2024 Festival Information
Welcome to Festival 2024
FESTIVAL DATES
One-act plays: Saturday November 2
Cypress Bay High School
18600 Vista Park Blvd • Weston, FL 33332
Free parking available at Cypress Bay High School.
Thespys (Formerly known as "Individual Events"): Saturday November 9
Somerset Academy
20805 Johnson St • Pembroke Pines, FL 33029
Limited VIP Parking available on-campus for $20 per car
All material selected for Thespys performances must by approved by the Educational Theatre Association. Comprehensive instructions may be found here.
REGISTRATION FEES:
$55 per troupe, which includes one free Director.
Additional Directors and Chaperones (1:10 required): $35 each.
Thespian: $50 each
One-act play: No extra charge for 2024
This includes a festival t-shirt, admission to all performance events*, lunch, pizza dinner, admission to the Critics Choice performances**.
*On a space-permitting basis. Priority shall be given to performing Troupe Directors, performing Thespians, parents of the performing Thespians, non-performing Thespians, and then any other registered delegate or Spectator Pass holder.
**Only registered delegates (Thespians, Directors, and Chaperones) will be admitted into the Critics Choice performances. Spectator Passes WILL NOT be permitted into the Critics Choice performance.
ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL
The One Act Play Festival will feature a full day of performances starting at 9:00 a.m.
All Stock Set Pieces will be provided at the District and State Festival. If you wish to purchase or build any or all of the stock pieces for your own rehearsal purposes, go to:http://palcospecialties.com/pricelist.htm. At the Festival, every troupe must use the Stock Set Pieces provided by the Festival.
The following Stock Set Pieces will be provided for use at District and State Level Assessments:
(2) 4’x8’ platforms, 1’-0” high
(2) 4’x4’ platforms, 1’-0” high
(4) 1’x1’ platforms, 1’-0” high
(2) 2' unit steps (6” risers and 12” treads)
(2) 4' unit steps (6” risers and 12” treads)
(2) 4' ramp (rises to 1’-0”)
(2) 4’ pylons (1’-0” square)
(2) 6' pylons (1’-0” square)
(2) 8' pylons (1’-0” square)
(6) 16"x16"x16" cubes-weight bearing
(1) 6' standard folding table
(1) folding card table
(16) armless chairs
NO additional furniture may be used (chairs, tables, hat racks, carts, trees, etc.). A troupe may use and/or add props and set dressing (fabric pieces, cushions, lamps, rugs, books) as they wish. At their assigned dressing room start time, troupes must bring to the dressing room area all costumes, props, set dressing, and make-up. [NOTE: Unlike Senior Thespians, there will be no 6’x9’ box backstage.]
STAGE MANAGER MEETING
Cypress Bay High School will provide a Festival Stage Manger (FSM) to help each troupe's stage manager facilitate their troupe's needs. Once your time begins, the FSM will NOT be able to assist in any way, except in case of a medical emergency.
The entire cast and crew may be on stage during the stage manager meeting (at a time to be announced prior to the Festival.) ONLY official troupe directors, assistant directors, and registered cast/crew are permitted backstage at any time. NO CHAPERONES will be permitted backstage.
SPIKING THE STAGE
Following the stage manager meeting, troupe directors and their student stage managers may have 30 minutes to spike the stage using color-coded spike tape supplied by the Festival Staff. During one act spike time, no set pieces may be brought onstage.
SET UP
The Stock Set Pieces will be pre-set backstage on Stage left. Troupes may “set to the wings” any and all Stock Set Pieces they choose to use when the FSM calls “Five Minutes.” Any and all Stock Set Pieces must strike to the wings before indicating to the technical judge, "We are clear."
TIME LIMIT
The time limit for the one act performance is 40 minutes. Troupes are also allotted 5 minutes to set the stage with the Stock Set Pieces and their own additional materials in full view of the audience. No music, sound effects, or mood lighting may be used during this set up time. Technical crew members and actors may also move to “places” at this time. The five minutes begins and ends at the direction of the FSM, who will coordinate with the Technical judge backstage. The FSM will confirm that the troupe is at places and announce “Troupe 88XXX, your time begins NOW” to start the play and official timekeeping. "Clear" will be called when the entire set is moved back to the pre-set position and the actors have moved to the wings.
TECHNICAL CREW
Students must run all technical portions of the one act. The student stage manager may call cues from backstage or a tech booth located front-of-house. Each school must supply a student light crew member and sound crew member (if sound is used.) All troupe directors are allowed to run sound/light boards for the one act event if they request this from the State Director in advance and if the rented venue allows it. The Sound and Light Plot for the venue will be provided to the State Selected plays two weeks prior to the Festival.
LIGHTING
There will be 6 main areas of light: DSL/DC/DSR and USL/UC/USR; along with complete stage washes in two colors: one warm/one cool.
SOUND
AT STATE: There will be a sound system to include a minimum of: one hand held microphone, a CD/MP3 player and communications system (3 headsets.)
AT DISTRICT: Stage Sound will be provided based on the limitation of the available venue.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
The use of smoke, fire, candles, fog effect, haze, or flame of any kind is prohibited. No fly system or follow spot may be used. An electrical outlet will be available stage left and stage right. Properly rated extension cords must be provided by the troupe.
COSTUMES AND MAKEUP
No costumes or makeup may be applied before entering the dressing room. Up to three designated adults may be present in the dressing room, but not in the backstage area during performance time. NO CHAPERONES ARE ALLOWED BACKSTAGE AT ANY TIME.
CAST AND CREW
If selected to perform at the State festival in Orlando, the cast and crew must be the same that performed at District Festival. Extenuating circumstances should be referred to the State Director.
DIRECTORS
One act plays must be directed by the troupe director or a troupe member. No troupe director may have communication with the performing troupe once the official time has begun.
SELECTION OF MATERIAL
Troupe directors must select material for festival that they would willingly perform in a public forum in their own districts and that is acceptable to their school principal. NOTE: There is a one-year moratorium on plays presented at the district and state level the previous year. (Posted on the State website)
PROGRAMS
All one acts must bring five copies of their printed program to the stage manager meeting which will be provided to the judges. The program must list complete names of cast members and characters as well as crew and their positions. The program’s purpose is to frame the production for the judges and to clearly identify individual students. School names as well as advertisements may appear in the program. Programs may be provided by the troupe to audience members at the performance.
JUDGES
There will be a minimum of four judges at every level of competition: 3 judges in the house observing the actual performance and at least one judge to monitor all technical aspects. Oral Critique will follow each play for cast/crew and troupe directors only. No other adult will be allowed in this area.
JUDGES’ DECISION
Decisions of the judges are final. Judges do not disqualify. Disqualifications will be the decision of the District Chair at the District level and the State Director at the State level.
BACKSTAGE SUPERVISION
Since each troupe only has access to one dressing room, the Troupe Director may choose may designate one chaperone or assistant director to assist in the dressing room to ensure comfort among cast-members of varying genders and gender-identities.
Chaperones are not permitted in the backstage areas at any time. ONLY official troupe directors and registered cast and crew are permitted backstage at any time. Preparation times overlap as the audience is treated to a nearly non-stop variety of theatre styles. Three judges observe the show from ‘the house’ while one other judge observes the technical aspects both backstage and in the ‘tech booth.’
GUESTS/OBSERVERS
Parents, friends, and family members are welcome to join in the fun and cheer on their Junior Thespians! Guests must be at least 5 years old and purchase an "Spectator Pass" at a cost of $20.00 per person. The "Spectator Pass" is valid for the entire day, allows the participant in to any room where their specific child/relative is performing (if this is in doubt, the Judges may require the Troupe Director to verify identity), and will NOT be prorated for those who "just want to see one performance.
For those attending both the ONE-ACT (Nov 2) festival and THESPYS (Nov 9), these are considered separate events; therefore, a separate Observer Pass must be purchased for each.
This event takes place on a school campus. By attending this event you agree:
1. To Treat Door Keepers and all Festival staff due respect.
2. State law prohibits the sale, possession, or use of alcohol, drugs, or any controlled substances on school grounds or at school-related events.
3. State law and Broward County Public Schools district policy prohibit the possession of weapons on school campuses. Concealed Weapon Permits do not exclude an individual from this law.
4. Violators of any item listed above will be asked to leave the campus and risk disciplinary action against the troupe they represent, including disqualification from this and future festivals.
(Updated 9/11/2024)
