indiana) Civic Theatre s production of Cabin Fever. As would also be the case after Saturday night s performances, the evening ended with an afterglow at Grosse Pointe Theatre s rehearsal/production facility a few blocks away. Saturday afternoon the performances continued with Nunsense A-men from the River City Family Theatre of Elkhart, Indiana and Proof by the Rosedale Community Players from Detroit, Michigan. Saturday evening began with the Wisconsin entry of Two Rooms by the Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa and closing out the festival performances was Unveiling presented by Southwest Theatre & Arts Resources from Chicago, Illinois. Sunday morning the awards brunch took place back at the War Memorial Center s Crystal Ballroom where Nunsense A-men was selected to go on to the national festival. Want Ads Little Shop of Horrors The Redbud Players of Columbus are looking to borrow, rent, or purchase the following props for their fall 2005 production of Little Shop of Horrors: Dentist Chair Audrey II (all sizes but especially the largest) If you can help out please contact Carla Gallun at (920) or 4qtsfam@sbcglobal.net We will publish want ads for any WACT member. Send requests to: ruhllc@mail.milwaukee.k12.wi.us L E A D T C O S T U M E H E T Q B L M S C R I P T P A R T Y O C U E I O U I C S C E N E K B L R R R E B O O B L O C K I N G P E F I W R Y R S U R O H C N F T W A C T O R A N O X J R U I M H P R S H I O E L E V E R C T T G H C E E L C S G P E T O N H G I H E A A C A S T A Z R L I N E L D O G T G A P F A N O G G U P S T A G E I M O R S R A D I R E C T O R R C A R S C R I M A S F L Y R A I L R P U E K A M E N T O P L A Y R D E W A N G P D G C R S E S K R N O I T I D U A I A E I V F R E S N E L V E N N Y T T R K E A R D T S A E G A E G A T S O E C N E I D U A G O R E V I E W ACTOR AUDITION BLOCKING CHORUS CREW CUE DIRECTOR DRAMA FLYRAIL GEL HIGHNOTE LIGHTPLOT MAKEUP PARTY PLAY PROPS REVIEW SCRIM SET STAGEMANAGER STAR THEATER UPSTAGE WING AUDIENCE BEER CAST COSTUME CRITIC DANCER DIVA FARCE FRESNEL GREENROOM LEAD LINE ORCHESTRA PIT PLAYBILL RAKED SCENE SCRIPT STAGE STAGERIGHT STRIKE TICKETS WACT WACT News June, Page 4

5 Upcoming WACT Member Productions May 20-June 12, 2005 The Music Man Racine Theatre Guild June 17-25, 2005 Seussical, The Musical Verona Area Community Theater June 17-26, 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory La Crosse Community Theatre June 21-25, 2005 Seussical, The Musical Eau Claire Children's Theatre July 8, 10, 15-17, 22-24, 2005 Oliver! Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa July 14-15, 2005 Tales from the Brothers Grimm Eau Claire Children's Theatre July 15-24, 2005 Packer Fans from Outer Space Racine Theatre Guild July 15-31, 2005 The Secret Garden Lake Country Players, Hartland July 26-30, 2005 Oklahoma Eau Claire Children's Theatre September 9-October 2, 2005 The Affections of May Racine Theatre Guild October 21-30, 2005 The Assassin's New Friend Racine Theatre Guild Nov 25-Dec 18, 2005 Scrooge - The Musical Racine Theatre Guild January 13-February 5, 2006 Weekend Comedy Racine Theatre Guild February 24-March 19, 2006 The Supporting Cast Racine Theatre Guild April 21-30, 2006 Anne Frank & Me Racine Theatre Guild May 19-June 11, 2006 Lucky Stiff Racine Theatre Guild WACT Membership Application Please fill in the information below and mail this form with your check (payable to WACT) to: WACT/LaCrosse Community Theatre P. O. Box 1852 LaCrosse, WI I have enclosed: $15.00 Individual Dues $50.00 Organizational Dues Name: Address City/State/Zip Home Phone Cell Phone Business Phone Name of Theatre Group

6 2005 WACT Board of Directors President Bob Kafka 2418 N. 111 th Street #2 Wauwatosa, WI (414) Vice-President Frank Peot 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue Sun Proairi, WI (608) Secretary Lynn Ruhl 3528 South Toldt Circle Milwaukee, WI (414) Treasurer Dee Baldock 6394 Grandview Road Verona, WI (608) Member at Large Carla Gallun 223 East Maple Avenue Beaver Dam, WI (920) Member at Large Mark Holten 496 Todd Street Verona, WI (608) Member at Large Dick Jellings 825 Lothe Street Sun Prairie, WI (608) Member at Large Elaine Jellings 825 Lothe Street Sun Prairie, WI (608) Member at Large Marie Peterson W11888 Behan Road Columbus, WI (920) Member at Large Jeannie Pitsch 1605 Heide Lane Marshfield, WI (715) Member at Large Russ Stetler 3315 Ruby Avenue Racine, WI (262) Executive Secretary Sandi Weber PO Box 1852 La Crosse, WI (608) Wisconsin Association of Community Theatre PO Box 1852 La Crosse, WI 54602

Two Rooms Advances to Regional Competition

Two Rooms Advances to Regional Competition The Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa s production of Lee Blessing s Two Rooms was selected to advance to the AACTFest regional competition at Wisconsin s 2005 AACTFest.