ONE ACT PLAY

GENERAL INFORMATION:

1. One Act Play is a Region and State event in classifications 1A-7A.
   
   1. Region winners must be determined by the date indicated in the Beginning and Ending Dates table at the front of this publication, and the Region Secretary must file the winner of the Region competition electronically at GHSA MIS immediately following the Region competition.
   2. The focus of GHSA One Act Play is acting. Technical elements should support the performance, not dominate it.   
   3. No admission may be charged at any Region or State One Act Play competition
   4. No photography, videography or audio recording is permitted during any performance.
   5. The facilities used for State competitions will not be available for practice or walk through prior to the competition day.  
   6. The GHSA State One Act Play Coordinator and Director of Adjudicator Training is Dean Slusser (ghsaoneacts@gmail.com).

ENTRY AND ELIGIBILITY:

1. Entering the Competition:
   1. Rehearsals (working on show material) for One Act Play may begin on or after the designated first date of practice. 
   2. One Act Play Directors and Coaches must complete an annual online One Act Play Coaches Clinic or the school will be fined. 
   3. Schools must electronically submit notification of entry at GHSA MIS by October 1 each school year. 
   4. Principals must approve the selected play before entry is finalized. 
2. Eligible Participants:
   1. Only eligible students may appear on stage during the performance.
   2. Ineligible individuals may assist only as outlined in Section G
3. Schools may perform a play or musical.
   1. The performance may be an excerpt or abridgement of a longer work if approval is granted by the publisher.
   2. Schools may not compete with a production that was performed or work-shopped during the previous school year or the previous two summers.
   3. Musical entries must use licensed, non-vocal accompaniment tracks; soundtracks from original productions may not be used.  
   4. If live musicians are used the following rules apply:
      
      1. Eligible student musicians may appear on stage, inside the go-lines. 
      2. Musicians that are ineligible individuals must be placed outside the go-lines.
   5. Schools are responsible for the following:
      
      1. Paying any royalties associated with the performance.
      2. Obtaining written permission for cuts and or edits to copyrighted works. 
      3. Obtaining written permission from their administration and host administration to use simulated weapons.
      4. Confirming royalty responsibility and uploading permission to edit documentation and simulated weapons approval into GHSA MIS during the notification of entry process.

JUDGES AND OFFICIALS:

1. Each competition (Region and State) shall include three GHSA-certified judges
   1. Regions shall share their process for selecting judges with the participating schools.
   2. Judges shall score and rank each play using the official GHSA scoring rubric.
   3. Final placements are determined by combining the two best ranks for each play; the lowest rank for each play is dropped.
      
      1. Points are used to break ties in the combined rankings.
         
         1. If the combined rankings are tied, use the scores from the two best ranks for each school to break the tie.
         2. If the tie is not broken, add the points from the 3rd judge.
   4. Judges shall not discuss scores or performances until all score sheets have been submitted to the tabulator.
   5. Judges may discuss possible All-Star cast considerations between performances.
   6. Judges shall avoid contact with participating directors and students on competition day.
   7. At each competition (Region and State) the event coordinator shall appoint one lead judge to resolve rules questions or concerns during the contest.
2. Each competition (Region and State) shall include an adult timekeeper who will keep the official time for each production and report the times to the tabulator.
   1. There shall be four timed elements:
      
      1. Five minutes (5:00) to move materials into the wings
      2. Fifteen minutes (15:00) for the pre-performance walk-through
      3. Fifty-five minutes (55:00) for the set-up, performance, and strike
      4. Five minutes (5:00) to remove materials from the wings
3. Each competition (Region and State) shall include a tabulator. The tabulator, with the assistance of the lead judge, shall:
   1. Apply any time penalties and adjust rankings if necessary.
   2. Calculate all ranks and scores using the tabulation tool in the GHSA MIS portal.
   3. Provide a copy of the tabulation sheet to each director after the results have been announced.

COMPETITION DAY PROCEDURES:

1. The Region Secretary (or his or her designee) is responsible for coordinating the Region competition.
2. The GHSA, in conjunction with each host school, is responsible for coordinating the State competition.
3. Plays should be announced by performance order number and title only. School names should not be announced.
   1. Performance order should be established in advance of competition day, using a method agreed upon by the participating schools in each Region.
   2. At the State competition, performance order is determined by a standard yearly rotation.
4. Each school shall be granted a 15-minute walk-through immediately before their performance time.
   1. During the walk-through period, schools may walk the stage, check sound and light levels, rehearse set-up and strike, and place spike tape.
   2. All materials must be behind the go-lines when the walk-through ends.
   3. If items are still being moved when the time expires, the official 55-minute performance time will begin immediately
5. The following timing rules apply to all participants:
   1. Each school has up to 5 minutes to move their materials from the designated storage area into the backstage area behind the go-lines.
   2. Each school has 15 minutes for walk-through preparation, returning all materials behind the go-lines before the end of the 15-minute period. Spike tape may be placed during this time.
   3. Each school has 55 minutes to set the stage (starting from behind the go-lines), perform their play, and strike the stage (returning all materials to behind the go-lines and clearing the stage of any debris or spike tape).
      
      1. Note: Timing does not stop until all actors, set pieces, props, debris, and spike tape have been fully removed from the playing area.
   4. Each school has up to 5 minutes to clear the backstage area following their performance.
6. Schools are penalized 2 points per judge for every 15 seconds or portion thereof beyond the established times listed above.
   1. The timekeeper will time each element and record time used.
   2. The tabulator will apply any penalties to the judges’ scores and adjust rankings accordingly. If the adjusted rankings result in a tie, the school in violation of the timing rule would take the lower rank.
7. Stage & Technical Rules
   1. The site host must tape go-lines at the stage right wing, the stage left wing, mid-stage, and upstage.
      
      1. Directors will choose which line (mid-stage or upstage) designates their starting and ending location.
      2. All set pieces must be inside the go-lines while they are being used in the production. If set pieces remain outside the go-lines while being used during the performance, the performance may not be ranked in the Top 4.
   2. The host school should provide, at a minimum, a standard festival lighting plot with 9 distinct acting areas: down left, center, and right; mid left, center, and right; and up left, center, and right. The areas should be clearly labeled on the light board.
      
      1. Participating schools (including the host school) cannot use pre-programmed light cues on the host lighting board.
      2. Host schools may provide but are not required to provide cyc lighting or follow spots.
      3. Competing schools may bring their own lighting and other specials (such as projectors, instruments), but they must be able to operate them independently of the host school’s systems and set and strike the equipment within the allotted times. They can only be moved into position for performance and plugged in during the 15-minute walk-through.
   3. The host school should provide a basic system for sound playback that is accessible to all schools.
      
      1. Competing schools, including the host, that wish to use microphones must provide their own sound set-up that can be operated independently of the host facility’s sound board. (This set-up, as allowed by the host, may be patched into the host facility’s sound board.)
      2. Sound equipment may be moved into position for performance and plugged in during the 15-minute walk-through.
   4. The host facility should provide a dressing room schedule at least two weeks prior to the competition.
   5. Only free-standing set pieces may be used.
      
      1. Nothing may be attached to the curtains, walls, draperies, or any other equipment of the host school.
      2. Sets should be designed to allow for smooth transitions between plays.
   6. Schools must provide their own props, costumes, and any other special effects.
      
      1. No flame of any kind may be used.
      2. Simulated weapons may be used provided the school has permission from their administration and permission from the host facility/school  administration.
         
         1. Each school must upload their simulated weapons permission letters during the initial registration process.
         2. Host facilities should inform all participants of their site’s simulated weapons policy in advance of competition day so that schools can plan accordingly.
   7. Ineligible individuals, including directors, MAY NOT assist inside the go lines with setup, performance and strike.
   8. Ineligible individuals, including directors, may assist only in the backstage area or in the light/sound booth during the 55-minute performance time.
   9. Ineligible individuals, including directors, may assist inside the go-lines during the 15-minute walk-through time.
   10. Ineligible individuals, including directors, may assist inside the go-lines with load in and load out, before and after the timed performance.  

AWARDS:

1. The following awards shall be presented at the Region and State competitions:
   1. Recognition determined by judges’ ranks and scores:
      
      1. 4th Place, 3rd Place, Runner Up and Champion
   2. Awards determined by judges’ deliberation:
      
      1. All-Star Cast (up to 2 per school)
      2. Technical Excellence (up to 3 per competition)
      3. Outstanding Performers (up to 2 per competition)
2. The State schedule for All Classes shall be:
   

   Region 7: 8:40 - Move to wings 9:00 - Curtain

Region 8: 10:00 - Move to wings 10:20 - Curtain

Region 1: 11:20 - Move to wings 11:40 - Curtain

Region 2: 12:40 - Move to wings 1:00 - Curtain 

BREAK

Region 3: 2:25 - Move to wings 2:45 - Curtain

Region 4: 3:45 - Move to wings 4:05 - Curtain

Region 5: 5:05 - Move to wings 5:25 - Curtain

Region 6: 6:25 - Move to wings 6:45 - Curtain