Students

Regional nominees and award-winners receive further information and a link to an online form, which must be filled out shortly following the Regional Festival. 

Travel
The KCACTF National Office books and pays for round-trip transportation to D.C. for all students coming to the National Festival. Flights typically arrive by mid-day on Tuesday and depart on Saturday. (Some disciplines may have different schedules, depending on the year.) 

Hotel
KCACTF provides hotel for all students during the National Festival. Most students will be in double rooms, with one roommate. The hotels are within walking distance of the Kennedy Center, or staff will arrange for shuttle service. 

Per Diem
Students receive a per diem of $60/day for each full day of the National Festival, and $30/day for travel days. Per Diem checks are mailed to students in advance. 

Schedule
While at the National Festival, students spend their days in master classes and discussions with professional theatre artists, attending concert readings of award-winning plays, and visiting D.C. theatres. Each discipline has its own unique schedule, with some cross-over and collaboration between disciplines. The days span 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM, with lunch, dinner, and others breaks built in. 

The discipline schedules are available a couple weeks in advance of the National Festival and will be emailed to the students. 

Parents/Faculty Mentors

Parents and Faculty are welcome to attend any National Festival events that are open to the public. This includes the Irene Ryan Auditions/Musical Theatre Showcase, awards ceremonies, and play readings. Parents or Faculty interested in attending should ask their student to contact the KCACTF National Office to add their name(s) to the guest list.  

Please note that we strive to treat students as professional artists, and prefer that students contact us regarding questions about their family or faculty guests and take responsibility for communication regarding travel and their National Festival experience. 

Irene Ryan Coaches

Each Irene Ryan candidate will have an assigned twenty-minute time slot to stage and rehearse their audition on the Family Theater stage. These slots are on Thursday of the National Festival, some time between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. The candidates are allowed to invite faculty acting as their Irene Ryan coach to the staging rehearsal. This rehearsal period and the public events are open to faculty mentors, but the master classes are for participants only. The candidate should contact the KCACTF National Office in advance of the National Festival to arrange for staff to escort the coach into the Terrace Theater at the assigned time. Faculty mentors must arrange their own travel and lodging.