Maximizing Your Experience at the International Thespian Festival!
Are you ready for the once-in-a-lifetime experience you’re about to enjoy at ITF? With countless workshops, shows, and plenty of opportunities to bond with your fellow Thespians, there’s plenty to do. To help you prepare, here’s the information you need to know before you go.
Check back frequently for the most up-to-date information in case any details change. (Last updated: 6/14/24.)
Table of Contents
Assistance on Site
The ITF Info Desk, located in the East Lounge of the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU), will be open during the following hours:
- Sunday, June 23: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Monday, June 24: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 25 through Friday, June 28: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
You may also text us at (513) 790-4466. Our team will work diligently to reply to texts as quickly as possible upon receipt. Please note that this number is unable to accept phone calls and should not be used for emergencies.
Badges and Key Cards
Your ITF badge is your access pass to all ITF activities, as well as a safety device. (It also makes a wonderful souvenir!) Badges instantly identify ITF participants among IU students, staff, and other community members.
Badges must be worn around the neck. Treat your badge like your ID or your debit card – with care. We will be unable to replace lost or broken lanyards.
Campus housing is accessible via key cards that allow access to your building, floor, and room. If you misplace your key card for on-campus housing, replacements are available for $20 by reporting to the front desk of your assigned building. An adult chaperone is required to accompany student attendees to the front desk when requesting a replacement key card.
Code of Conduct
In addition to the Code of Conduct, all attendees must adhere to the:
Please review these policies in their entirety before arrival.
Housing Assignments
Dorms
Primary Contacts will receive an email providing building assignments for your registration group the week leading up to the event. Room assignments will be provided at check-in.
Student key cards restrict users to their assigned floor. While all dorms will house attendees of all genders, each floor will be divided according to a gender binary. Under no circumstances should a student access a floor in use by students of the opposite gender identity (i.e., student attendees assigned to floors for female-identifying students should not access floors assigned to male-identifying students, and vice versa). Doing so is a direct violation of ITF’s rules and regulations.
Hotels
Attendees staying in our host hotels should respect the hotel’s policies regarding noise and behavior. Please see the hotel’s front desk for assistance within those properties.
Meals
Sunday, June 23
Meals may be purchased at the following dining halls and eateries on Sunday. These meals are not included in the cost of registration. Cash is not accepted.
- Forest Eatery: Breakfast (7-9 a.m.), lunch (11 a.m.-1 p.m.), and dinner (5-7 p.m.).
- McNutt Eatery: Open from 3-8 p.m., serving limited menu options at a discounted rate of $11/meal.
- Read Eatery: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner (carryout only from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.).
The following dining options will also be available at the IMU, with a la carte pricing:
- The Lantern: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- The Mix: 7-10 a.m.; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Quarry Pie Co.: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
- The Globe/Taste of India: 5-8 p.m.
- The Tudor Room: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- The Whitfield Grill: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Monday, June 24 – Friday, June 28
For All-Access attendees, meals will be served beginning with breakfast on Monday, June 24 and ending with dinner on Friday, June 28. Attendees staying in dorms are assigned to specific eateries based on their dorm.
- Forest Eatery: Eigenmann, Forest, Teter
- McNutt Eatery: Briscoe, McNutt
- Read Eatery: Collins (carryout only)
You must wear your ITF badge to the dining hall, and you’ll swipe your room key card upon entering. Key cards may only be used at an attendee’s assigned dining hall. Meal times during the week are as follows:
- Breakfast: 6:30-8:30 a.m.
- Lunch: (divided into two sessions based on dorm assignments)
- 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Briscoe, Forest A, Eigenmann
- 12:30-2 p.m. – McNutt North and South, Forest B, Teter
- Adult attendees staying in Collins have an open lunch block from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Read Eatery for carryout lunches.
- Dinner: 5-8 p.m.
Attendees not staying in dorms can purchase meals individually at the dining halls if they wish. Concessions will also be available for purchase in the IU Auditorium and Musical Arts Center during Main Stage performances.
Mobile App
The ITF program is mobile! A few weeks before the festival, you’ll be able to download the app to have all things ITF at your fingertips. Plan your daily schedule, check out workshops, and keep an eye out for important updates. Here’s how:
- In your Apple or Android device, open the appropriate app store.
- Search “eShow Events” and click to download. If you already have eShow events installed, be sure the app is up to date.
- Allow/enable notifications from the app on your device so you will receive festival alerts!
- In the Event Portal, search to find the International Thespian Festival 2024 and click Download.
- When prompted, click Start.
- Use the navigation menu to explore the schedule, campus map, and more.
- You can use the My Planner tool to save sessions to your agenda, make notes, or add other customizations. Log in using your ITF attendee credentials. These are the same credentials that were in your confirmation email and are used to access the Attendee, Presenter, or Exhibitor Service Centers.
Note: We recommend turning on Background App Refresh for the eShow app in your phone’s settings, which will allow the app to update automatically whenever needed. Otherwise, information may not be up to date due to an app software upgrade and you may miss notifications.
Sometimes changes take time to appear in the app due to its sync schedule. You can manually force a sync by pulling down and releasing from the home screen/navigation menu. You’ll see the app refresh with a “Last Sync” timestamp near the top of the screen.
Money
Attendees should plan to bring a credit or debit card to cover incidental expenses on campus, such as food, souvenirs, and gear at the on-site Thespian Shop. IU is a cashless campus. Please note that Apple Pay/Google Pay/Samsung Pay may not be accepted at all points of sale – so having a physical debit card is highly recommended.
Parking
For attendees staying on-campus, if you indicated that you needed parking on your housing form, you will receive a CH (community housing) parking permit upon check-in at their assigned dorm. This pass gives you access to any CH lot on campus during ITF. Each dorm has a dedicated CH lot.
Please be prepared to provide the following information for each vehicle when getting your parking pass:
- License plate number
- Make and model of car
- Driver first and last name
- Driver phone number
- Driver address
Buses and other vehicles taking up more than one spot must park in the Green Lot (off Fee Lane across from the outdoor pool).
Attendees staying off campus may park in paid lots throughout campus. ITF is unable to provide parking validation for attendees staying off campus.
IU actively enforces parking restrictions, so take care to park in assigned locations to avoid tickets.
Shuttles
Attendees/groups are responsible for booking their own transportation to IU’s campus, whether driving or flying. If flying into the Indianapolis International Airport, we encourage groups to book their transportation through GoExpress at the special ITF rate. If attendees have accessibility needs that need to be accommodated by GoExpress, they should include this in their reservation when submitted through provided link.
GoExpress campus shuttles are provided primarily for those with accessibility needs. Please act well your part by giving them priority on shuttles and walking if you are able. Walking is the fastest way to get around ITF: All dorms are a 15-20 minute walk from activities, while the wait for shuttles is a minimum 45-60 minutes. Starting Monday, two shuttle routes will be utilized, identified by placards in the window of the shuttle busses.
Sunday
Times: 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Stops: Briscoe, McNutt, Teter, Eigenmann, Forest, MAC, IU Auditorium, IMU
Monday-Friday
Times: 7 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Route 1 Stops: Briscoe, McNutt, IU Auditorium, IMU, MAC
Route 2 Stops: Teter, Eigenmann, Forest, MAC, IU Auditorium, IMU
Additionally, an Indiana University campus shuttle will also be running throughout the week and is free to ride. Note that this shuttle will make additional stops at drop-off points not associated with ITF and therefore may take longer.
Packing List
Provided
- Pillow x1
- Pillowcase x1
- Fitted Sheet x1
- Flat sheet (twin XL) x1
- Blanket x1
- Towel x2
Pack
- Comfortable shoes
- Extra pillow or blanket (if you prefer your own)
- Toiletries
- Shower caddy
- Shower shoes/flip-flops
- Personal care appliances (hair dryer, iron, etc.)
- Basic first-aid items (bandages, antibiotic ointment, etc.)
- Personal prescriptions/over-the-counter medications
- Sunscreen
- Umbrella/rain poncho
- Reusable water bottle
- Technology chargers/portable charger
- Earbuds/headphones
- Backpack/tote/messenger bag
- Notebook and writing implements
- Sweater/jacket (for cold indoor spaces)
Recommended Extras
- Hangers
- Instant stain remover (e.g., Tide To Go Pens)
- Air freshener/fabric refresher (e.g., Febreze)
- Power strip/short extension cord
- Non-perishable snacks (fridges are not provided in dorms)
- Workshop materials (sheet music, prepared monologues, dance attire, etc.)
Prohibited Items
- Rollerblades/skates
- Scooters (motorized or manual)
- Hoverboards
- Bicycles/e-bikes
- Items prohibited by IU Bloomington (click to learn more)Items prohibited by IU Bloomington (click to learn more)
Housing Check-In and -Out
Upon arrival at IU Bloomington, all attendees staying on campus should report to their assigned dorm first. Follow these instructions to complete your housing check-in:
- Primary contact only should enter the dorm and visit the check-in desk.
- Based on primary contact first and last name, check in with the housing representative. Check-in is not based on troupe number or school/group name.
- Receive all room assignments and keys.
- All attendees enter the dorm and proceed to their respective rooms.
Once housing check-in has been completed, only the primary contact should proceed to registration check-in at the IMU. All other attendees, including chaperones, should not visit registration as space is limited.
If you will be arriving on campus late at night, proceed to your assigned dorm to check-in. Upon arrival, call the appropriate number to reach housing staff and get checked in:
- Briscoe: 812-855-5313
- Collins: 812-855-5553
- Eigenmann: 812-855-8581
- Forest: 812-855-5311
- McNutt: 812-855-1183
- Teter: 812-855-4034
The primary contact should proceed to registration the following morning.
Official check-out will take place on Saturday, June 29 from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET. If you need to leave before that time on Saturday, no additional action is needed. Please leave your dorm as needed. If you are leaving any time before curfew on Friday, June 28, please alert your dorm captain before departing. Otherwise, no official action is required to check out.
If for any reason you need to check out after 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, please coordinate with dorm staff.
Registration Check-In
Only the primary contact for a registration should proceed to registration check-in as space is very limited. Registration check-in will occur in the East Lounge of the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU). Upon arrival, please follow these instructions to complete your registration check-in:
- Registration lines will be divided into Attendees or Exhibitors & Presenters. Join the appropriate line.
- When you arrive to the front of the line, provide your first and last name. You may also be asked to confirm your housing type, school name, and/or troupe number.
- Receive printed name badges.
- If payment has not been received in full, or all required attendee forms have not been submitted, the registration representative will provide further instructions.
Health & Medical Needs
First Aid
For non-life-threatening medical treatment, attendees (students and adults) can visit the ITF First Aid Station located in the Hoosier Room of the Indiana Memorial Union. It will be open the following dates and times:
- Sunday, June 23: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
- Monday, June 24: Friday, June 28 – 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Attendees in need of first aid should report to the ITF First Aid room not the IU Student Health Center. They should bring a copy of their health insurance card. All students in need of first aid must be accompanied by an adult chaperone.
Medical forms must be submitted for a medical provider to treat any ITF attendees (students and adults). Medical providers may refer attendees to the IU Student Health Center, urgent care, or emergency room depending on treatment required.
Outside ITF First Aid hours, attendees should call the ITF Safety Line at (513) 516-3206 for assistance with seeking non-life-threatening medical treatment.
Medication
Students attending with their troupe (not chaperoned by a parent or other relative) should follow their school’s policies for carrying and administering medications. Chaperones and/or parents of students who normally take required medications outside of the school day should check with administration to ensure the necessary forms and protocols are in place prior to ITF.
For students who are attending ITF separately from a Thespian troupe, parents and/or adults acting as chaperones are responsible for their own students’ medications.
