The Rotary Club of Pottstown has teamed up with the support of the Steel River Playhouse and The High Street Music Company to sponsor a special talent competition.

The Rotary Club is seeking students from grades 9 through 12 to participate in the competition, which will be held Nov. 9. There will be three performance categories in which students can compete – vocal, instrumental and acting. Please submit your completed Entry Form NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 15, 2012.

Students from Pottstown and all of the surrounding school districts, public, private and parochial schools are eligible and invited to participate in this event. Entry is free.

The Rotary Club is offering a $1,000 scholarship to the winner in each category. Honorable mention awards sponsored by the Steel River Playhouse and the High Street Music Company will also be presented.

For an application and the performing guidelines, please go to The Rotary Club of Pottstown’s website at: www.pottstownrotary.org. You can also see the details below. Please submit your completed Entry Form NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 15, 2012.

PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Pottstown

Nov. 2, 2012through Nov. 9, 2012

For Students in Grades 9 through 12

ELIGIBILITY

The scholarship competition is open to all students in Grades 9 through 12, including homeschoolers of applicable age.

HOW TO ENTER/DEADLINES

Audition appointments are strongly encouraged by submission of your Entry Form no later than October 15, 2012 to: Pottstown Rotary Club, Performing Arts Competition, P. O. Box 20, Parkerford, PA. 19457-9905. Walk-ins will be seen during Preliminary Auditions only, if time allows. All entrants much submit a completed Entry Form, including parent/legal guardian signature if under 18, in order to participate in the competition.

AWARDS

$1,000 Instrumental Music Scholarship

$1,000 Vocal Scholarship

$1,000 Drama Scholarship.

Runner-Ups will receive prized sponsored by the Steel River Playhouse (formerly Tri-PAC ) and High Street Music.

Note: Scholarship money must be used for performing arts education with any private instructor, group class, summer camp program, or college coursework.

DATES/TIMES/LOCATION

Both the Preliminary Auditions and Finals will be held at the Steel River Playhouse (formerly Tri-County Performing Arts Center), 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

Audition appointments are strongly encouraged and will be assigned after submission of your Entry Form.  Walk-ins will be seen during Preliminary Auditions only, if time allows. After completion of the Preliminary Auditions, a select number of entrants will be invited to participate in the Public Presentation to compete for scholarships and other awards.

All entrants are invited to attend the Public Presentation free of charge, and will have the opportunity to receive direct feedback from the evaluators immediately following the event.

Preliminary Auditions (Entrants need only be present at one of the specified days for audition):

Friday, November 2, 2012 (4:00 – 7:00 pm)

Saturday, November 3, 2012 (2:30 – 6:00 pm)

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 (6:00 – 9:00 pm)

Public Presentation (Finals): Friday, November 9, 2012 (7:00 – 10:00 pm)

Admission $8

Note: admission is free of charge for all students who participated in the competition, and for children age 12 and under.

COMPETITION CATEGORIES AND REQUIREMENTS

The scholarship competition is open to solo artists only; no group numbers please. Rules for each category are listed below. All entrants may bring a headshot or recent photo, or we will take your photo on arrival. You may also bring a typed resume listing your training and experience, although this is not required. BE PREPARED FOR AN INTERVIEW IN THEIR PRELIMINARY AUDITION, AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE DIRECTION TO SEE IF YOU CAN LISTEN AND ARE DIRECTABLE.

ocal: Perform 32 bars (not including intro measures) of a ballad from any musical genre/style (e.g., Broadway, jazz, pop, country, classical); however, be prepared to perform more if requested by the evaluators. Your selection must be memorized.  You may bring your own accompanist. Alternatively, a CD player will be available to you. If using the accompanist, bring one copy of your sheet music in the correct key, with all cuts or repetitions clearly marked.  If using a CD player or other electronic devices, you may bring a track with instrumental music only (no vocals). A cappella singing is not permitted. Recommended: bring a second copy of your sheet music for the evaluators.

Acting: Perform 1 contemporary monologue of any type, memorized, maximum of 90 seconds. Please do not perform works of Shakespeare or his friends (contemporaries). Hand props are permitted but no full costumes or set pieces. 2 chairs will be available for use (please don’t stand on or throw the chairs as part of your presentation). Be prepared to answer questions about your monologue.

Instrumental: Perform 32 bars of music from any genre/style; however, be prepared to play more if requested by the evaluators. Your selection must be memorized. Although only the soloist will be evaluated, you may bring up to 2 additional instrumentalists as accompaniment for your solo work, or you may bring a music track. No vocals are permitted and any instrumental accompaniment must be a different instrument than that of the soloist. A CD player and a 2-plug outlet will be made available.

EVALUATION PROCESS

 Preliminary Auditions: Entrants will be evaluated during the preliminary auditions by instructors and staff of the Steel River Playhouse (formerly Tri-County Performing Arts Center) and High Street Music using a standardized evaluation form, in order to determine who will progress to the Final Presentations. Rooms will be provided for you to warm up and change your clothes, if needed. Preliminary auditions are closed to the public. Finalists will be announced via email or website posting upon completion of the all Preliminary Auditions, no later than Thursday morning, November 8, 2012. All entrants are encouraged to attend the Final Presentations to support their fellow students, receive direct feedback and written evaluations, and enjoy a special reception in honor of their participation in the competition.

Final Presentations: Finalists will perform their complete audition pieces for the public and for evaluators on Friday, November 9, 2012, starting at 7:00 pm. Finalists are asked to report no later than 6:00 pm that evening, to prepare. Rooms will be provided for you to warm up and change your clothes, if needed. Presentations will be grouped in the following order: (1) instrumental, (2) monologue, and (3) vocal. Finalists must perform the same piece and wear the same attire as presented during the Preliminary Auditions. Evaluators for the Final Presentation may include the Steel River Playhouse (formerly Tri-PAC ) and High Street Music instructors and staff, and/or may include other professional artists and instructors from the area. There will be a brief intermission after each category of finalists, so that evaluators may confer. Scholarships winners for all categories will be announced at the end of the evening, after all finalists have presented their work.

PREPARATION AND AUDITION TIPS

• What you wear matters! Think about how your outfit enhances your overall presentation.
• Choose material that is appropriate for your age and prepare thoroughly. Seek assistance from your teachers, choir and band directors, or others in the community who can provide help.
• Actors – make sure your monologue is from a published work, and read the complete work to understand the context. Do not use a teen monologue book.
• Vocalists – choose work that sits well within your vocal range and shows your best singing technique.
• When entering the room, wait until the evaluators have completed their notes from the prior candidate before introducing yourself and your piece. Vocalists and Instrumentalists should confer with the accompanist or set up their CD or instrumental accompaniment immediately upon entering the room, in order to be completely set up before addressing the evaluators.
• When performing, don’t look directly at the evaluators (it can make them uncomfortable). They will be listening and taking notes, and are not part of your performance.
• Don’t offer to shake the hand of the accompanist or evaluators unless they offer it first.
• Once the audition is over, thank the evaluators and the accompanist before leaving the room.

On-line Assistance: Please take a look at these websites and research others to learn more about selecting audition material and audition etiquette. Also you can check out sheet music websites to find music for your song choice (make sure it’s in the right key!), and can find a variety of karaoke instrumental tracks on Youtube.

http://theatre.psu.edu/programs/mt/auditiontips

http://www.drama.cmu.edu/news/view/67

http://youngadults.about.com/od/collegeprep/a/auditions.htm

http://www.oberlin.edu/career/students/documents/AuditionsGuide6.09.pdf

Application below:

Please print and submit your completed Entry Form NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 15, 2012 to: 

Pottstown Rotary Club, Performing Arts Competition, P. O. Box 20, Parkerford, PA. 19457-9905.  

ROTARY CLUB OF POTTSTOWN

PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

ENTRY FORM

Nov. 2, 2012through Nov. 9, 2012

For Students in Grades 9 through 12

Competition Category: Please check the talent category(ies) in which you wish to compete. Refer to Competition rules for a complete understanding of the categories before selecting.

Brief Description of Your Talent and Skills: (for example, type of instrument, number of years, type of training and performance experience, if any:

Audition Date: Preliminary Auditions take place Friday, November 2, 2012 (4:00 – 7:00 pm), Saturday, November 3, 2012 (2:30 – 6:00 pm), and Wednesday, November 7, 2012 (6:00 – 9:00 pm) at the Steel River Playhouse, 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA . There are a limited number of audition slots for each category. Audition appointments are strongly encouraged by submission of your Entry Form no later than October 15, 2012. Walk-ins will be seen during Preliminary Auditions only, if time allows.

Please indicate your 1^st and 2^nd choice for an audition date and time (allow for at least 1 hour of availability in case of audition delays). You will be notified of your audition time by email.

Note: the Public Presentation (Finals) will take place Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 (7:00 – 10:00 pm) at the Steel River Playhouse, 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA . All entrants are encouraged to attend the Final Presentations to support their fellow students, receive direct feedback and written evaluations, and enjoy a special reception in honor of their participation in the competition.

Permission to Compete (required for students under age 18):

I,                                                                             as parent/legal guardian of the above-named minor, do hereby give my permission for said minor to participate in the Rotary of Pottstown Performing Arts Scholarship Competition.

Representation and Release: By signing below (or by Parent or Legal Guardian signing below, in the case of a minor, on both the Parent’s or Legal Guardian’s as well as the minor child’s behalf), I agree to the following:

In consideration of the Rotary Club of Pottstown, the Steel River Playhouse (formerly Village Productions (Tri-PAC), and High Street Music (separately and collectively referred to as the “Parties”) allowing me to compete in the Rotary Club of Pottstown Performing Arts Scholarship Competition (the “Event”), I hereby agree to release, indemnify and hold harmless the Parties (and their officers, employees, agents, volunteers, and Board members), from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, losses or expenses, including attorneys’ fees, and including any injury to myself or another party, associated with my participation in the Event (including but not limited to those arising in connection with use of any facilities, as well as those arising from a third party due to my own conduct). I hereby authorize the Parties to use any photographs and/or media recordings in which I appear, for any purpose including but not limited to promotional purposes and release via the internet and/or other media outlets, without further notice, permission, or compensation. I hereby grant the Parties (and their officers, employees, agents, volunteers, independent contractors, and Board members), permission, in their discretion, to release medical information to the program staff or others deemed necessary and in my interests, and to seek and authorize emergency medical treatment for me, and I hereby agree to assume all medical costs incurred. I hereby agree to abide by all the rules of this competition, and acknowledge that all decisions of the Evaluators are final.  I further agree that if any part of this agreement is found by a court or other appropriate authority to be invalid, the remainder of the agreement nevertheless will remain in full force and effect. I further acknowledge that I have read and understood this Representation and Release, and voluntarily agree to be legally bound by its terms.

Please submit your completed Entry Form NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 15, 2012 to: 

Pottstown Rotary Club, Performing Arts Competition, P. O. Box 20, Parkerford, PA. 19457-9905.