Handbook for A+ One-Act Play for Directors, Adjudicators and Contest Managers 2nd Edition Use with the 2-17-18 Addendum THETHE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE LEAGUE “I think I love and reverence all arts equally, only putting my own just above the others; because in it I recognize the union and culmination of my own. To me it seems as if when God conceived the world, that was Poetry; He formed it, and that was Sculpture; He colored it, and that was painting; He peopled it with living beings, and that was the grand, divine, eternal Drama.” ~ Charlotte Cushman For further information write: State Theatre Director University Interscholastic League 1701 Manor Road Austin, Texas 78722 512/471-9996 or 471-4517 (Office), 512/471-7388 (Fax) 512/471-5883 (MAIN UIL SWITCHBOARD) E-MAIL: [email protected] “In a well-planned One-Act Play Contest, there are no losers.” Handbook for A+ One-Act Play 2nd Edition - To be Used With 2017-18 Addendum IN THE HANBOOK Celebrating Texas Theatre Pioneers ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A very sincere thanks to Connie McMillan and to Elisabeth Sikes for their contributions. I also wish to thank the Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials (TTAO) and Amy Medina and the Summerfest at- tendees for their work on this edition. The League also wishes to thank the Texas Educational Theatre Association, Inc. and the International Thespian Society for material contributions and continued support of the One-Act Play Contest. CONTENTS EDUCATIONAL THEATRE ............................................................................................................................ II A HISTORY OF THEATRE IN TEXAS ...............................................................................................................III THE RULES............................................................................................................................................. 1 THE CONSTITUTION ..............................................................................................................................2 THE CONTEST CALENDAR ......................................................................................................................4 THE CONTEST STRUCTURE ....................................................................................................................5 STUDENT COMPANY SIZE ...............................................................................................................5 SPECIAL NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS ......................................................................................................5 THE DIRECTORS ..............................................................................................................................5 PROFESSIONAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORM ............................................................................................6 DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND ETHICS CODE ..................................................................................6 THE CONTEST .....................................................................................................................................8 PLANNING MEETINGS .......................................................................................................................8 LEVELS ..........................................................................................................................................8 ADVANCING AND AWARDS .................................................................................................................8 TIME LIMITS ...................................................................................................................................8 RULES VIOLATIONS ..........................................................................................................................9 CONTEST ADMINISTRATION .....................................................................................................................9 THE CONTEST MANAGER ..................................................................................................................9 ADJUDICATORS ................................................................................................................................9 CONTEST ENTRY PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................10 THE SPRING MEET ENTRY SYSTEM ..................................................................................................10 SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS .......................................................................................................10 FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE ................................................................................................................ 11 THE CONTEST PLAY ...........................................................................................................................12 STANDARDS ..................................................................................................................................12 PLAY SELECTION POLICY ................................................................................................................12 PERFORMING PLAYS ON THE APPROVED LISTS ...................................................................................13 PERFORMING PLAYS NOT ON THE APPROVED PLAY LISTS, ADAPTATIONS AND ORIGINAL PLAYS ...................13 SCENIC ITEMS AND PROPERTIES REQUIRING APPROVAL .......................................................................14 LICENSING AND ROYALTIES ..............................................................................................................15 PERFORMING A "SCENES FROM" ......................................................................................................15 ADAPTATIONS ................................................................................................................................15 DRAMA LOAN LIBRARY ...................................................................................................................17 AID IN DIRECTING .............................................................................................................................18 FINDING OR HOSTING A FESTIVAL .....................................................................................................18 CAST AND CREW ASSIGNMENTS............................................................................................................19 REHEARSALS .....................................................................................................................................19 SCHOOL PERFORMANCES ....................................................................................................................20 EXTRACURRICULAR DEFINED ................................................................................................................21 THE CONTEST SITE ...........................................................................................................................23 MUSIC PLAYBACK AND INTERCOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT ....................................................................23 LIGHTING AT THE CONTEST SITE ......................................................................................................23 THE UNIT SET ...................................................................................................................................24 ACTORS ON ELEVATED UNIT SET ELEMENTS ......................................................................................25 STANDARD DOOR AND WINDOW UNITS ..............................................................................................26 SPECIAL DOORS, ENTRYWAYS AND WINDOWS ......................................................................................27 SCENIC ELEMENTS AND PROPERTIES .....................................................................................................27 LIGHTING AND PROJECTORS ............................................................................................................27 i SOFTGOODS .................................................................................................................................28 CAPITALS AND BASES .....................................................................................................................28 TREES, BUSHES, PLANTS AND OTHER LANDSCAPING ...........................................................................29 FENCE AND RAILING ......................................................................................................................29 STAGE PROPERTIES .......................................................................................................................29 SPECIAL ISSUES REGARDING PROPERTIES ..............................................................................................31 PROPERTIES WITH CASTERS ...........................................................................................................31 TOBACCO/ ALCOHOL, OTHER ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES AND WEAPONS .......................................................31 LIVE ANIMALS ...............................................................................................................................32 FOG, SNOW, WATER, FIRE AND OTHER SPECIAL EFFECTS .......................................................................32 MUSIC AND SOUND ISSUES ..................................................................................................................33