one act guidelines
Please read through the following information. There are a number of items that you will want to be aware of as you plan your production to travel to PA Thespian Conference. We realize everyone has special circumstances, however, these rules/guidelines will be enforced and exceptions may not be possible.
It is possible some specifics below will be updated for the 2021-22 Conference
- In order for a Troupe to be allowed to present a One Act or Main Stage show at the PA State Thespian Conference, a royalty payment must be paid (or waived).
One Acts have a $25 fee (included in the Registration). - NO FEE FOR THE 21-22 CONFERENCE
Please submit the ROYALTY AFFIDAVIT FORM. This must be received no later than the Fall State Board meeting for you to be able to perform your show at the State Conference.
One Act Directors will receive a Guidebook email/invitation/request to submit their One Act Information.
The State Board does not feel that it is their function to act as a censor in determining what is or what is not appropriate to perform at the State Conference. We are aware that what is acceptable in one school district may be found totally inappropriate in another. Therefore, we ask that directors consider carefully the language and content of anything they plan to perform at the Conference, remembering that we are mainly composed of knowledgeable, but impressionable, students ages 13 and up, with a thirst for quality theatre. A troupe should not perform anything at conference that would not be acceptable on their own stage and that has not been performed before a home audience. In addition, where questionable language, action, or theme will be presented, a warning will be given with the program notes and play introduction.
The Board has instituted the following for Schools that present work that raises concerns....
Level 1) Written notice identifying discrepancies from your content statement and the response to performance.
Level 2) School and/or Director not allowed to perform for 4 years at conference.
Level 3) Troupe and/or Director not allowed to participate with the State Conference for 1 or 2 years.
- TIME – you have 45 minutes total – this includes your set up, performance and strike. The guidelines are a 10 minute set up, 30 minute performance, and a 5 minute strike. Bottom line, if you have reached 40 minutes into your time, we will flash the stage lights, and 2 minutes later (43 minutes into your time) we will black out the lights. If you are planning on a performance that will significantly use less than the 45 minute time slot, that is something we would like to know as well asap. PA Thespian Conference is a large endeavor and the schedule is tight. If someone were only to use 10-20 minutes of a 45 minute segment, that leaves us with a lot of dead time that we could possibly better schedule if we were to know in advance. On the other hand, we cannot afford to get behind if someone were to go over the scheduled time allotment.
- MOVE IN – You will be allowed to move into the backstage area 30-45 minutes before your scheduled beginning time. DO NOT mill around backstage and try to get extra time. DO NOT enter the backstage area until you have permission. Students MAY NOT enter the backstage area unless they are accompanied by their adult director/advisor.
- TECHNICAL – the One Act productions are about acting/performance – not technical theater. There is not time or resources to have very involved sets, lighting, or sound for your One Act. Less is more in this area. Any set pieces will need to be brought into the school the morning of your scheduled performance and can be stored backstage. You should plan on taking up no more than a 4’ deep x 4’ wide x 10’ high space (if that). Some pieces may be available from the host school – it is your responsibility to contact the Conference host at least 1 month in advance to inquire about the possibility of borrowing any set pieces from the host school.
- LIGHTING –Lighting is pretty much set and you will need to use what is provided. There will be area lighting available – DR, DC, DL, UR, UC, and UL. The light board is operated from the booth. You may have your own light board operator, or use the conference tech staff. Your stage manager should be prepared to call any cues if using the conference tech staff. There are headsets backstage left, backstage right, and in the booth.
One Acts scheduled in the Black Box will be limited in lighting options.
- COMMUNICATION – There are wired headsets at the following positions – Offstage R, Offstage L, Fly Bar, Sound Booth, Light Board, each Follow spot, and a stage manager position in the booth. There is no communication system in the Black Box.
- SOUND – The PA Thespian Conference will supply floor mics, Sound system, computer for sound cues (Itunes or Q lab), and a CD player. There will be no Wireless Mics available for One Act productions. If you want to bring your own wireless system, contact the Conference host at least a month in advance to begin discussing that possibility, however, due to your limited time, wireless mics are not really feasible.
One Acts scheduled in the Black Box will have CD or digital player options, but no microphones.
- DRESSING ROOM – there is one dressing room that has 2 smaller changing rooms and 2 bathrooms in it. If you are using a cast of more than 20, this space will be a bit cramped. Since most One Acts are scheduled back to back, you will usually be sharing the Dressing Room area with the preceding/following performing school and possibly a school that is performing at the same time in the other performance venue. You are responsible for cleaning up the dressing room area when you leave (which should be right after your production).
- RESPONDERS – you will be responded to following your performance (you will be instructed where that area will be). The director, cast and crew should report to the area as soon as your One Act is struck (which would normally take about 5 minutes). Since the next school is waiting to move into the dressing room, we ask that you strike your set and clear out of the dressing room before meeting with the responders.
Revised 8/15
It is possible some specifics below will be updated for the 2021-22 Conference
- In order for a Troupe to be allowed to present a One Act or Main Stage show at the PA State Thespian Conference, a royalty payment must be paid (or waived).
One Acts have a $25 fee (included in the Registration). - NO FEE FOR THE 21-22 CONFERENCE
Please submit the ROYALTY AFFIDAVIT FORM. This must be received no later than the Fall State Board meeting for you to be able to perform your show at the State Conference.
One Act Directors will receive a Guidebook email/invitation/request to submit their One Act Information.
The State Board does not feel that it is their function to act as a censor in determining what is or what is not appropriate to perform at the State Conference. We are aware that what is acceptable in one school district may be found totally inappropriate in another. Therefore, we ask that directors consider carefully the language and content of anything they plan to perform at the Conference, remembering that we are mainly composed of knowledgeable, but impressionable, students ages 13 and up, with a thirst for quality theatre. A troupe should not perform anything at conference that would not be acceptable on their own stage and that has not been performed before a home audience. In addition, where questionable language, action, or theme will be presented, a warning will be given with the program notes and play introduction.
The Board has instituted the following for Schools that present work that raises concerns....
Level 1) Written notice identifying discrepancies from your content statement and the response to performance.
Level 2) School and/or Director not allowed to perform for 4 years at conference.
Level 3) Troupe and/or Director not allowed to participate with the State Conference for 1 or 2 years.
- TIME – you have 45 minutes total – this includes your set up, performance and strike. The guidelines are a 10 minute set up, 30 minute performance, and a 5 minute strike. Bottom line, if you have reached 40 minutes into your time, we will flash the stage lights, and 2 minutes later (43 minutes into your time) we will black out the lights. If you are planning on a performance that will significantly use less than the 45 minute time slot, that is something we would like to know as well asap. PA Thespian Conference is a large endeavor and the schedule is tight. If someone were only to use 10-20 minutes of a 45 minute segment, that leaves us with a lot of dead time that we could possibly better schedule if we were to know in advance. On the other hand, we cannot afford to get behind if someone were to go over the scheduled time allotment.
- MOVE IN – You will be allowed to move into the backstage area 30-45 minutes before your scheduled beginning time. DO NOT mill around backstage and try to get extra time. DO NOT enter the backstage area until you have permission. Students MAY NOT enter the backstage area unless they are accompanied by their adult director/advisor.
- TECHNICAL – the One Act productions are about acting/performance – not technical theater. There is not time or resources to have very involved sets, lighting, or sound for your One Act. Less is more in this area. Any set pieces will need to be brought into the school the morning of your scheduled performance and can be stored backstage. You should plan on taking up no more than a 4’ deep x 4’ wide x 10’ high space (if that). Some pieces may be available from the host school – it is your responsibility to contact the Conference host at least 1 month in advance to inquire about the possibility of borrowing any set pieces from the host school.
- LIGHTING –Lighting is pretty much set and you will need to use what is provided. There will be area lighting available – DR, DC, DL, UR, UC, and UL. The light board is operated from the booth. You may have your own light board operator, or use the conference tech staff. Your stage manager should be prepared to call any cues if using the conference tech staff. There are headsets backstage left, backstage right, and in the booth.
One Acts scheduled in the Black Box will be limited in lighting options.
- COMMUNICATION – There are wired headsets at the following positions – Offstage R, Offstage L, Fly Bar, Sound Booth, Light Board, each Follow spot, and a stage manager position in the booth. There is no communication system in the Black Box.
- SOUND – The PA Thespian Conference will supply floor mics, Sound system, computer for sound cues (Itunes or Q lab), and a CD player. There will be no Wireless Mics available for One Act productions. If you want to bring your own wireless system, contact the Conference host at least a month in advance to begin discussing that possibility, however, due to your limited time, wireless mics are not really feasible.
One Acts scheduled in the Black Box will have CD or digital player options, but no microphones.
- DRESSING ROOM – there is one dressing room that has 2 smaller changing rooms and 2 bathrooms in it. If you are using a cast of more than 20, this space will be a bit cramped. Since most One Acts are scheduled back to back, you will usually be sharing the Dressing Room area with the preceding/following performing school and possibly a school that is performing at the same time in the other performance venue. You are responsible for cleaning up the dressing room area when you leave (which should be right after your production).
- RESPONDERS – you will be responded to following your performance (you will be instructed where that area will be). The director, cast and crew should report to the area as soon as your One Act is struck (which would normally take about 5 minutes). Since the next school is waiting to move into the dressing room, we ask that you strike your set and clear out of the dressing room before meeting with the responders.
Revised 8/15