Illinois High School Theatre Festival

49th Annual Illinois High School Theater Festival In University of Illinois.

Schedule Of Events

39 Steps 9:30 AM 10:00 AM KCPA Studio Theatre Level 5

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre. This two-time Tony and Drama Desk Awardwinning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, 22 zany characters (played by a cast of eight), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers and some good oldfashioned romance!

A Night at Domani's 10:00 AM 11:15 AM KCPA Foellinger Great Hall

Domani's is a place you can find anywhere, in any town across the USA. Everyone has a Domani’s. That comfortable place where the smiles and greetings are friendly if it is your first visit or your 100th. Meals are familiar and each place has it’s own specialty, handed down from previous owners or from that family member with a special touch in the kitchen. These local restaurants are the lifeblood of their communities. They offer places to celebrate events, honor family and remember our pasts. In many communities, a Domani’s offers teenagers their first real job and taste of independence and give adults a steady career for their whole lives. This show is our love letter to these vital places we all know and love.

All State-The Prom 10:00 AM 12:00pm - KCPA Tryon Festival Theatre Level 5

The careers of four eccentric Broadway stars are struggling and they desperately need a new stage upon which to shine bright once more. Seeking out a cause, they head straight to small-town Indiana. Through social media, they have heard of trouble brewing around a school prom. Local girl, Emma Nolan, wants to take her girlfriend to prom but the homophobic PTA are on a mission to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow. Determined to transform lives and put themselves back in the limelight, the Broadway celebrities muscle in to change the town and give Emma the prom she deserves.

Steel Magnolias 10:00 AM 11:45pm - Lincoln Hall Theater

"Steel Magnolias" is a heartwarming yet poignant drama-comedy written by Robert Harling. Set in a smalltown beauty salon in Louisiana, the play revolves around a close-knit group of women who share their lives, joys, and sorrows in a space that serves as both a sanctuary and a stage for their emotional exchanges. The title, Steel Magnolias, is a metaphor that describes the main characters: strong, resilient women (the "steel") who also possess a delicate, feminine side (the "magnolias"). Throughout the play, the characters demonstrate remarkable inner strength, facing life's challenges—ranging from health problems to personal losses—while also displaying warmth, humor, and deep bonds of friendship.

Deadline 10:30 AM 12:00pm - Foellinger Auditorium

When eight mystery writers arrive at a legendary writer's fog-shrouded island mansion in the North Atlantic, they think they're ready for the Deadline Challenge--twenty-four restful hours to write as much of their new novel as possible. But the Deadline Challenge is anything but restful. In reality, the writers are brought together to solve a murder--the victim yet to be determined, and the killer yet to strike. If a writer can design and execute a perfect murder and get away with it, they'll win a million dollar. Who will live? Who will die? Who will survive the Deadline?

39 Steps 11:00 AM 11:30 AM KCPA Studio Theatre Level 5

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre. This two-time Tony and Drama Desk Awardwinning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, 22 zany characters (played by a cast of eight), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers and some good oldfashioned romance! Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 11:15 AM 1:15pm - KCPA Colwell Playhouse Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat embraces the dreamer in all of us as well as the challenges we all face to be ourselves. Joseph's ability to interpret dreams makes him the favorite son. Jealous of the attention paid upon him by his father, his brothers attempt to get rid of him by selling him. This sets Joseph on a path to fulfill his destiny while also offering forgiveness to his brothers

A Night at Domani's 12:00pm - 1:15pm - KCPA Foellinger Great Hall

Domani's is a place you can find anywhere, in any town across the USA. Everyone has a Domani’s. That comfortable place where the smiles and greetings are friendly if it is your first visit or your 100th. Meals are familiar and each place has it’s own specialty, handed down from previous owners or from that family member with a special touch in the kitchen. These local restaurants are the lifeblood of their communities. They offer places to celebrate events, honor family and remember our pasts. In many communities, a Domani’s offers teenagers their first real job and taste of independence and give adults a steady career for their whole lives. This show is our love letter to these vital places we all know and love.

Steel Magnolias 1:00pm - 2:45pm - Lincoln Hall Theater
 
"Steel Magnolias" is a heartwarming yet poignant drama-comedy written by Robert Harling. Set in a smalltown beauty salon in Louisiana, the play revolves around a close-knit group of women who share their lives, joys, and sorrows in a space that serves as both a sanctuary and a stage for their emotional exchanges. The title, Steel Magnolias, is a metaphor that describes the main characters: strong, resilient women (the "steel") who also possess a delicate, feminine side (the "magnolias"). Throughout the play, the characters demonstrate remarkable inner strength, facing life's challenges—ranging from health problems to personal losses—while also displaying warmth, humor, and deep bonds of friendship.

Deadline 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Foellinger Auditorium

When eight mystery writers arrive at a legendary writer's fog-shrouded island mansion in the North Atlantic, they think they're ready for the Deadline Challenge--twenty-four restful hours to write as much of their new novel as possible. But the Deadline Challenge is anything but restful. In reality, the writers are brought together to solve a murder--the victim yet to be determined, and the killer yet to strike. If a writer can design and execute a perfect murder and get away with it, they'll win a million dollar. Who will live? Who will die? Who will survive the Deadline?

Hotline and The Experiment 1:30pm - 2:30pm - KCPA Studio Theatre Level 5

HOTLINE: Operator 72 is training to be a counselor for the SILT (Socially Inappropriate Language Therapy) Hotline. Clients call to blow off steam by swearing. After extensive study, on-the-job training, and a verbal test, Operator 72 is ready to become a fully accredited SILT counselor by facing his final challenge—a monitored solo call. Hilarity ensues as he tries to help his first caller, who obviously has a problem. However, she just can’t bring herself to swear! THE EXPERIMENT: Five confused participants wake up with no memory of their past life with only one word, a personality descriptor, written on their shirts. Will the assigned attribute of each participant affect their behavior when under extreme duress? Once the experiment begins and they find out that to lose is to die, all five do what they must to survive.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 1:45pm - 5:25pm - KCPA Colwell Playhouse

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat embraces the dreamer in all of us as well as the challenges we all face to be ourselves. Joseph's ability to interpret dreams makes him the favorite son. Jealous of the attention paid upon him by his father, his brothers attempt to get rid of him by selling him. This sets Joseph on a path to fulfill his destiny while also offering forgiveness to his brothers.

All State-The Prom 2:30pm - 4:30pm - KCPA Tryon Festival Theatre Level 5

The careers of four eccentric Broadway stars are struggling and they desperately need a new stage upon which to shine bright once more. Seeking out a cause, they head straight to small-town Indiana. Through social media, they have heard of trouble brewing around a school prom. Local girl, Emma Nolan, wants to take her girlfriend to prom but the homophobic PTA are on a mission to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow. Determined to transform lives and put themselves back in the limelight, the Broadway celebrities muscle in to change the town and give Emma the prom she deserves.

Hotline and The Experiment 3:00pm - 4:00pm - KCPA Studio Theatre Level 5

HOTLINE: Operator 72 is training to be a counselor for the SILT (Socially Inappropriate Language Therapy) Hotline. Clients call to blow off steam by swearing. After extensive study, on-the-job training, and a verbal test, Operator 72 is ready to become a fully accredited SILT counselor by facing his final challenge—a monitored solo call. Hilarity ensues as he tries to help his first caller, who obviously has a problem. However, she just can’t bring herself to swear! THE EXPERIMENT: Five confused participants wake up with no memory of their past life with only one word, a personality descriptor, written on their shirts. Will the assigned attribute of each participant affect their behavior when under extreme duress? Once the experiment begins and they find out that to lose is to die, all five do what they must to survive.