STAGE STORIES – Mic & Monologue
Focused on spoken-word artistry, this category is aimed at delivering satire, drama, or social commentary. From an international stand-up contest to a poetry competition, IITF is looking for performers who hold attention through powerful delivery, expressive body language, and well-structured content.
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Stand-up Comedians
In this category of open-mic comedy, stand-up comedians are invited to perform original acts and judged on writing quality, timing, and audience interaction. Material should not be offensive stereotypes, but challenge creative limits. Observational, anecdotal, and character comedy are encouraged. Judging focuses on joke structure (setup/punchline), vocal dynamics, and crowd control. Comedians need to show adaptive performance ability when audience responses differ. Physical comedy aspects are allowed if added to rather than substituting for verbal humor. Technicality includes mic management and stage movement.
Mono Actors
Solo theatre artists are welcome at IITF’s mono-acting competition to perform dramatic or comedic monologues. Judging assesses emotional range, character truthfulness, and textual interpretation. Artists can choose from classical plays or original contemporary work to showcase their talent. Contestants need to exhibit vocal projection, intentional movement, and consistent audience engagement. Physical theatre techniques (transitions between characters) are awarded extra points. Scoring takes into account how performers make use of minimal space to develop imaginary environments. Use simple costumes and minimal props, not to detract from, acting. The work should demonstrate an actor’s capacity to maintain narrative interest and emotional truth without scene partners.
Mime Performers
Perform wordless! Mime competition performances utilize body expression for storytelling. Criteria are based on illusion skills (like leaning on a wall or pulling on a rope), fluidity of motion, and clarity of storytelling. Either whiteface or modern styles are fine. Extra points will be awarded for your own unique story. The effectiveness of creating imaginary objects/spaces for the audience is part of scoring. And remember, even though you might wear some fancy makeup and costumes, it’s all about how you use your body to tell the story, not just looking good.
Poets
Wow the audience with your voice and words at IITF’s poetry competition. We’re looking for poems that sound beautiful and have a special way of being delivered. This genre is unlike spoken word as it involves using existing works (one’s own or others), with linguistic artistry being judged first. Whether a Ghazal or Sonnet, performance requires deep knowledge of poetic devices (meter, alliteration) based on vocal interpretation. Languages may include English and Hindi. Minimal gesturing should enhance and not detract from language. Our main goal is to let the poetry take us on a journey with its sweet sound and clever use of words.
Time Limit
To ensure a smooth and dynamic showcase of each talent’s performance, IITF maintains strict time durations for performances as follows:
| Solo Performance | 3 minutes |
| Group Performance | 4.5 minutes |
| Group Acting | 7 minutes |
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Get, Set, and hold your breath to know more about India’s International Talent Fest 2025 and its diverse talent categories!
