ONE ACT PLAY

GENERAL INFORMATION:

1. One Act Play is a Region event in all classifications.
   
   1. Each school wishing to enter One Act Play must electronically submit notification of entry at GHSA MIS no later than October 1.
   2. Principals must review the school's play and approve the notification of entry stating that the presentation is acceptable and approved to represent the school in the competition.
   3. 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.
   4. GHSA One Act Play is an acting competition. Emphasis should be on acting, not on technical elements.
   5. One Act Play Directors designated by each GHSA school MUST complete an annual online One Act Play Coaches Clinic or the school will be fined. Supporting coaches are encouraged to complete the clinic.
   6. Admission may not be charged for One Act Play competitions.
   7. No photography or video or audio recording is allowed of any One Act Play performance.
2. The GHSA State One Act Play Coordinator and Director of Adjudicator Training is Dean Slusser.
3. The Region Secretary, or a designated Region One Act Play Coordinator, shall make arrangements for the Region One Act Competition.
   
   1. Three GHSA certified judges are required for each Region One Act Competition.
      
      1. Region judges shall be recruited by the Region Secretary, Region One Act Play Coordinator, or by such means as determined by the Region. Each Region is encouraged to share how judges are selected with all competing schools. 
      2. Questions about certification, assistance in the recruitment of Region judges, and/or information about opportunities for one act play adjudicator training may be directed to GHSA Adjudicator Training Coordinator, Dean Slusser.
      3. The Region Secretary or other individual tasked with recruiting judges shall designate a Lead Judge at the Region event. The event coordinator will bring any questions about rule interpretation, possible violations, or other concerns to the attention of the Lead Judge for consultation and to determine how to proceed.
      4. Judges shall not discuss their scores or rankings with one another, or otherwise discuss the plays in the competition, until after all judges have submitted their completed scoresheets to the tabulator or event coordinator.
      5. On the day of the contest, judges shall avoid contact with directors or cast members until after the winners are announced.
   2. Plays are to be announced by the order of appearance number and the title of the play. School names shall not be announced.
   3. Only eligible students are allowed on stage during play performance.
      
      1. Piano placement must be outside the performance area if an adult is playing.
      2. Adults and migrant students may assist in loading and unloading of sets only prior to starting time and once time has stopped. This policy includes the placement of speakers and monitors from the front of the stage onto the apron.
      3. Adults and migrant students may assist with pre-show load in and post-show strike, but may not appear in the performance area, seen or unseen, while time is running.
      4. Adults, including the director, ARE allowed to assist in the backstage area during a performance, whether seen or unseen, provided they DO NOT enter the performance area.  Schools found in violation of this rule are ineligible to win the competition.  Judges, not competing directors, will make this determination. 
   4. Score sheets can be found on the GHSA web site (www.ghsa.net) - Sports & Activities tab - One Act Play - Scoring Forms.
   5. Each Region will announce the following awards as appropriate:
      
      1. Region Champion
      2. Runner-up
      3. 3rd Place
      4. 4th Place
      5. Best Actress
      6. Best Actor
      7. Up to two All-Star Cast awards may be presented to each production, but required recognition for every production shall be at the discretion of the Region.
      8. Other recognition as determined by the Region.

SPECIFIC CONTEST RULES:

1. Schools may choose to enter a one act play or musical, or an excerpt or abridgement of a longer play or musical as their One Act Play selection.
   
   1. Each school assumes full responsibility for royalties and other limitations on the selected play.
   2. Schools choosing to enter musical productions shall not use a reproduction of the original soundtrack as part of the presentation.
   3. Musical accompaniment tracks must be licensed recordings without vocals.
   4. A school may not compete with a play or musical that was produced or work-shopped in the previous school year or previous two summers. Schools found in violation of this rule will be disqualified from competition.
2. Each school is given 55 minutes to set-up, perform, and take down its presentation.
   
   1. The official time will be kept by an assigned adult timekeeper.
   2. The adult timekeeper will record times and provide them to the tabulator at the end of the competition, after all the judges have completed scoring the plays.
   3. Any school that exceeds its time allotment will be penalized two (2) points for each 15-second period or portion thereof per judge.
   4. The tabulator, not the judges, will deduct points for overtime.
3. The site host shall establish and tape “go lines” to separate the playing area from the backstage area.
   
   1. These lines shall be placed: at the wing line on stage right; at the wing line on stage left; at the mid- stage traveler line (or at mid-stage if there is no traveler); and at the upstage traveler line (or upstage, allowing for a backstage pathway, if there is no upstage traveler).
   2. All set pieces must be placed behind these “go lines” at the end of the 15-minute walk-through prior to time starting for the competition performance, and moved in FRONT of the lines in order to be considered on stage and used in the performance.
   3. Each director shall choose whether to use the mid-stage or upstage line to designate "off stage" for his/her school's production. The line selected to begin the performance shall be used to end the performance.
4. Each school is responsible for its own sets.
   
   1. Each school will be allotted a 15-minute walk-through immediately prior to its competition performance. Schools may use this time for any show prep activities they choose, including, but not limited to: walking the stage; setting sound levels; running light checks or cues; practicing set-up and strike.
   2. All production-related materials must be back in their pre-show positions behind the “go lines” by the end of 15 minutes. If they are not set up at the end of that 15-minute interval, timing of their play begins and counts towards their 55-minute limit. TIME WILL NOT BE STOPPED TO ALLOW FOR COMPLETION OF THE SHIFT.
   3. Spike tape may be placed during the 15-minute walk-through, and may remain through the end of the performance, but must be removed before timing will be stopped.
   4. Schools are timed “bare-stage to bare-stage.” Time will not stop until all set pieces, confetti, or other debris has been removed from the defined playing area.
   5. Keep sets simple. Sets are not to be excessively large or so complicated as to delay the flow of the competition.
   6. Only free-standing set pieces may be used. No part of any setting may be attached to any part of the stage, curtains, draperies, or other existing equipment of the host school.
5. Each school is responsible for its own props, costumes, make-up and special effects.
   
   1. No flame of any type can be used, including candles.
   2. Real weapons of any kind, such as a sword or knife, etc., cannot be used.
   3. Schools using simulated weapons must carry with them a letter from the school principal authorizing their use, and must confirm permission with the site host that the use of simulated weapons is allowed by the host school and/or system.
   4. Use of simulated weapons cannot be in violation of any local board of education policy of the participating school or the host site. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification (zero tolerance rule). Contact the host school for any clarification of its rules.
   5. The use of microphones is allowed.
6. The site host shall establish and share dressing room designated locations and schedules with each competing school within two weeks of the competition.   When possible, public restrooms should not be assigned as dressing rooms. 

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR REGION/AREA AND STATE COMPETITION:

1. The facilities that will be used for One-Act Play competitions will not be available for practice or walk-through by any school in the State competition.
2. Schools will be responsible for making their own arrangements for housing and meals.
3. Trophies and individual medals will be awarded to the State Champion and Runner-up schools, and medals will be awarded to the Best Actor and Best Actress in the competition. Up to two All Star Cast Certificates may be presented to each production, but there is no requirement that every show receives recognition.
4. Scoring procedures for both Region and State contests shall be as follows:
   
   1. No judge shall assign a numerical score lower than 70.
   2. Each judge shall submit completed, signed score sheets to the event tabulator, after which the judges may engage in discussion concerning awards for Best Actor, Best Actress and All-Star Cast.
   3. At each Region and State competition, final tabulations should be conducted by a designated tabulator or by the event coordinator. Judges should not tabulate scores. Judges should have no knowledge of the length of performances. The timekeeper shall report times of performances to the event coordinator or tabulator only. The time for each performance should be recorded on the tabulation form.
   4. In order to determine the final results for Region and State competitions, the lowest rank will be dropped by the tabulator for each performance. The two remaining ranks added together will determine placement. In the event of a tie in ranks, points shall first be totaled from the two judges for each play who gave the highest score. Only in the event that the tie remains unbroken shall the points for all three judges be totaled to break the tie.
   5. A copy of the tabulation sheet shall be provided to each director in the competition.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES SPECIFIC TO STATE COMPETITION:

1. Three GHSA certified judges are required for each State One Act Competition.
   
   1. Prior to the first contest of the season, a pool of State judges shall be recruited by State One Act Coordinator, Dean Slusser.
   2. State judges must meet requirements for state one act judges as approved by the GHSA.
   3. The State One Act Coordinator shall designate a Lead Judge for each of the Host sites. The site coordinator will bring any questions about rule interpretation, possible violations, or other concerns to the attention of the Lead Judge for consultation and to determine how to proceed.
   4. Judges shall not discuss their scores or rankings with one another, or otherwise discuss the plays in the competition, until after all judges have submitted their completed scoresheets to the tabulator or event coordinator.
   5. On the day of the contest, judges shall avoid contact with directors or cast members until after the winners are announced.
2. The schedule for All Classes shall be:
   9:00 - 10:15 am - Region 5
   10:15 - 11:30 am - Region 6
   11:30 - 12:45 pm - Region 7
   12:45 - 2:00 pm - Region 8
   2:00 - 3:00 pm - RECESS
   3:00 - 4:15 pm - Region 1
   4:15 - 5:30 pm - Region 2
   5:30 - 6:45 pm - Region 3
   6:45 - 8:00 pm - Region 4
   8:00 - Judges’ Deliberation
   Awards Presentation to follow