Texas Youth Play Festival June 1-4, 2006
Info for: Performers, Crew, Siblings, and Parents
PERFORMERS
Enroll in classes and the festival
For EASY Theatre YOUTH PERFORMERS ages 10-19. 

This is a great opportunity for the music/dance or Austin.Com...edy students to continue to perform and meet other youth performers from around the state. 

After the performances at the Dougherty Arts Theatre in May, we will cut the show for time during the following week, then performing a 40 minute cutting of Austin.Com...edy at the a Texas youth theatre festival, June 1-4, 2006. 

The students will perform along with 14 other youth companies from around the state.  This year the festival site is at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, just east of Houston.

The $60 festival fee covers:

  • Festival entry and performance fees
  • Six workshops taught by theatre professionals
  • Tickets to all Festival performances
  • Parties and social events
  • Sunday Awards Brunch
What is not covered is room and board during the festival.  See parent info below.

What you can expect during the festival:

  • Thursday afternoon official kickoff, pizza party, and evening performances 
  • Friday and Saturday morning workshops with theatre instructors from around the state.*
  • Campus lunch at a (reasonable catered price).  The students may also leave campus for lunch with their parents, a chaperone, or alone (with prior parental permission).
  • Afternoon performances and critiques*
  • Dinner on you own
  • Evening performances and critiques*
  • Social events
In addition there is:
  • One scheduled rehearsal to familiarize performers with the San Jacinto College stage and theater.*
  • Saturday evening party with the festival participants.
  • Sunday Brunch and Award Ceremony to announce the recipients of the All Star Cast and Backstage Awards. 
* While at the conference. the cast is expected to attend six scheduled workshops, other companies' performances (when age appropriate), and a rehearsal.  Other festival events are optional.
CREW
Enroll in classes and the festival
For EASY Theatre youth CREW MEMBERS between the ages of 12-19. 

Crew will rehearse with the cast in Austin

  • May 4 from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.
  • May 11 and 18 from 10:00 - 3:00 p.m.
  • Plus dress rehearsal and performance at the Dougherty Arts Theatre in Austin at the end of May. (Date TBA)
  • Plus cutting rehearsal and dress rehearsal prior to going to the Festival
  • Festival dates June 1-4, 2006
This year the festival site is at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, just east of Houston.

The $60 festival fee covers:

  • Festival entry and performance fees
  • Six workshops taught by theatre professionals
  • Tickets to all Festival performances
  • Parties and social events
  • Sunday Awards Brunch
What is not covered is room and board during the festival.  See parent info below.

What you can expect during the festival:

  • Thursday afternoon official kickoff, pizza party, and evening performances
  • Friday and Saturday morning workshops with theatre instructors from around the state.*
  • Campus lunch at a (reasonable catered price).  The students may also leave campus for lunch with their parents, a chaperone, or alone (with prior parental permission).
  • Afternoon performances and critiques*
  • Dinner on you own
  • Evening performances and critiques*
  • Social events
In addition there is:
  • One scheduled rehearsal to familiarize performers and crew with the San Jacinto College stage and theater.*
  • Saturday evening party with the festival participants.
  • Sunday Brunch and Award Ceremony to announce the recipients of the All Star Cast and Backstage Awards. 
* While at the conference. the crew is expected to attend scheduled workshops, performances (when age appropriate), and a rehearsal.  Other festival events are optional.
SIBLINGS
Enroll in classes and the festival
For the SIBLINGS (ages 6-11) of EASY Theatre Festival performers who are attending the festival with their parents.

This years Festival is at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, just east of Houston.

The $60 festival fee covers:

  • Organizational meeting
  • Six age-appropriate workshops taught by theatre professionals
  • Tickets to all Festival performances
  • Parties and social events
  • Sunday Awards Brunch
What is not covered is room and board during the festival.  See parent info below.

What you can expect during the festival:

  • Morning Workshops with theatre instructors from around the state.
  • Campus lunch at a (reasonable catered price).  The students may also leave campus for lunch with their parents, or a chaperone (with prior parental permission).
  • Afternoon performances
  • Dinner on you own
  • Evening performances
  • Back to your accommodations for the night to rest up so you can begin the whole process again the next day.
In addition there is:
  • Saturday evening party with the festival participants.
  • Sunday Brunch and Award Ceremony to announce the recipients of the All Star Cast and Backstage Awards. 
  • Since the children will be participating under the EASY Theatre banner, there will be one mandatory organizational meeting for the siblings and parents prior to the festival. 
While at the festival registered siblings' attendance to age appropriate shows and workshops is optional.
PARENTS One reason that this theatre festival and conference workshop is so reasonably priced is because parents make arrangements for their lodging, meals, transportation, and are responsible for getting their children to and from the festival events.

We've taken EASY Theatre Youth Troupes and plays to this wonderful festival in the past.  Parents found it preferable to arrange their own accommodations.  This ranged from camping, staying with relatives, and sharing hotel rooms with other participants.  Traditionally most of our Youth Troupe parents attend the festival with their children, or vacation in the same city while their children attend the festival.  By giving families the ability to make their own accommodation arrangements and keep their children with them, allows families to control their expenses.  Where the children stay is almost immaterial, since almost all their time is spent at festival events.

Parents and non-participating family members may purchase tickets to individual performance blocks, or a festival pass.  They may also purchase tickets to the Awards Ceremony and Brunch on Sunday. 

Parents will be given info on the age appropriateness of each play and will choose which shows they wish their children to see.  Directors, cast, and crew sit together during shows.  Parents, guests, and siblings may also sit with us.  If your child isn't attending a show, they need to be with you.  In the past there has been one show per year which contained themes which I felt were appropriate for my teen, but not my younger child.  I left my teen with the other director, and took my younger child back to the hotel for a nap and a swim.

In the past the amount of parental involvement has ranged from sending their child to the campus with another parent and attending only their child's show, all the way to staying with and guiding their child to each workshop, meal, and play.  Often it depends on the age of the child and the wishes of the parent.  For example:  My teen (like most of the participants there) got himself to all his classes, plays, rehearsal, and meals; while I took my 5 year old to all her events.

Page up for info.

Companies at last year's festival
National Endowment for the Arts
Texas Commision on the ArtsTexans for the Arts
EASY Theatre's Home Page Home page of john daniels, jr.