The stated mission of the Florida Theatre Conference is:
Florida Theatre Conference connects, nurtures and celebrates Florida’s diverse theatre community.
Since 1955, the Florida Theatre Conference has spoken directly to this mission by holding an annual festival for the theatre arts community in Florida. The Festival, which attracts an average of 2,400 people each year, has numerous activities sponsored by its divisions.
How to Join FTC
If you would like to join the Florida Theatre Conference, simply click on the Membership Form. The $40 membership fee is good for one year from the date of purchase.
Be sure to explore the various components of our program.
High School Division
The highlight of the festival for the High School Division is its One-Act Play Festival, where each year over twenty productions are performed. After judging, the two best are invited to the Southeast Theatre Conference’s annual spring festival. Individual awards are given out, and an All-star Cast is announced in the festival’s closing ceremonies.
High School and Transfer Auditions
In addition, high school juniors and seniors and community college students audition for as many as forty colleges and universities, as well as attend numerous workshops and activities.
Middle School Division
FTC is excited to expand the reach of our mission to include this growing educational need. The Middle School Play Festival is modeled after the Junior Thespian One-Act Play Festival – where the play festival participants will be provided with professional adjudicators, meet with the judges following the performance for direct feed-back, and present awards during the Closing Ceremonies, along with the announcement of an All-star Cast.
Theatre for Youth Division
The Theatre For Youth Division holds a Play Festival on Saturday at the annual festival. Last year, six Theatre For Youth organizations presented productions for the public. FTC provided respondents to critique the performances and meet with the groups – and awards were made during the closing ceremonies.
SETC Preliminary Auditions
College and University students seeking to move from the state of Florida auditions to the SETC auditions must register through the SETC website: setc.org
Community Theatre Division
The Community Theatre Division sponsors a Play Festival, our co-sponsor is the Florida Association of Community Theatres. FTC seeks to present four productions yearly, with the two winners of the Community Theatre Festival invited to compete at the Southeast Theatre Conference’s annual spring festival. In addition to this Festival, the Community Theatre Division has a yearly Spring Fling where members have an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from other producing organizations in the state. This is a sought after networking opportunity for the many community theatres in Florida.
DraMature Division
The DraMature Division was inaugurated with the 2012 Festival. This division provides an opportunity for senior theatrical troupes to “strut their stuff” in a cabaret setting. These shows are always lively and fast-paced.
Workshops
Every year approximately sixty-five workshops are presented at the Festival for our members. These workshops offer learning opportunities for all ages – high school and middle school students, college students, teachers, and producers. Highlights from past festivals include: jazz dancing, belting, dialect coaching, knot tying, Tech Olympics, improvisation, auditioning skills, playwriting, and an “FTC’s Got Talent!” competition.
College Fair and Vendor Expo Hall
Every year the Festival invites Colleges and Universities to participate in a College Fair, where both high school and college students and their guardians can meet to discuss continuing education opportunities in the arts. Last years attendees are listed to the left.
High School Scholarships
Each year the Florida Theatre Conference awards two scholarships during the closing ceremonies of the Festival to deserving high school students, who will be continuing their theatre education in Florida.
Inclusion Festival Showcase
This is a new showcase added to the annual Festival that aims to feature theatre groups who reach those with special needs. Groups interested in applying should contact the Executive Director at 352-792-6135for more information.
Newsletters
Members of FTC receive our e-newsletter, “Florida Theatre,” three times a year, in the early fall, spring and winter. The newsletter includes articles on organizations and people making an impact on the Florida theatre scene.
How to Join FTC
If you would like to join the Florida Theatre Conference, simply click on the Membership Form. The membership fee for 2020-2021 is $40.
Thank you for your interest in the arts in Florida, and your support for the mission of the Florida Theatre Conference.
We look forward to you joining our extended arts family.
