Competition

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Snapshot: Bee-u-ti-ful is a competion-length version of Beauty and the Bee, and an awesome character piece for your next competition! Do you get along with your sister… or is she the freak? And more importantly, does she think you’re the freak? Meet Catherine: high school royalty. Cheerleader. Pageant queen. Meet Cosette: homeschooled genius. Spelling bee champ. Knows way too much about rats. When Cosette enters Catherine’s glittering, chaotic high school world, the collision is nuclear. A sharp, weird comedy about sisters, status, and the sting of standing out — where the pressure to fit in gets so intense it conjures GIANT TALKING BEES. Yes. Literal bees. With opinions. Witty, wild, and full of emotional honey, this play asks: what does it really mean to belong… and can one photo fix a fractured bond? Sisters. Spelling bees. Frenemies. Freak-outs. Say cheese. Let's hear from the author! Why create a competition version?The original, Beauty and the Bee, is just too long for most high school competitions. I love this play and I love the characters in it. I feel like I could go into any school and meet Catherine, Cosette, and Julian in the halls. And can I mention life-sized bees one more time? I want this play to have more productions and I hope a competition length version can make that happen! 1. Why did you write this play?This play can be found in a longer length on our site as "Beauty and the Bee." The inspiration was simple. I love spelling bees and watched them for years. I'm fascinated by spelling bee participants. How do they keep those words in their heads? Some participants are so charming. Some, so obnoxious. A unique and intriguing community! It was only a matter of time before such a character made it into one of my plays. It was a natural progression to throw an opposite character into the mix, make them sisters, and then make them have to talk to each other. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences?A play about family, relationships and learning how to hold on who you are. 3. What's the most important visual for you in this play?The characters talk about the photographs that have been taken of them throughout their lives and how pictures, frozen in time never really tell the truth, even if they want them to. Where does the truth lie? In the picture or just outside the frame? 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?This play is all about character and relationships, so do the work to make your actors bring these three dimensional characters to life. Spoiler alert - the mom is the most impactful character who never makes an appearance. 5. Why is this play great for student performers?This is a great script to show students strong character wants and what characters are willing to do to get what they want. It also theatricalizes abstract concepts: in the play the sister's heads are so full of conflict they manifest life-sized bees. And when are you ever going to have the chance to play a life-sized bee? 6. Who is your favourite character in the play?The Bees! They are the characters I would love to play. The bees represent the buzzing in your brain when you are trying to hide from something that you should really face. 7. What is your favourite line in the play?"And you are living in a dream world. A bubble. A dream world surrounded by a bubble wearing a sweater vest. There are no sweater vests in high school! It’s a vicious place where the weak get tossed onto the tundra to be devoured by wolves."

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Agatha Rex by Lindsay Price is a modern high school adaptation of Antigone, transforming the Greek chorus into a dynamic ensemble opportunity. Available in a competition-length version too! Possible expulsion, expulsion, expulsion. Agatha is a girl who stands up for her beliefs, regardless of the consequences. As student council president at Thebes High, she vigorously defends a student who is unfairly punished. Based on her actions, she could be expelled and lose an important scholarship. Set in a modern-day high school, the play translates the original Greek chorus into a fantastic ensemble opportunity. Let's hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play?I love adaptations, and Antigone is an epic play - adapting it is always a fun challenge. The original story translated seamlessly to the high school stage: Antigone defies the king to honor her brother, while Agatha defies the principal to support hers. Both Agatha and Antigone stand up for what they believe in, no matter the consequences. In this modern version, Agatha isn’t faced with a life-or-death choice—apologize or die—but her actions will still change her life. She risks losing everything she’s worked for, all for a brother who may not even be worth the sacrifice. 1b. Why did you also write a competition length version?Agatha Rex is one of my more popular plays for production and for classroom study because of its link to Ancient Greek Theatre. I've had many teachers ask for a competition length version of this play and it's been great to be able to adapt my adaptation! 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences?Do you stand up for your beliefs, regardless of the consequences? How do you define right vs wrong? 3. What's the most important visual for you in this play?The "Greek Chorus" of students who observe the action and comment on it. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?Agatha Rex is a great example of an ensemble that has a lot to do and can't stand around being wall paper. The Greek Chorus in the original is transformed into an ensemble of high school students. Frankly, it's the toughest part in the play – they set the scene, they set up the world of the play and its characters. The ensemble acts as foils for Agatha (both encouraging her to act and then backing away when she asks for their help) they are the atmosphere of the play. They act as the voice of the student body. And they have to do it in unison. 5. Why is this play great for student performers?This play has a lot to offer from offering a modern look into an Ancient Greek play, to the ensemble work, to the strong character development, to the discussion of the themes. How do you define right from wrong? What would you do in a similar situation? Should someone be punished less harshly because they are a good student? What are your thoughts on personal responsibility? 6. Who is your favourite character in the play? OR Which character would you be in this play?Eunice, the head hall monitor, is my favourite character! I would love to play her. 7. What is your favourite line in the play?Any time the chorus called Dr Creon "Cromagnon."

Theatre festivals and competitions are more than just a chance to showcase your program - they’re an opportunity to inspire, challenge, and connect your students in new ways. While competing can be exciting, the true benefits go far beyond the trophies. From deepening their understanding of theatre to building confidence and expanding their social circles, bringing a show to a contest can have a lasting impact. If you're thinking about entering a local or regional theatre festival, this guide will walk you through key considerations before, during, and after your performance to help make the experience as rewarding as possible. Download the Competition Toolkit today!

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. The one-act noir comedy, Tough City, Prone to Rain by Alan Haehnel, is perfect for a competition piece – easy to stage, with a large cast and fun to play! In a city like this one – cold, dark, cynical, and often rainy – there are more places to hide than to be found. And let’s not forget about the shark-infested waters. Donna Rockbridge needs the women (not dolls, dames, or sweethearts) from the Broadly Speaking Detective Agency to find her twin brother before trouble does. They’re ready to take on the case. Just don’t ask their secretary to answer the door; he hasn’t quite mastered doors and phones yet. Why did we publish this play?This play is absolutely delightful from beginning to end. Film noir is a great genre for educational theatre and Alan hits it so strongly. We also love that there are so many women characters (the Detectives of the Broadly Speaking Detective Agency are not dolls, dames, or sweethearts) and there are a number of characters that could be played by any gender. Awesome for competition and easy to stage, get your copy today! Let's hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play?This play came about as a collaboration with Trina and David Byard. I had put out an invitation to write new shows for people who might have concepts that they were having a hard time finding scripts for, and David contacted me with Trina’s idea of a cartoonish, comic noir that would allow her to do a costume and makeup design she’s long dreamt of. We tossed around several ideas. One of the most compelling was “Dick Tracy meets Bullwinkle.” Over several weeks back and forth, the play was born! 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences?This is less a theme-driven piece than a style-driven one. It’s all about noir, really pushing that genre to a comic level. Of course, noir is all about smoke and back alleys and trusting no one–which turns out to be a blast to treat in an unserious way. We also slipped in the powerful women, which was a nice twist for an era that generally didn’t honor women as we might have hoped. 3. What's the most important visual for you in this play?The ensemble dressed in those cartoon-inspired costumes, especially the three women of the Broadly Speaking Detective Agency. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?Study the noir style and push it hard. 5. Why is this play great for student performers?The characters are fun stereotypes with a lot of history, particularly in American film. Students can quickly identify and latch onto the types and then make them their own. 6. Who is your favourite character in the play?I most identify with Earl, and I would love to find ways to make him both fit with the genre and stand out comically. 7. What is your favourite line in the play?This one came early in the process and really drove the creation: “Whose says gumshoes can’t wear high heels?”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Love Rebootilization? Now you can enjoy Rebootilization: Competition Version by Alan Haehnel with your group! Stories are disappearing in a worldwide pandemic, and SynCryn’s “foolproof” Rebootilization process is here to save the day—or not. With glitches, tech-addicted directors, and thawing stories, chaos ensues! Perfect for middle school with a range of speaking roles, this new competition version is packed with humor and excitement. Let's hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play?Originally, I wrote Rebootilization as a full-length commissioned piece for a school that typically involved something like 80 kids in their productions. Quite a task, coming up with a show to accommodate so many. After I wrote the show, the school produced it successfully, and then Theatrefolk published it, I got a couple of requests over the years to trim it to a one-act. I liked the idea since the 80-kid cast was a bit daunting for most programs, but I never got around to trimming it until Lindsay from Theatrefolk contacted me a few months ago and proposed coming up with a 30-minute version of the play for competitions. This time the idea stuck and the shortened version was born. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences?As a retired English teacher, I wonder a bit about the term “theme.” That, to me, means the universal lesson underlying the play. For a silly comedy like Rebootilization, that’s a tough ask. The major topic or conflict of the play is technology versus tradition. Mainly, though, it’s a fun way to riff on this “what if”: What if some government agency had all the original story characters frozen and hidden somewhere, and their stash was getting corrupted? 3. What's the most important visual for you in this play?The chaotic scene near the end where all these various traditional story characters have unfrozen and are about to engage in a riot. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?Have the actors get off-book early so they can have plenty of time to play around with creative and very active blocking. 5. Why is this play great for student performers?Even though it’s trimmed down significantly from the original 80+ character version, it’s still got so many parts, so many fun costumes, so much action! 6. Who is your favourite character in the play?I really get a kick out of the no-nonsense version of Little Red Riding Hood. She’s very assertive (maybe even bossy?), but I love her. 7. What is your favourite line in the play?There are many lines I enjoy, but I think the right actor could have a lot of fun with Red Riding Hood’s pronouncement: “All right, I’ve had about a gallon of milk and a half dozen stale cookies so I’m feeling bloated and pretty darned impatient!”

As you gear up for competition season, why not check out some of our top picks for standout plays? These scripts are bursting with memorable characters and fantastic stories, giving your students the perfect material to showcase their talent. The right play can really set your students apart in the competition scene. These selections are not only engaging but also offer plenty of moments for your actors to shine. Add one of these plays to your competition lineup, and get ready to see your students make their mark!

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Free by Lindsay Price is a strong character-driven drama that will leave your audience thinking, complete with a variety of casting options. Two teenagers come across an abandoned picnic. A sign in front of the picnic says, FREE FOOD. Promisetown has been in dire straits ever since the local factory closed two years ago. The townspeople attempt to divide the food fairly, but end up struggling to reconcile their belief systems with their greed. A stranger appears out of nowhere, offering to solve their problems, but ends up altering the town’s course forever. Free is now available in three versions – Free Version 1 (6M+10W+3E), Free Version 2 – with more parts for females (4M+12W+2E), and Free: Competition Version (2 M, 5 F, 11 Any Gender, 2 M or F). Why did we publish this play? Free has a lot going on with a simple easy to stage concept within a traditional storytelling script. There’s an issue to think about, there’s a twist ending and there’s character work. The situation is something out of the ordinary but not so far removed that students can’t put themselves in the same scenario and infer their own income. A great script to explore! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I love starting a play with a question and this play offers a big one – how do you reconcile your belief system with your personal struggle? Putting characters in a place of struggle is always going to be interesting to write about and interesting to watch. 1a. Why did you create a competition version of this play? Free is one of my earliest plays and I absolutely adore it. When I worked on the competition length version, I hadn't read the play in many years and it was delightful to reacquaint myself with it. I love the moral dilemma it presents and how the characters respond to the dilemma. However, it's too long for many of the one act competitions our customers participate in. I want this play to have more productions, so a competition cut was the right choice. And I'm so glad I did it! 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Desperation vs responsibility. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The pile of food. It is the centre piece of the whole play. It determines how every single character acts and reacts. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Character, character and more character. Do character profiles. Establish backstory for each character and the backstory for the relationships between the character. This community has been through a lot and it’s important for every actor to be on the same page before the play even begins. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? The play takes an absurd situation and puts realistic characters right in the middle of that situation. A great exploration for any student actor. 6. Who is your favourite character in the play? My favourite character in the play is Mrs Steele. She is essentially the "villain" of the piece, but every choice she makes is for the good of her family. She makes bad choices, but she only has her family in mind when making them. That would be an interesting character to play! 7. What is your favourite line in the play? My favourite line in the play is "Fun? Having my lungs come out my nose is fun?" This line is said by Jack and the moment really shows off a side to his personality that we don't see once the story gets going. It's important, even in dramas to make characters more than the drama.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Smarty Pants by Bradley Hayward; a comedic play that’s all about the importance of play. Dallas is a real smarty pants; he can read Hamlet in half an hour! He can’t wait to show off in his new Advanced Placement class. But there’s more Play-doh than Plato and more colouring than Van Gogh. What kind of advanced class is this? Will Dallas figure out Kindergarten High or will he flunk? Who’s the real smarty pants? A fantastic competition piece that encourages students to develop strong characterizations. Why did we publish this play? Bradley Hayward knows how to write for youth. We’re lucky to have a number of his plays in our catalogue including Smarty Pants. In this play everything is not what it seems, which makes for a great comedy platform. Add to that, it’s a fabulous characterization opportunity for your students and an easy script to stage. The entire cast of Smarty Pants is gender-neutral which is a lovely bonus. Give your kids a chance to play! Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? Smarty Pants started out as a “play within a play” and quickly transformed into a “play about how to play.” I was a straight A, straight laced, straight faced student in high school. It wasn’t until I graduated that I realized I could have been having a lot more fun and still make good grades. I think a lot of adults feel this way, so I wanted to let teen audiences in on this secret a little bit earlier. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. The biggest gift we are given as children is the ability to play. As we grow older, we sometimes forget how to do this, and Smarty Pants is all about relearning how to embrace the moment. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? There is a moment where all of the characters are committed to a game of jump-rope. I love watching this scene because the actors are working together to make this challenging moment happen and the characters are all physically connected, working toward a singular goal. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Play! Play around with it. Play with the staging. Play with the pacing. Play with the costumes. Play with the setting. Play with each other. Think of the play as a co-operative game, with the ultimate goal being “everybody wins!” 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Smarty Pants is a great play for student performers because the actors get to play characters their own age, as well as versions of themselves at a younger age. It is also a very physical piece, so they get to explore the importance of working together to use the entire stage. For this reason, it is also a terrific play for student directors.

“The time is near So near it’s stirring the blood in their veins!” What time is it? (Showtime!) It’s competition time. Monologues, scenes, one acts. The season is nearing, perhaps it’s looming, or maybe you’re hiding under your pillow in complete denial. You need material for your students and if you have to see the same set of monologues one more time this year…. Who knows but it won’t be pretty. Do not fear. Don’t fear the reaper and don’t fear the search for competition material. We’re here to help. Competition Monologues and ScenesThe pieces in our monologue and scene collections all come from published plays (and they all can be found at Theatrefolk.com so it’s a one stop shop if you need to produce the play). Each selection comes with a time, description and staging suggestions. Middle School Teacher? Check out the Stand Alone collections. Most are middle school appropriate and those that we think are on the edge are clearly identified. Competition Monologues A collection of monologues for both guys and girls perfect for auditions, competitions, and class work. All monologues come from published Theatrefolk plays. Competition Monologues: Book Two Specifically geared for students, this collection contains a wide variety of characters, genres and lengths. The monologues come from plays published by Theatrefolk and include approximate timing, character/story background, and performance suggestions. Stand Alone Monologue for Girls Stand Alone: Monologues for Girls has 21 monologues for competition, classwork, and auditions. Each monologue comes with a synopsis, staging suggestions, and a description of the moment before. Stand Alone Monologues for Guys Stand Alone: Monologues for Guys has 19 monologues for competition, classwork, and auditions. Each monologue comes with a synopsis, staging suggestions, and a description of the moment before. Competition Scenes: Duets Are you looking for challenging scenes for two actors? This collection is tailored for student actors, and contains a wide variety of characters, genres and lengths. Ideal for competitions and in-class work. The Middle School Scene Book A collection of comedic, character-driven, and challenging scenes for the middle school students. Perfect for classwork or for IE Competitions. Plays for Competitions:Still haven’t found the right play yet? Our plays have done amazing in one-act festivals and competitions. Here’s a top ten list – every one is a winner. Top Ten Plays for Competition Pieces You want winning plays. You want plays that fit competition rules. You want something that’s going to be easy to stage if you’re performing away from home. You want to give your students an interesting piece to take to competition, regardless of whether they win or not. All of these plays fit the bill. Easy to stage in an unfamiliar space. Many have won multiple competitions. And if they haven’t they’ll give your students an awesome experience. Take them to your next competition with pride. Helpful Hints for Competitions:Do your students need help taking their pieces to the next level? Check out these helpful blogs and podcasts! Competition: Performing in Pairs Performing a successful duet is trickier than performing a successful monologue. It’s not just you and the words. Now there’s interaction, blocking, and depending on another actor. That’s a lot of balls in the air! We want to help you focus on the competition process and the duet category, in particular. Student Voices: Competition Students who competed with scenes at the Florida State Thespian Festival shared their personal experience, expertise and best competition tips. How does competition performing differ than being on stage in a regular show? How do you choose a scene? How do you deal with nerves? How to Find Monologues for Auditions and Competitions Looking for the perfect monologue can feel like a hunting expedition. Let us help save you the trek with some advice on how to find what you’re looking for. Publisher Approvals Are you performing monologues or scene cuttings from our plays for competition? The organizers will likely ask you to provide proof that you have the publisher’s permission to perform. Some competitions keep a standard list of publisher approvals and it’s possible that we’re already on that list. Preparing for Competitions:And lastly, some helpful hints for preparing for competition. You can do it ! Choosing a Play Preparing a play is not a cookie cutter operation. You may have a procedure in place that works just fine for you and your students. But if you want some suggestions on preparing for competition, read on! Solving Performance Problems in Rehearsal Check out our list of some of the most common performance issues you may come across, along with a rehearsal strategy on how to solve them. Day of Pre-Performance To-Do’s We’ve compiled a list of some Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to important pre-performance considerations on the day of competition. Taking Students Successfully to Competition How do you handle competition with your students? How do you circumvent the win, win, win mentality, especially if you don’t win?

Now is the time of year that many students compete in monologues, duets and group events. It can be a challenge to figure out where to begin – how do you prepare? How do you properly process criticism? We want to help you focus on the competition process and the duet category. Even if you’re not a Thespian, there’s a lot to be learned about performing with another actor. Before CompetitionPerforming a successful duet is trickier than performing a successful monologue. It’s not just you and the words. Now there’s interaction, blocking, and depending on another actor. That’s a lot of balls in the air! Choosing The Perfect Duet When choosing a scene, look for the following: • Features both actors. Avoid pieces comprising of a series of monologues for one actor with one line responses for the other. • Emotional change for both characters. Avoid pieces where only one character undergoes an emotional change. Here’s what to look for: 1. Look for a power struggle. 2. Look for interaction. Is there lots of back and forth? 3. Is there a connection between the characters? 4. Look for conflict. Remember conflict is not just two people fighting! 5. Look for a well-defined relationship. 6. Look for opposing personalities. • Simple blocking. Your chosen piece should offer a few simple but strong physical choices. • Read the whole play. How can you properly prepare the scene if you don’t know what’s happened to the characters earlier in the play? • Make sure it’s the right length. There’s nothing worse doing a great performance and then going over time. Cut the piece to a length well under the maximum. • Avoid scene books. Why? Certainly, they’ve got great scenes in them. But think about how many other actors have held that same scene book. How many other actors are choosing the exact same scene? Think about how many times the judges have seen that scene. You’re at a disadvantage before you begin if you’re performing a scene the judges have seen twenty or thirty times. • Finally, LIKE THE SCENE. Especially if you’re in a competition. Dislike of a scene easily leads to a poor performance. Choosing The Perfect Partner More often than not your scene partner is your friend, the person beside you in class, the person you’ve dragged into it because your original partner dropped out. The perfect partner plays a huge part in the success of the scene. You have to work well together, and work toward the same goal. A conflicted team makes success all the more difficult. Think about the following: • What do you both want? Do you want to work on an interesting character? Do you want to ‘win?’ Do you want to just have fun playing with the scene? Whatever the goal, make sure you’re both on the same page. If you want to have fun and your partner wants to win, how will rehearsals go? • What’s your experience level? Are you both on the same level? Will it help or hurt the scene if one is more experienced than the other? • What do you both think of the scene? It does you no good to say ‘it’s fine’ on a scene you don’t really like. Even if your partner is really hot on it! Finding Your Focus It happens to everyone. A scene that rocks in practice falls apart during competition. Why? Lack of focus can be the answer. Without focus it’s easy to fall prey to nerves and doubt. Sure some people never get nervous before competition. But so many more do. How do you prepare before you step into the room? Here are some suggestions: • Create a pre-competition routine. For a week before competition come up with three or four activities that you and your partner will do every day right before you run your scene. Whether it’s running lines, a physical/vocal warm up, a silly game, a handshake, etc. It doesn’t matter so long as you’re consistent. This way on the day of competition, you know exactly what to do in the moments before. You’re not standing around letting nerves get the better of you. It’s all about dealing with nerves! • Focus on the task at hand. Don’t talk to your friends about what you did last night or where you’re going for lunch. Think about the scene. • Use visualization. Picture the scene in your head. Go through your actions from beginning to end. Visualize something going wrong in the scene and see yourself fixing it. See yourself succeeding. • Do not compare your work to others. You’ll be done before you begin if you watch the other scenes in your group and get down on your own performance. Focus on your task. If that means you don’t watch the other scenes, then don’t. • Write out your first line on a piece of paper. Have it in front of you. Say it over to yourself in your head. Make it a mantra! Many actors blank and panic on their first line. • Relax. Easy to say but of course hard to do. Focus on relaxing your body and relaxing your breath. 1. Relaxing the body: As you sit in the room focus on tightening and loosening your muscles from the top of your head all the way down your body. This can be easily done without disrupting anyone around you. 2. Relaxing the breathing: Sit as still as you can with a straight back. Focus on steadily breathing in and out. Count out your inhalations and exhalations so you can’t think about anything else but your breathing. During CompetitionPerforming a scene is not like performing a monologue. You have to trust your partner and your partner has to trust you. Make sure you’re both on the same page! Top 11 Performing Do’s and Don’ts 1. DO know the rules and instructions. There’s no excuse for not knowing the parameters of the competition. Go over them with your partner. 2. DON’T be late! Better yet, be early. 3. DO arrive together. There’s nothing worse for an actor than wondering where their partner is! 4. DO take care with your appearance. You and your partner are a team, and you should dress as a team. If you’re in a nice dress and your partner is in ripped jeans, it looks like you haven’t properly prepared. Further to that, DON’T wear jeans that hang below your butt. DON’T wear belly shirts and mini skirts. DON’T wear clanky jewelry or flip flops. Make it easy for the judges to focus on your acting and not what you’re wearing. 5. DON’T make last minute changes. Your partner comes up to you the morning of the competition and bubbles, ‘I have the perfect blocking for the scene!’ Resist, resist, resist. Keep your scene as you’ve rehearsed it. Start changing the blocking and it’s a quick hop to forgetting your lines at the worst moment. Stick with what you know. 6. DO warm up with your partner. This is a scene, not a monologue. You both need to be in the same head space. The more together you are before competition, the better your performance will be. 7. DO be respectful of the other actors. Remember they’re probably feeling exactly the same way you do! DON’T talk to your partner during other performances. DON’T criticize other performers. DON’T brag to each other. 8. DO be respectful of your partner. If you’re a nervous talker and your partner has not so politely asked you to be quiet, now is not the time to pick a fight! Talk to them about it after the scene. Remember, your partner has their own way of dealing with their nerves. 9. DON’T forget to practice your intro and DO remember who the playwright is! You’ll start the judges off on the wrong foot if you’re sloppy before you’ve started. It makes you look like you don’t care about your acting. 10. DO keep going if things go wrong. What if one of you jumps a page or blanks out? What if you’re the one who blanks? If you stop then the judges have to stop too; they’ll know for sure you’ve made a mistake. 11. DO have fun! How to Give Constructive Feedback What if you’re on the other side of the judge’s table? Or, if friends have asked you to give your opinion on their scene? Giving feedback is a skill. Done correctly, you’ll offer an opportunity for growth and forward movement. Done poorly, you could scar someone for life. I wish I was exaggerating about that, but I’m not. Poorly delivered feedback is extremely damaging and everyone in a position to give feedback must keep this in mind. Giving your opinion puts you in a powerful position. Use that power only for good! _ So, how do you give feedback without being negative? _ Before the actors perform the scene, find out what their expectations are. Maybe they’ve just been working on their lines and blocking. If that’s the case there’s no point in criticizing their character choices because that’s not been the focus. Find out what they expect and tailor your comments to that. Did they achieve their expectations? Never say, “I don’t like…” Use “I like” for positive comments and “I would like” for criticisms. So instead of saying: “I don’t like the way you wandered about the stage.” You say: “I would like to have seen you stand your ground. Less wandering, more purposeful movement.” The second statement not only avoids the negative “I don’t like” but gives a specific action for the actor to consider. You want the actors to hear what you’re saying. By taking out the negative language you have a better chance of that happening. It’s easy for an actor (or anyone for that matter) to shut down the instant they hear “I don’t like.” _ But what if you thought the scene was bad and can’t think of anything to say? _ If you’re giving oral feedback right after the scene, find out what the actors thought. “What did you think of the scene?” Perhaps they feel the same way as you. If that’s the case, there’s no point in dwelling on the negative. You want to find a way to help the scene forward. Don’t overwhelm the actors with bad comment after bad comment. That will only discourage them. So, focus on one element (character, blocking, storytelling, pacing, delivery and so on). Give a specific suggestion for a specific issue. For example , ask the pair what character exercises they’ve done. Do they know the given circumstances of their character? What have they established regarding the relationship between the two characters? What do they know about the characters’ backgrounds? Questions are an excellent feedback tool as they, again, avoid the negative and give the actors something to digest and react to. I would strongly suggest that if you are judging a scene that you feel is not going well, ask questions! Why did the actors make the blocking choices they did? What is the intention with the pace of the scene? Is there any time you can really tell actors what you think? Giving feedback puts you in a position of power. What is gained by making a pair feel bad about their performance? Unless the actors are purposefully fooling around and wasting everyone’s time during the competition, keep your comments constructive. After CompetitionI promise to uphold the aims and ideals of the International Thespian Society. I am a student of theatre and excellence is my ideal. I promise to perform my part as well as I can; to accept praise and criticism with grace; to cooperate with my fellow Thespians and work for the good of the Troupe; and to share my love of the theatre. – The Thespian Pledge After the scene is said and done, you will receive either written or oral comments from the judges. The Thespian Pledge states that a Thespian must accept criticism ‘with grace’ which can be quite difficult to do! Even the most seasoned actor can react poorly to a bad review! How do you process criticism? How do you separate good from the bad? How do you analyze what a judge is trying to say? Processing Criticism • Don’t gloat over a good critique. It has been said, that if you believe your positive reviews that means you have to believe your negative reviews as well. Feel good about a well-executed performance, but don’t go waving your critique around. You never know when the shoe will be on the other foot. • Know your weaknesses. If you know you’ll react poorly a bad critique then don’t read them! Have a teacher or a friend read the critique and decipher it for you. Trust them to tell you what you need to hear to move forward and improve the scene. • Deal with your weaknesses. If you have to sit through an oral critique try this technique. Write down everything you hear verbatim. Don’t argue, don’t dispute, don’t make a face. Be professional. Then put the paper away for at least three days. Then when you have some space between you and your performance that’s when you review. • Never give up. Let’s say your scene didn’t go very well at all and you were judged poorly. Should you just give up acting all together? Of course not! There’s always next time, there’s always next year, there’s always another competition. And if you’re not motivated to try again, then maybe you never wanted to compete in the first place. That’s perfectly legitimate, so long as you’re clear that’s what you’re feeling. • Be truthful to yourself. You truly know if a scene went well or not. Don’t blame a judge if they re-enforce your own feelings. Always be professional. • Know what the judges are supposed to be looking for. If you can, read the judging criteria ahead of time. Compare the criteria to the judges comments. Are the judges following the criteria? Are they veering off topic? Are they picking on elements that are irrelevant? A judge that takes the criteria seriously is someone you should pay attention to. • Judges are human. Remember that a judge’s critique is subjective. They are basing their comments on what they like and what they don’t like. Further to that, a judge can only offer comments based on their own experience. A poor judge will refuse to look beyond their own experience and critique accordingly. Look for clues like, “plays should be this…” Or, “performances should be that…” This are indications that the judge is refusing to accept a performance because it’s different and beyond what they think theatre should be. • Distinguish between performance criticism and script criticism. Sometimes a judge hates a scene so much, they can’t rise above their feelings and comment objectively on the particular performance. I have a play called Emotional Baggage that has been harshly critiqued in competition (twice!) because it doesn’t have any words. It’s a unique format. Both judges couldn’t wrap their heads around the script, and thus criticized the performance. This is exceedingly unfair to actors. When you see a lot of comments about the script and not so much about the performance, question the validity of the judge’s critique. • Know when to move on. It’s your right to feel bad over a poor critique. No one likes to be told they didn’t go a good job! Give yourself a day. After that, put the scene behind you and move on. The more you obsess over criticism, the more it will hurt the next time, and the next time and the next. People must deal with criticism their whole lives; find a process that works for you, and you’ll never be hurt by a critic again.

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays About…Competition Pieces. You want winning plays. You want plays that fit competition rules. You want something that’s going to be easy to stage if you’re performing away from home. You want to give your students an interesting piece to take to competition, regardless of whether they win or not. All of these plays fit the bill. Easy to stage in an unfamiliar space. Many have won multiple competitions. And if they haven’t they’ll give your students an awesome experience. Take them to your next competition with pride. Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. All the best with your search! Competition One-ActsAmong Friends and Clutter This play has won state competitions, been given superior production awards, and won first place in the 2013 Southeastern Theatre Conference High School Festival. The production that won SETC did the play with just a few cubes. It can be done with seven actors but it’s easily expandable. The scenes explore the most important relationships in life: friends, family and love. Anonymous A recent production of Anonymous won at the Arkansas State Thespian Festival and was chosen as a Chapter Select for the 2017 International Thespian Festival. Anonymous is the story of every teenager: the new kid trying to fit in, the best friends, the love interests, the kid in the corner with their secret, individuals trying to belong. Emotional Baggage A multi-award winning piece. It’s reached the All-Ontario level of the Sears Drama Festival, the State Level of Florida Thespians, it’s won straight superiors, critics choice and best play. And there’s a reason it captures attention. There’s no dialogue. The play is based solely on non-verbal storytelling through mask and movement. Seven strangers meet in a train station. Instead of luggage, they all carry their own “emotional baggage.” The Blue and the Grey This play is so imagistic, and so aurally stunning, it’s amazing the set isn’t more involved than it is. A small platform downstage, one upstage, and some chairs. It’s haunting, exhilarating and theatrical. And it’s not a surprise it’s won at competition. First place in the Rappahannock River Conference, first place in the 1A East Region, and an Outstanding Actress Award at the state level. A Deep Poetic Journey into Something There are excellent movement opportunities here and a fantastic main character for a senior girl. Jane wants to break out of her box, she wants a deep poetic journey. The problem is she has no idea where to start and maybe that box isn’t such a bad idea. This play received section 1A honours in Minnesota and advanced to the State One Act Festival. The Hope and Heartache Diner – One Act You want your students to dive deep into character development. You want ensemble opportunities for them. Check out The Hope and Heartache Diner. This play received outstanding production at the Kentucky State Thespian Festival and was chosen as a Chapter Select for the 2016 International Thespian Festival. The Butterfly Queen Beautiful ensemble piece that looks at the nature of sacrifice and putting others first. So easy to stage where a sweatshirt becomes a vehicle for protection. Gender flexible cast and doubling options available. Choose this play and have a transformative experience with your students. One Hundred Lies In this poignant comedy Liz presents her life as a competition, complete with scoreboard and time clock. The goal of the game: to dramatize 100 lies told by and to Liz. But what about the lies she tells to herself? I’ve seen this done with a person playing the scoreboard and clock and it works perfectly. Easy to stage with lovely three-dimensional characters. Mmmbeth I have seen this play so many times in competition and it’s been a blast every time. So much fun to do as it takes a twisty turning and gender bending look at the Scottish play. A great piece to teach comic timing to your students. Numerous outstanding productions! Stressed Another piece I’ve seen in multiple competitions. This is a small cast actor showcase. It has no set and relies totally on the character communication. The play is called a symphony of sound and character and that’s a perfect description. It takes rhythm, timing, and the cast working as one. A winning combination.

I never enjoy looking for monologues. It’s sort of like a hunting expedition and I don’t like hunting. And don’t get me started on fishing… But – big BUT – I love when I actually find a great piece that suits both me and the thing I’m auditioning for. I feel like Livingstone seeing Victoria Falls for the first time. Here’s some advice on finding the perfect monologue for you. Monologue BooksMonologue books are a great starting point. Monologues in collections have usually been curated by editors who have gone through dozens and dozens (if not hundreds) of plays to create the collection. And they can be a godsend if you really need something specific in a pinch. But they’re just a tool, not a solution. They’re not the end all and be all. Lots of people buy monologue books. And it’s very likely that lots of people have the same monologue book that you have. And it’s possible they like the same piece that you do. And I’m not saying that they’re better than you per se, but if they happen to have their audition scheduled before yours, then when you announce what you’re performing there will be a small drop in the room’s barometric pressure as the director thinks to herself, Dang, how many times will I have to watch this same piece today??? But as I say, these books are great starting points. Here’s how to use them… • Find a piece you like in the book – you identify with a character, the writing appeals to you, etc. • Buy a copy of that play and read it. • Look for the monologue from your book. It’s possible that the piece in the book is edited down from a larger monologue. Maybe you can reshape it into a different piece altogether than the one in the book. • Look for other monologues by the same character. It’s possible they have more than one monologue in the play. • Look for other monologues in the same play by a different character. Playwrights who write good monologues , ones that aren’t in the monologue book. • Get other plays by the same author. There are probably well-written monologues in those plays as well. Visit the LibraryYes, the old-fashioned library. That building with all the books. While a lot of theatrical publishers are starting to put their plays online, there are still thousands of amazing scripts that are only available in book form. If you’re near a major city, budget a day to spend at their largest library, whichever branch has the best performing arts section. Just start completely randomly. Grab a couple dozen plays off the shelf and start flipping through them. You’ll begin to get a feel for which playwrights are likely to write monologues that appeal to you, then start focusing on those playwrights. EditingHere is the one place in the theatre that I think it’s ok to edit the playwright’s work to suit your needs. Don’t be shy about cutting together a monologue from a series of smaller speeches. Don’t be shy about slicing out bits that don’t make sense out of context. The object of this piece is not a performance. It’s a showcase for you, not the writer. You’re the one auditioning. When I was auditioning a lot, this is where most of my pieces came from. Since I was the one putting them together, I could be pretty sure that what I was doing was unique. Consider What You’re Auditioning ForIf you’re auditioning for a play, look at pieces by the same author. Or look at pieces in a similar style. Or find out what playwrights inspired that playwright. If you’re auditioning for a school, look at the plays they’re doing in their season. Again, look at pieces by the same playwrights and in similar genres.

This post is the third of three posts about preparing for the typical high school competition. Part One looked at the most important question when choosing your competition piece. Part Two looked at the most common performance issues and how to fix them in rehearsal. In Part Three we’re going to look at important pre-performance considerations on the day of competition. I have watched many schools set up before their performance. In one example, there were 22 pre-sets. In this particular competition, every school was given the same amount of time do a walkthrough of the performance area (5 minutes). Every school was given the same amount of time to pre-set immediately preceding their performance (2 minutes). Every school had to carry their set the same distance from the “green room” to the stage. And every school had the same amount of performance time (45 minutes) in which some, none, or a lot of time can be eaten up by moving their set on to the stage. It’s fascinating to watch how differently schools approach their pre-performance time. Some barely use the walkthrough time given to them. Some frantically try to mash in a multitude of exercises. Some had to bound off the stage as their allotted time counted down. It was clear which schools had rehearsed moving their set and which had not – I was amazed to see how many schools struggled with moving their set, to the point of struggling to fit it through the doorway from one room to another. It was not my job to judge anything that happened in the pre-set. But from a nerves standpoint, I can’t but think that schools who struggled in the pre-set were extra nervous when they started to perform. Day of Pre-Performance To Do’sKnow your time rules. Make sure every performer knows exactly how long they have in each section: walkthrough, pre-set, performance. Make sure each performer knows the job they have to do, and how much time it takes in the pre-set. And if you have to set up your set during your performance time, every performer should know how long that eats into the show time. No one should ever utter the phrase “I didn’t know!” Further to that, encourage performers to help each other in times of struggle. Create a community among your actors, encourage them to work together and that will ease any panic that may occur due to unforeseen time problems. Know your space. “Measure twice cut once” is the old adage. Know how big your set is, how narrow an area it needs to fit through, and any unusual elements, such as walking a riser down an aisle that may have people on either side. Know how many steps lead up to the stage. Know if there is a upstage cross. Know where actors have to stand so they won’t be seen by the audience. Know everything, and again, don’t hold back on that information. Be a community. Your stage manager should know, your actors should know, everyone needs to know the information which will help you, as a community of performers, get the best out your limitations. Rehearse your set up. Make the set up part of your show. If you have a walkthrough, mark out where everyone goes in the pre set. Think of the set up like a choreographed section before your play, and not a frenzied dash out of character. Go through it over and over again so that you present yourself as professional and efficient. People notice when you’re professional and also when you’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off. Always strive for the former. Have a warm up routine in place. There is nothing more nerve wracking than waiting to perform. When I was an actor it was never the onstage time that rattled me, it was always the moments before! Make warm ups a habit, create a routine that you do before every rehearsal. And then instead of letting nerves get the better of you as you wait to get on stage, go through your routine. Sometimes, all you need to do is warm up your body, and run through a few breathing exercises to cure those vocal issues I talked about on Thursday. Some other things to think about*Don’t look at the judges. * Really. Don’t try to make eye contact during the show, don’t address monologues to the judges, tell your parents not to turn around and stare at the judges afterwards. Your job is to perform the play to the best of your ability. Do that and not get involved with anything else. Which brings me to…. *Don’t read into what the judges are doing. * You are only in the performance space for a short time. A judge has been there all day. I judged from 8 o’clock in the morning till 6:45 at night. That means, judges need some release. That means they may be drinking a coffee. They may be laughing with each other. They may be chomping on candy. And after the show, they may look like they loved your show, or they may not. They may stand up and start pacing. They may yawn. You have no idea what that means toward your score. You just don’t. So don’t guess by their action, as their actions may have nothing to do with your show. Again, focus on your job and don’t get involved with figuring out what it means if a judge scratches his head four times during your show. Don’t believe everything the judges say. Remember it’s only one person’s opinion. Theatre is subjective and yes it’s a judge’s job to be objective but what if one judge felt actor A was great and another thought actor A was overdoing it? Who’s right? It’s subjective. Now having said that if you have three judges and every single one wrote “Watch your diction” on their form, then it’s a pretty good guess that your diction needs work. The rule of three is always a good rule of thumb – if three people say such and such needs work, you can’t be pig headed about it. Remember to have fun. Oh, I know it’s hard to have fun during a competition. And some people think winning and striving to win trumps everything, even having fun. But if you’re not having fun with your performance, what’s it all for? What’s the point? When you’re having fun, you’re more relaxed and that is always going to benefit your performance.

This post is the second of three posts about preparing for the typical high school competition. Part One looked at the most important question when choosing your competition piece, and in Part Two we’re going to look at the most common performance issues and how to fix them in rehearsal. Believe it or not, it’s not as daunting as it sounds to adjudicate 22 plays in a 2 day period. It is a lot of work, and it does definitely max out my brain power. It’s not daunting for two reasons, one positive and one negative. On the positive side, you get to see wonderful flashes of theatricality and sincere moments of pure joy on stage. Those moments make the experience absolutely worthwhile. On the negative side, you find yourself repeating the same comments over and over again, because they keep cropping up over and over again: Watch your diction. There’s a difference between telling a story and having a character share a story. Physicalize your character. In your blocking think in terms of shapes, not lines. What drives the play? The pace peters out at the end. Over and over again. Here are the top three performance issues and a rehearsal strategy to solve them. 1. Vocal IssuesThe big trio of articulation, diction and projection. Not having a handle on one, two or all three are by far the biggest performance issues I saw in competition. You can act till you’re blue in the face, if your judges can’t hear or understand what you’re saying, you will not advance. Rehearsal Strategy: There are two ways to solve this. One, make vocal drills the first thing you do at every rehearsal. Make it a habit. Don’t wait till performance day. The only way to improve your vocal quality is to get in the habit of speaking clearly. Use tongue twisters. Get in the habit of speaking in full voice, even when the scene demands quiet. And remember projection doesn’t mean yelling. If you push the voice you’ll hurt yourself. Projecting is about communicating to the back row. Practice scenes in which actors have to “communicate” a quiet situation across a large space. Practice the difference between speaking fully and yelling. Always ask yourself, how am I communicating my lines to the audience? Record a rehearsal so that every actor can hear how their voice sounds to an audience. It’s amazing what the difference can be between how we think we sound compared to reality. The second way to solve vocal issues is through character. One of the most common causes of poor vocal quality is actors who don’t understand why they’re speaking. Who haven’t clarified their character’s goals. All they’re doing is just trying to get through their lines, so they rush like a freight train. They speak without any connection or inflection. In rehearsal determine what each character wants, and how each line accomplishes or detracts from that want. What is the investment of each line? Knowing who you are and what your drive is, will naturally allow an actor to determine how to communicate a line. This is the same for a comedy or a drama – in a comedy the wants might be more exaggerated, but there is still something for characters to drive toward. Have actors finish the sentence “I want to say this line because….” for each line they have. Every line has a purpose – it may be something as simple as “I want to say this line to communicate a piece of information to the audience.” 2. PhysicalizationIt’s easy to get wrapped up in learning the lines, figuring out entrances and exits, and just getting from the beginning to the end of the play. What ends up happening is that every character looks exactly the same on stage – very vertical, up and down with no thought paid to how a character stands, moves, gestures. When an audience takes in a performance it’s 60% visual, 30% aural and 10% text. That means if you as an actor aren’t spending 60% of your time on thinking how to physicalize your character you’re missing out on a prime connection to your audience. Rehearsal Strategy: Rehearse a scene where all the actors are animals. What kind of animal would each character be? Because animals naturally take up space differently than humans, it’s a great way to find different shapes for your characters on stage. Then when you go back to being human, think about how to retain some of those shapes as you move through the play. Think about specific body parts – shoulders, for example, and determine how each character lives in that body part. Are their shoulders relaxed? Tight to the ears? Thrust back or rounded forward? Something as easy as defining a dominant body part for each character can go a long way in physicalization. Another exercise is to do scenes without any dialogue. Can those watching determine what’s happening? What the emotional stakes are simply by seeing the action and not hearing any lines? 3. CharacterizationTwo specific types of plays commonly have characterization issues: Plays that switch between ensemble speaking and monologue, and plays with narration. Over and over in competition I saw a real lack of attention paid to pushing students to create individual characters in each of these scenarios. The ensemble work would be precise and on point, the unison speaking would be crisp and clear…..but individual monologues would be flat without any defining detail. When actors acted as narrators they wouldn’t invest at all in their words – perhaps because they felt that if there’s no character attached to the lines, they don’t need to create one? But the fact is, if an actor doesn’t invest in a story, why should an audience? Communicate to the audience. There is a difference between telling a story and sharing a story. Rehearsal Strategy: Narrators need to be people too. If the play doesn’t create a full character for them, then it’s up to the actors. Create a character profile. Profiles are all about coming up with the small details that make a character three-dimensional, human. Think of the small details that make up you as a human being: name, age, family make up, likes dislikes, secrets, pet peeves, dream jobs, and so on. It’s amazing how fully a character can be brought to life by creating a few simple personality traits. Have actors, especially narrators, answer the question: “Why am I speaking?” Is it to share? To reveal? To force? To impose? By answering the question you create a reason for speaking. And that can make all the difference. In Part Three we’ll discuss some do’s and don’ts for performance day.

I adjudicated a pretty big festival last weekend. I saw 22 plays in the general competition, and that was only in one theatre – there were 22 plays happening in another ballroom across the way. Out of that, we came up with 4 finalists (2 from each theatre) and saw those plays. All in all, a lot of theatre. A lot of plays – with only one show repeated out of the lot. Some original works, some out-and-out one acts, some musicals, some cuttings. Some good, some great, some not. Whatever the production, it’s incredible how a couple of missteps were repeated over and over again. So I thought it would be interesting to do a three part series on preparing for the one-act competition – choosing a play, rehearsal strategies, and what to do on the day. Certainly, preparing a play is not a cookie cutter operation. You may have a procedure in place that works just fine for you and your students. This is all merely based on my observations of watching a lot of plays. 22 of them. In a row. Yeah. Choosing a PlayThere is a lot that goes into choosing a competition piece. Some go for the flash, some go for heightened emotional drama, some go for the challenging classic. Some go for the win, some just want their students to have the experience of competition. Whatever the motivation, I think the most important question in choosing a play is this: “Does this play fit my students?” Here’s what I mean by that. There has to be a marriage between play and production. A good fit. Time and time again this weekend I saw productions in which the students were shoe-horned into a play that wasn’t a good fit. They were acting their hearts out, they were doing their best, but the play didn’t suit them, and thus the production was not as good as it could have been. For example, plays with small casts being put on by a cast of thousands. And yes, sometimes their use of an added ensemble was clever and theatrical. But more often than not, the additions hindered the ability of the production to perform the play. The pace slowed from scene to scene. The production became less about the story being brought to life and more about using every student. Another example is work that is not high school appropriate. This does not mean that students shouldn’t be challenged, or that students can’t play roles out of their scope. But if the play suffers because students cannot believably play a married couple, or they perform a stereotype of the elderly, or they cannot address adult subject matter, then it’s not appropriate. It doesn’t fit. A third example is when it’s clear that the play chosen has more to do with what the teacher wants to do rather than what’s best for the students. Anyone involved in the theatre, especially those who direct, have a list of plays they would love to do. But that’s not always a good enough reason to do them, especially at the school level. The bottom line is that the production must bring the play to life in the fullest expression possible and when elements stand in the way, that’s a problem. The easiest way to solve that problem is to always put the students first. What kinds of plays fit your students best? What kinds of plays do you choose to challenge your students that are still appropriate in a school context? *Part Two: * Rehearsal strategies to fix the most common performance issues. Part Three: Important pre-performance considerations on the day of competition.