Big Changes on Horizons for OAP
By Luis Muñoz, Theatre Director | Tuesday, November 20, 2012 1:35 PM
There are moments in time where we experience a quantum leap in the status quo. That type of catalyst for change in the One-Act Play Contest was provided at last month’s Legislative Council meeting. There were five amendments to the Constitution and Contest Rules and one pilot program that were unanimously approved. Each of them will impact OAP in its own way.
Conference 6A
Say goodbye to five conferences and welcome a sixth. This amendment creates a six conference alignment by renaming the current Conference A Division II (Six Man schools) to Conference A, current Conference A Division I (11 Man schools) into Conference AA, current conference AA schools into Conference AAA, etc. This change takes place beginning in August 2014. This will have at tremendous impact on our overcrowded 1A districts. In 2012, 1A had 309 schools enrolled in the contest. The change would split that total into two conferences. This would reduce the size of most 1A districts to 7 or 8 schools rather than 11 to 16.
Three Advance
This rule change increases the number of participating schools advancing from each level of competition from two to three. Two plays would continue to advance from region to state. This rule goes into effect with the next realignment in 2014-15.
This will necessitate the creation of a bi-district level of competition like those used in athletics. This will increase the number of schools in post-district competition from 64 to 96 in each conference. The number of centrally located area contests will be reduced from three to two per region.
The two districts involved in the bi-district assignment will be able to rotate hosting obligations and sites or select neutral sites. The bi-district assignments will be based on geographic proximity and should reduce travel costs.
The current area structure creates inequity. Each region currently has three areas. Two have six schools competing. One area has only four participants. This plan would create two areas with six competitors.
Contest Manager Certification
Contest managers in the any UIL One-Act Play Contest will be required in 2013-14 to pass an online rules course and receive certification from the League. The online course will be divided into five units: Scenic Rules, Performance Rules, Procedural Rules, Types of Violations, Props and Music and Situations. Each unit can be taken independently and successful completion will produce a certificate for the person being certified. There will be a periodic recertification required and an annual rules update unit. This goes into effect next school year, but we will try to have a voluntary compliance test up later this year.
Scenic Rules
This amendment to the current rules simplifies the set rules and allows for easier management of the contest. The rules still observe the standards of equity and safety but allow more flexibility and creativity on the part of the company and easier enforcement for the contest officials. This change will go into effect in 2013-14.
Under the rule change you will be allowed to use up to six additional lighting instruments or projectors. There is no limit on the number of gobos that may be used.
You may use 160 square feet of fabric. You are restricted to a single piece being no larger than 8’X10’. All other restrictions have been removed.
The use of bases has been added to the Tinker Toys. They shall not exceed more than one foot in any direction from the top or bottom edge of the pylon. Extensions attached to or supported by the capitals or bases become part of the capitals or bases. The bases cannot be used to support or elevate the unit set elements. We recommend that they be u-shaped and wrap around the bottom.
The trees, shrubs and bushes rule remains the same except in one situation. Two-dimensional cutout trees or bushes may be suspended from any of the unit set elements and may cover more than 50 percent of the visible surface.
The fence and railing rule has been changed and now allows for a wider base. It has been increased from 6 to 8 inches. Although any one section can’t be more than 8 feet long, you may attach them together.
A Scale of Penalties
This proposal creates a scale of penalties for rules violations in the One-Act Play Contest. Entries could still be disqualified for violations regarding the number in the company, time limits on performance and set up and strike, the use of firearms, explosives and combustible materials, off-stage to on-stage prompting, use of additional unit set and the director being in the backstage areas or making contact with or communicating with the company during performance. All other violations would be considered an ethics violation on the part of the directors and school. These violations would be reported to the appropriate executive committee. This change will go into effect in 2013-14.
Short Film Contest
Beginning in 2013-14, the UIL is going to pilot a contest in student short film production. The entries will be submitted to the League and evaluated at a central location. A film festival screening the top picks would be scheduled at a venue in Austin. There is an increased interest in filmmaking and accessibility to filmmaking software and equipment. Many of our students are already exploring this art form. Many students are going out of state to enter their films. Don’t miss the workshop introducing it on Saturday at TETA.
Reminders – Deadlines 2012-13
Don’t forget to submit and plays that are not on the approved lists and scenic additions by the Dec. 21 deadline. The earlier you send them in, the faster you get them back. Any director sending a script in after Dec. 1 should not expect an answer until after we return from the holiday break in January.
The title may be entered in the online system beginning Feb. 1. We will not open the system until then.
Reminders – Conventions 2012-13
Now’s the time to get your rooms lined up for Theatrefest 2013. The convention will be held at the Houston Hyatt Downtown. Rates are down a tad from last year and the programming is shaping up to be great! UIL will host the A-Z series and the Contest Management Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 26. The judging organization will be certifying new judges on Friday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 27. If you know someone that needs to be on the list and are out there working with us, let them know. Check out the specifics at www.tetatx.com.
The Texas Thespians Annual Festival for the Educational Theatre Association is scheduled for Nov. 29 – Dec. 1, 2012 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. The Junior Thespian Festival is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2012. Specifics can be found at http://www.texasthespians.org/.