Our goal is to build a schedule of performances that includes a variety of titles, genres, and both straight plays & musicals, as much as possible. We plan to build a schedule to accommodate as many performances as possible. Because of the changes in timing (Friday - Sunday) and a new venue, we have built a schedule that accommodates 4 full-length mainstage productions, and up to 15 one-act plays. Applications for the January, 2026 ThesFest at Parkland HS were submitted and selected last spring (May 2025).
January 2026 ThesFest Productions
Mainstages presented by: Parkland (The Outsiders), Central Bucks West (Ranked-A Musical), Peters Township (This Murder is Staged), Ridley (Mean Girls)
Performing schools can find Mainstage Logistics described here.
One-Acts slots offered to: Chartiers Valley, Columbia, Dallastown, DuBois, Kennard-Dale, Neshaminy, PALCS, Pennsbury, Springfield MS, Springfield HS, Spring Grove, Upper Dublin, Wilson, Wyoming Area
Performing schools can find One-Act Logistics described here.
LICENSING & CENSORSHIP POLICY
The State Board fully supports ethical use of licensed material. Failure to comply with the licensing agreement can result in possible legal and/or State Conference consequences. 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 rely on each director’s discretion and professionalism to screen your work. 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 must be given with the program notes and play introduction.
NOTE: If there is any doubt as to the content, language or depiction of the material in a show, it is the troupe director’s responsibility to err on the side of caution. If a troupe director cannot self-edit the show (or does not have permission to do so by the publishing company) then the show choice is not appropriate for the State Conference. The State Board reserves the right to enact consequences for a failure to abide by these guidelines.
PERFORMANCES AT STATE CONFERENCE
The State Conference tries to give as many schools as possible an opportunity to perform in either a one-act or full length main stage play.
Selection process: Schools will be asked to submit a performance request in the spring. After the board has decided how many performance slots will be available for the conference, the schools requesting a performance slot will be chosen.
- if a school has performed in the past and there were problems with content or other issues, the board may take that into account before offering that school a performance slot.
- the host school automatically gets a performance slot if they are interested.
- if the school requested a main stage slot and did not get a slot the previous year, they will get first consideration for a slot the following year.
- the board may take into account the type of show (comedy, drama, musical, etc) in order to balance the performance offerings. The name of any mainstage productions is due by the spring deadline before selections are made.
- if there are more requests than slots, the schools interested will be drawn from a hat.
- schools may request both a full length and a one act slot, but if not chosen for a main stage slot they lose the 'previous year denial' provision the following year.
SURPLUS OF MAINSTAGES (Full length productions)
We recognize there is a significant expense to bring a Main Stage show to perform at the Conference. Schools that do so will receive a stipend to assist in those expenses.
In order to be eligible to apply to perform a Main Stage - the director and troupe must have already presented a One Act at the PA Thespian Conference. In order to be eligible to perform a One Act - a director and troupe must have already attended the PA Thespian Conference.
ROYALTIES
Each school/troupe is responsible for any royalties for your performances of One Acts or Main Stage productions at the PA State Conference. An Affidavit of Proof of royalty payment must be completed. Please remember that the playwright is also an artist and deserves to be paid for his/her art.
January 2026 ThesFest Productions
Mainstages presented by: Parkland (The Outsiders), Central Bucks West (Ranked-A Musical), Peters Township (This Murder is Staged), Ridley (Mean Girls)
Performing schools can find Mainstage Logistics described here.
One-Acts slots offered to: Chartiers Valley, Columbia, Dallastown, DuBois, Kennard-Dale, Neshaminy, PALCS, Pennsbury, Springfield MS, Springfield HS, Spring Grove, Upper Dublin, Wilson, Wyoming Area
Performing schools can find One-Act Logistics described here.
LICENSING & CENSORSHIP POLICY
The State Board fully supports ethical use of licensed material. Failure to comply with the licensing agreement can result in possible legal and/or State Conference consequences. 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 rely on each director’s discretion and professionalism to screen your work. 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 must be given with the program notes and play introduction.
NOTE: If there is any doubt as to the content, language or depiction of the material in a show, it is the troupe director’s responsibility to err on the side of caution. If a troupe director cannot self-edit the show (or does not have permission to do so by the publishing company) then the show choice is not appropriate for the State Conference. The State Board reserves the right to enact consequences for a failure to abide by these guidelines.
PERFORMANCES AT STATE CONFERENCE
The State Conference tries to give as many schools as possible an opportunity to perform in either a one-act or full length main stage play.
Selection process: Schools will be asked to submit a performance request in the spring. After the board has decided how many performance slots will be available for the conference, the schools requesting a performance slot will be chosen.
- if a school has performed in the past and there were problems with content or other issues, the board may take that into account before offering that school a performance slot.
- the host school automatically gets a performance slot if they are interested.
- if the school requested a main stage slot and did not get a slot the previous year, they will get first consideration for a slot the following year.
- the board may take into account the type of show (comedy, drama, musical, etc) in order to balance the performance offerings. The name of any mainstage productions is due by the spring deadline before selections are made.
- if there are more requests than slots, the schools interested will be drawn from a hat.
- schools may request both a full length and a one act slot, but if not chosen for a main stage slot they lose the 'previous year denial' provision the following year.
SURPLUS OF MAINSTAGES (Full length productions)
- Preference will be given to titles that have not been performed for the past three years and to schools that have not performed main stages the past year.
- Random draw at the spring board meeting will assign the available slots.
- Random draw will be sorted by category: drama, comedy, musical, etc. to maintain a well-balanced program.
- Random draw at the spring board meeting will assign the spaces available.
- If selected, one act performers will submit $25 performance fee.
- Automatic Preference: Schools that apply for and are not chosen will receive preference for a one act performance slot the following year.
We recognize there is a significant expense to bring a Main Stage show to perform at the Conference. Schools that do so will receive a stipend to assist in those expenses.
In order to be eligible to apply to perform a Main Stage - the director and troupe must have already presented a One Act at the PA Thespian Conference. In order to be eligible to perform a One Act - a director and troupe must have already attended the PA Thespian Conference.
ROYALTIES
Each school/troupe is responsible for any royalties for your performances of One Acts or Main Stage productions at the PA State Conference. An Affidavit of Proof of royalty payment must be completed. Please remember that the playwright is also an artist and deserves to be paid for his/her art.