2026 IOWA THESPIAN FESTIVAL - Mainstage Application

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Fill out this form completely and submit by 5:00 p.m., June 19, 2026. The Iowa Thespian Board will meet to vote on mainstage shows following the deadline and will contact troupe directors as soon as a decision has been made.

Mainstage Guidelines:
- Schools will not be allowed to present a mainstage show at two consecutive Iowa Festivals.

- Directing a studio show at Festival is not a prerequisite to applying for a mainstage slot.

- Iowa Thespians does not coordinate adjudication for International Thespian Festival. Interested schools/directors will need to coordinate with the EdTA national office.

- All mainstage show content must be appropriate for a high school audience.

- If selected, the director of your production will need to complete a performance contract (complete with technical packet and details) and may elect to attend an on-site meeting with the technical staff at the University of Northern Iowa during the month of October to finalize all technical and load-in/load-out details. We're here to make this experience as smooth as possible for you and your students!

- If selected, the director of your production will need to provide a certificate of completion of the NFHS Understanding Copyright And Compliance online training.

If you have questions about the mainstage application, please contact mainstage coordinator Tom Stephens at tstephens@mvcsd.org

Email *

School *

Troupe # *

Production Title *

Genre *

Musical

Comedic Play

Dramatic Play

Other:

Brief Synopsis of Play/Musical: *

(100 words or less; may be used in the festival program)

Author/Composer: *

Publisher: *

Estimated Performance Length: *

Number of Acts: *

Intermission(s) Needed: *

Please describe how many and how long.

Troupe Director Name: *

Please give the name of the director of this production if he/she is NOT the troupe director.

Director Email Address: *

Director Cell Phone Number: *

Would your production be able to accommodate a load-in time of two hours or less? *

All load-in times are variable based on festival schedule and performance space requirements. Some performance slots will necessitate a shorter load-in time than others.

Yes, our production could accommodate a load-in time of less than two hours.

No, our production will need more than 2 hours of load-in time.

Other:

Did your school perform on the main stage at last year's festival? *

No.

Yes. We are ineligible to bid on a mainstage slot.

Please note: You must provide proof of paid royalties prior to the Iowa Festival. *

The performing group must pay all royalties and production fees. Some publishers may waive royalties for a performance at a festival (it advertises the show), if a written request is made to the publisher.

I am aware that proof of royalty payment is required and must be submitted before performing at festival.

Required

The use of any recording device (including but not limited to cellular phones, cameras, and audio recorders) is strictly prohibited by law and by our licensing agreements with the publishers. Any unauthorized photography or recording of a mainstage performance may result in the removal of the patron from the theater and/or a limit on the troupe's future Festival participation.

I acknowledge that I have read all of the above mainstage requirements and restrictions, and the information I have provided is true and accurate.

Required

A copy of your responses will be emailed to the address you provided.

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