Original One Acts | PDA/ SC Thespians

This electronic form must be SUBMITTED with the fee of $15 per entry PAID and an ELECTRONIC version of the script UPLOADED and RECEIVED by THURSDAY,

December 7, 2023.

The sponsor has the option of submitting original scripts with this Submit Script form OR on the School Registration form.

Do NOT submit a script on both forms as you will be charged twice.

Schools must register by the December deadline in order to participate in the FESTIVAL.

School Registration link will be active from September 25

until December 7, 2023.

School Registration

Original One-Acts

Due Thursday, December 7, 2023

NEW THIS YEAR: Entries in the Thespys Playwriting category will be submitted at the same time as the PDA Original One-Act Competition.

PDA ORIGINAL PLAYWRITING AWARDS:

First, Second, Third are invited to perform at the festival using a modified READER'S THEATRE format.

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth (or Honorable Mentions) are awarded at the discretion of the judges

Original One-Act Play Entries & ADJUDICATION INFORMATION

Original One-Act Plays should conform to the following criteria and will be judged with these guidelines:

FORMAT

Adjudicated using the Thespy Awards Rubric.
A title page, cast of characters, description of setting (Time/Place) and appropriate stage directions should be included. Entries should be typed, and pages should be numbered.

Important Note: Only the name of the school and the Thespian Troupe # may appear on the title page of the play; the student's name is not permitted to appear there.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Adjudicated on a scale of 1 to 4.
Clear relationship of characters to each other.

Characters should be vivid and three-dimensional.
Characters should be named.
An age range for characters should be indicated.
Include a brief physical description of each character.

PLOT DEVELOPMENT

Adjudicated on a scale of 1 to 4.
Clear Beginning, Middle, End.

Exposition, Inciting Incident, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Conclusion.

EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE

Adjudicated on a scale of 1 to 4.
Active (versus narrative).

GENERAL INFORMATION

Plays will be read and critiqued by a playwriting committee comprised of professional playwrights and/or playwriting instructors.
On the form, please indicate if the play is to be considered for PDA, Thespian or both adjudications.
Any number of original, one-act plays may be submitted by a school; but teachers are encouraged to exercise discretion in selecting plays to be submitted. For each play submitted there is a $15.00 entry fee.
For PDA award recognition, plays may be written by no more than three (3) authors in collaboration. PLAYS WRITTEN BY A CLASS OR BY A GROUP (of more than 3) FOR A CLASS PROJECT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
For PDA, up to the "top" six plays will be recognized, with the top three performing during the festival.
The PDA President will notify schools in ample time. (No later than the re-opening of school in January.)
For Thespy Award recognition, only ONE playwright will be recognized.
Any script that receives an average score in the Superior range will be recognized as Superior and passed on to Nationals

DEADLINE for ORIGINAL SCRIPTS: Thursday, December 7. Please SUBMIT an electronic version of the Original One Act by clicking:

Submit Script

FORMAT for Presenting the Original One-Acts at the Festival:

The emphasis on the PDA Original One-Act competition is on the writing; therefore the presentation at festival follows a Reader's Theatre format instead of a main stage production. Schools will not need to provide a full set, and costuming can be either all-blacks or a simple use of color to represent characters. The use of hand-held props are allowed, and blocking should be at a minimal. Chairs or stools, small tables and music stands for scripts will be available from the host school. In order to accommodate more schools in the one-act festival, the Originals will be presented on Saturday in a studio setting instead of the main stage. Only the top three scripts selected by the playwriting judges will be presented at the festival.