Responding

THE GOALS FOR RESPONDING TO BOTH ASSOCIATE AND PARTICIPATING ENTRIES:

To celebrate and explore the theatrical process through the benefit of a response from a reasonably objective colleague.

To recognize excellence in college theatre by providing opportunities for showcases, commendations and events for both student and faculty theatre artists.

YOU ARE NOT OFFERING A REVIEW OR A CRITIQUE, BUT A RESPONSE.

New Respondents/ Trainings

If you are new to responding or a seasoned pro, please make sure that you watch the training videos below

We will be offering online training for respondents early fall and in-person training at the January festival. New respondents or those who have not responded in awhile should plan to attend a training session.

Respondent Sign-up

We couldn’t provide responses without our dedicated volunteer respondents. Please sign-up here. Don’t worry, we will arrange for training and the opportunity to shadow a respondent if needed.

Sign Up Here

Respondent Forms

KCACTF Region II On-Line Response Form

This form is to be filled out for both Associate and Participating Responses. Please note, this form has chaged as of August 2022.

Fill Out Form

KCACTF Region II On-Line Reimbursement Form

This form is to be used for items such as gas to a response.

New Fall 2022, consider donating back your expenses to the Region. As a qualifying non-profit, this is a tax deductible donation per IRS Regulations. Check the donation option and we will mail you a letter shortly after festival each year for your records.

Fill Out Form

Training Videos

Process/Timeline/Things to consider

Initiate contact with the director of the production or the designated contact person.
Confirm the date and time of the performance with the director in a timely fashion. Make sure you share the best contact numbers for respondent and a contact from the institution for the day of performance
Get clear travel directions to campus and to the theatre.
KCACTF reimburses your travel expenses upon receipt of your online expense report including listing the Irene Ryan nominees and student designer information. The host school can expect to arrange and pay for lodging if you need to spend the night.
Many schools invite you to dinner beforehand, giving you an opportunity to engage in collegial conversation.
Determine the location, time and format of the oral response session.
Determine if there are student designers on the production. All student designers are automatically eligible to participate in the design competitions. Encourage those students to go to the Design and Tech area of the website and register their designs. They do not require a nomination from the respondent.
Complete Anti-Bias Training

Remind the company about the dates and location of the Regional Festival, and encourage all to attend regardless of whether or not their work is selected for presentation. Use the Festival 55 Cheat Sheet as needed.
Respect the work the company has done in your response.
DON’T – talk about how you directed or would have directed the production.
DO – make the response session a conversation about the work by asking and inviting questions, as well as articulating your response.
Discuss the Irene Ryan nomination(s) with the director of the production. The director may nominate one eligible individual. The respondent may nominate up to one additional student for an associate production, or two for a participating production if they are truly exceptional. You are not obligated to nominate any additional Ryan candidates.
DON’T discuss if you are going to select the show to go to Festival (if Participating) or who you are considering for COM’s. In the past institutions have had feelings hurt when a respondent has over promised.
NEW- In order to encourage students to participate in festival we are asking respondents to capture student e-mails in nominating for Ryans, MTI, DTM or if there is a student director or dramaturg.

Submit the Response Form.
Complete the Reimbursement form. Consider donating back the expenses. You will receive a letter showing all of your donations for the previous tax year, after the festival in January.
Consider nominations for Certificate of Merit if warranted and include them in your report to the regional chair.
A thank you note to the host school is a nice courtesy.

There is the occasional problem of the “bad” host—one who offers a respondent little or no hospitality. Some respondents have reported not even being greeted at the site. Again, let us know so we can address the problem. Host and respondent should be in contact well before the date determined for the visit to work out details of hospitality. You should receive an invitation to a meal prior to the performance. Not only is a road-weary colleague needing to eat, it provides a great opportunity for collegial exchange and may help frame the oral response session. If a respondent needs to stay overnight, it is the host school’s obligation to provide lodging.

If you feel the behavior needs to be relayed to Regional Leadership, please send an e-mail or contact Cassie King, Chair.