MACT Logo. Upper portion is comedy/drama masks with comedy mask in yellow and drama mask in blue. Lower portion has the acronym "MACT" and below it the description MN Association of Community Theatres.MACT

MACT

Minnesota Association of Community Theatres

Home of Minnesota’s Theatre Community

Fast*Fest 2026

Fast*Fest 2026 will be held August 21 (Friday welcome social) and August 22 (performances) at Theatre in the Round (245 Cedar Avenue) in Minneapolis.

We are thrilled to announce that we will allow up to 18 shows in this festival.  Our 2024 FAST*Fest at County Seat Theater in Cloquet had a record 15 shows. We are hoping to break that record with this festival to be held conveniently in downtown Minneapolis. This should be a very fun, entertaining and educational festival.

This is a unique opportunity for your theatre to try out performing “in the round”. We will be utilizing the arena stage at Theatre in the Round, so your theatre can tryout a different layout than the typical proscenium stage.

Tentative Schedule:

The actual schedule will be announced when the theatres have registered and the performance order set. Only the starting time of each session is announced.  Shows are presented one following the other within a session.

Friday:
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm open house and welcome social at Theatre in the Round – your chance to see the stage & facility.
(light snacks provided by MACT)

Saturday:

9:30 am – productions

12:00 pm – Lunch on your own

1:00 pm – productions

5:00 pm – Dinner on your own

6:30 – productions

After the last colloquy – afterglow social at TBA
(light snacks provided by MACT)

On-line show registration will open about March 1

Pricing for festival attendees has not been set yet.

Early bird prices will be available prior to August 7: TBA

Late prices (on/after August 7):  TBA

The full package includes the Friday evening welcome social, all 3 performance sessions on Saturday and the afterglow social Saturday night

Deadlines:  There are several upcoming deadlines that you need to be aware of:

  • March 1 – registrations open for shows (presenting theatres)
  • June 19 – show (presenting Theatre) registration closes
  • June 19 – show name, author(s) and presenting theatre name and city due
  • July 6 (week of) – festival brochure get mailed.
  • July 6 (week of) – attendee on-line registration opens
  • August 1 – requests for special accommodations (ASL, Audio Described) due
  • August 7 – early bird registration deadline (prices go up on that date)
  • August 7 – program info due (show description, cast, staff, other info)
  • August 21 – welcome social at TRP
  • August 22 – performances at TRP

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the festival chair: Tom Nelson (tommytomx@gmail.com.

MACT has setup a committee to produce this event. The committee includes:

  • Tom Nelson – Chair – MACT President
  • Larry Pint – MACT Treasurer
  • Carol Pint – socials & registrations
  • Kolie Shaw – MACT Board
  • Rachel Bohnsack – MACT Board
  • Matthew Kraft – MACT Board
  • Jon Skaalen – MACT Board

Fast*Fest Rules

  1. Shows will be limited to 20 minutes, with 5 minutes allowed for setup and for strike.
  2. MACT will provide 1 table and 4 chairs.  Theatres may bring only ONE additional set piece.
  3. Only the standard light plot can be used.  Sound is up to each theatre.
  4. There is no time for rehearsals in the space.
  5. There will not be an adjudication.  There will be a moderated colloquy after each play.
  6. The festival is open to all non-professional groups, be they community theatres, colleges, high schools or ad-hoc groups.
  7. There is no registration fee for MACT member theatres.  There is a $25 registration fee for non-members which covers a 6 month membership in MACT.  Participants are expected to register for at least the session they are performing in (but we hope they will want to attend the full festival).  Single session registration and full package prices to be set in February.  Full package includes Friday night welcome social, Saturday morning session, afternoon session, evening session and the Saturday night social.
  8. Performers and technicians must meet the AACT Festival Guidelines (not paid, non-equity).
  9. Theatres must represent that they have the rights to use any copyrighted materials including performance rights by signing the registration form below.
  10. Except as stipulated above, all AACT Festival Rules will apply.
  11. If ASL Interpreters or Audio Describers are requested for your session, you will need to provide 2 copies of your script by August 1.

General Information

  1. There will be a social/networking event Friday (August 21) at Theatre in the Round (245 Cedar Ave Mpls).
  2. All Shows will be on Saturday.  Depending on the number of entries, there could be up to 3 sessions.  Performance order will be determined by the Fast*fest committee.  There could be 4 to 6 performances in each session.
  3. There will be breaks between sessions for meals (on your own) and networking.
  4. There will be a social gathering Saturday evening after the final session.

Theatre Registration Deadline is June 19th.

To register your theatre for Fast*Fest 2026, mail (or e-mail to WebmasterMACT@gmail.com) the completed form (with $25 registration fee if not a MACT member) to: 

FastFest
c/o Tom Nelson
15503 US-12
Cokato, MN 55321

The registration fee may also be paid online via our ticketing site accessible from the Fast*Fest page on our website. (Tickets To The City)

You must still mail (or e-mail) the registration form to us so we can get the show and contact information.

Click here for the Fast*Fest 2026 Theatre Registration form

The schedule, attendee registration forms and additional information will be sent out in July.