Las Casas - Scholarship Program: Information

The Foundation for Cultural Arts in San Antonio
LAS CASAS FOUNDATION's
2nd Annual High School Scholarship for Excellence
in the Performing Arts Competition

PURPOSE OF THE EVENT:

The Foundation's performing arts scholarship program is designed to award financial assistance to college-bound high school seniors based on their interests and abilities in the performing arts; the scholarship program is open to public and private high schools and home schools in San Antonio.

SCHOLARSHIP CATEGORIES AND AWARDS:

At this time, four (4) scholarship categories* are planned to be offered and each category will then offer five (5) placement awards*. A minimum of $60,000 in scholarship dollars is planned to be awarded. There may also be some other runner-up awards dependent on the total Scholarship Monies. One (1) alternate will be chosen for each category**.

All categories are Theatre and Musical Theatre based including the Dance.

	1st Pl.	2nd Pl.	3rd Pl	4th Pl	5th Pl
Acting-Monologue	$5,000	$3,000	$2,000	$1,500	$1,000

Vocal-Solo	$5,000	$3,000	$2,000	$1,500	$1,000

Acting or Vocal-Duet	$5,000	$3,000	$2,000	$1,500	$1,000

(This category is now combined acting and vocal duets. Scholarship awarded to each student)

***Dance-Solo $5,000 $3,000 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000
This category (no en point ballet) must be choreographed and performed to the actual music from a musical theatre production in a musical theatre style.

*Scholarship categories, number of placements and amounts distributed are subject to change as development of this event continues.
**Alternates will only perform and receive scholarship money if the finalist(s) chosen in their category cannot compete on May 16, 2010.
***New category

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, January 22, 2010
Applications and information available online at www.lascasasfoundation.org
Mail to: Las Casas Foundation, Attn: Lynn Zalcberg,
P.O. Box 15873, San Antonio, TX 78212/ 210-223-4343

STUDENT PERFORMING ARTS WORKSHOP

All students submitting an application, essay, photo and resume will be included in an optional free-of-charge performing arts group workshop held at Robert E. Lee in 2010 (exact date TBA). Hosted by professionals the group workshop will include audition basics, performance strategies, material selection advice as well as acting, vocal and dance coaching, etc.

STUDENT APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Application Process: An application per category (only two (2) per person) will be required by each student*. The student must submit a recent photo, resume and 500 word essay with each application (essay can be the same for each application). Essay to addresses only one (1) of the following questions:

How do the performing arts affect education and community?
How have you benefited from the performing arts?
How will the performing arts be a part of your future?

Selection Process: Each student who submits a competed application form, recent photo, resume and essay will be assigned a date and time for the preliminary auditions scheduled April 15-18, 2010 at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre located downtown at 226 North St. Mary’s.

Students must be graduating college-bound seniors and have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
All audition pieces must be from published plays and/or musical theatre productions. (No monologues/duets from monologue books not associated with published plays and only solo/duet musical pieces selected from legit, contemporary rock and roll, hip-hop, etc. that are associated with a published musical theatre show.)
Dance solos (no en point ballet) must be choreographed to the actual music from a musical theatre production in the style of musical theatre.
All students must slate to the panel (their name, audition time and name of their piece).

THE PRELIMINARY AUDITIONS (April 15-18, 2010) will require the following:
Vocal Music-Solo and Duet
One (1) up-tempo and one ballad song no more then thirty-two (32) bars each. A piano accompanist will be provided, you may bring your own accompanist (do not accompany yourself) or piano accompaniment on CD (no backing vocals allowed).
Acting-Solo
One (1) dramatic monologue and one (1) comic monologue no more than one (1) minute each.
Acting-Duet
One (1) dramatic or comic piece no more than three (3) minutes.
Dance-Solo
One (1) dance (no en point ballet) choreographed to actual music from a musical theatre production done in a musical theatre style no more than two (2) minute. CD accompaniment required.

THE FINALIST'S COMPETITION (May 16, 2010) will require the following:
All finalists will be required to attend a finalist's orientation.
Vocal Music-Solo and Duet
One (1) up-tempo or one (1) ballad not to exceed five (5) minutes with sheet music. An accompanist will be provided.
Acting-Solo and Duet
One (1) dramatic or one (1) comic monologue not to exceed four (4) minutes.
Dance-Solo
One (1) dance (no en point ballet) choreographed to the actual music from a musical theatre production done in a musical theatre style not to exceed four (4) minutes.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, January 22, 2010

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD PERFORMANCE COMPETITION
CHARLINE McCOMBS EMPIRE THEATRE, SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2010

A judging panel will rank each preliminary audition on a point scale; audition results will be tabulated by the Foundation.

Students receiving the five (5) highest rankings in each category for the preliminary audition will be advanced to the finalist auditions and awarded a scholarship**. There may be runner-ups and one (1) alternate finalist chosen for each category should one of five (5) highest ranked not compete on May 16, 2010.

Scholarship money will be awarded to two (2) student essays and money will also be awarded to Honorable Mentions.

*A student is defined as a college-bound graduating high school senior. Money must be used for college and should the student decide to leave college the remaining money will revert back to the Las Casas Foundation.

**Students must participate in rehearsal on May 15, 2010 and the final award competition presentation event on the evening of May 16, 2010. Rehearsal is to take place the morning of May 15, 2010. Should a student be unable to attend rehearsal or decline to participate, the opportunity to compete for the scholarship award will be offered to the alternate student(s) in each of the categories.

PERFORMANCE PRESENTATIONS AND AWARDS CEREMONY:

The final competitive performance presentations and the following awards ceremony will be held in the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre located at 226 North St. Mary’s on the evening of May 16, 2010.

Finalist judges will be selected from around San Antonio, the state and the country and represent various or all aspects of the performing arts.

Once the judge's scores have been tabulated, each of the student finalists will be presented with a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th place award and a “souvenir” check. The "Joci" award trophies will be awarded for 1st place only. The prize money cannot go directly to students; dollars will be given to the colleges in trust.