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Submitting a Play or Scenic Item for Approval

IF you are planning on performing a play that IS NOT on one of the Approved lists, your play submission MUST BE POSTMARKED no later than DECEMBER 5, 2026 (High School deadline) 

IF your play IS on one of the Approved Play lists, you DO NOT NEED to submit it to UIL for approval unless you are requesting a special scenic item or restricted property

  • Requests will be considered from AUGUST 1 - DECEMBER 5 (High School deadline)

  • For Junior High, plays must be submitted at least 45 calendar days prior to your contest
    Submissions accepted AUGUST 1 - APRIL 15

Please do not submit a script for the 2027-28 contest year. We only review scripts for the current academic school year.

Play/Set approvals typically take 4-5 weeks turnaround time, prior to December 1. After Dec 1, turnaround increases to 5-6 weeks. Scripts submitted near the December deadline will likely not receive a decision prior to Jan 15 and may have to wait as long as February 1 to receive their play decision email. Please factor this information into your own calculations, especially if your district or zone meet will be held early in the year.  These are general timeframes--details of the review process are discussed in the FAQ at the bottom of this page.

CONTINUING for 2026-2027:  Your school's play approval is valid for two years. This means Plays approved for 2025-26 are still approved for the 2026-27 contest year.  **Note: This policy applies to each individual SCHOOL, not to individual directors**

Do you need to include Scenic / Restricted Property as part of this request?

Yes--if you plan to include ANY scenic element and/or restricted property not permissible under contest rules (see current Handbook) and are “without which the approved play cannot be produced.” NOTE: We are unable to accept late scenic/property submissions and special requests.

Ready? Here’s what you need to submit:
• Your marked script
• $30 evaluation fee per submission (checks made payable to "The University of Texas at Austin, UIL")
• A print-out of the completed submission form 

Pack up your complete play submission package and mail it to:
State Theatre Director
University Interscholastic League
1701 Manor Rd
Austin TX 78722

How your script needs to be marked:
• The exact portions of the script to be used. This includes both dialogue and action (HIGHLIGHT in yellow)
• Delete all dialogue and action not to be used (Strike-through in PEN)
• Delete all language and action that violates the “Standards Rule” (Strike-through in PEN)
• Delete all scenery that might restrict approval (Strike-through in PEN)

NOTE: If you are doing the play in its entirety, with no cuts, YOU MUST include a note saying that. (A post-it note works!)

Need a visual reference? SAMPLE Script marking

Fill out and submit the appropriate form: 
HIGH SCHOOL Play and Scenic Form Opens August 1, closes December 5
JUNIOR HIGH Play and Scenic Form Opens August 1, closes April 15

Once you've completed and submitted the form [you will see an onscreen “Success!” message], an email confirmation will be sent to the email address you provide. EXAMPLE If you do not receive an email confirmation, please check your spam or junk folder.

Evaluation Fee: $30 per play and/or scenic request
If you are submitting a play approval which includes a special scenic request, you only need to pay one $30 evaluation fee. If you are submitting multiple plays for approval, EACH play submission requires a $30 evaluation fee. 

**New this year** you can pay the $30 fee online with a Mastercard or Visa (these cards only, link in submission form)
Note: online payments are nonrefundable.

Or you may send a check or money order payable to: “The University of Texas at Austin, UIL”

Mailed payments should include: The OAP director's name, School name, Title of play

We encourage you to ship your package to UIL using tracking for confirmation that your package has been received.

You do not need to send a return mailer for your play submission. UIL will return the script to you, upon completion of the evaluation process, via the USPS postal system. We do not track return packages.

Please note: the play evaluation will not begin until the $30 reading fee has been received, and we have your complete play submission (marked script, $30 fee, form)

If your submission includes a scenic request, you need to include on the form:

A written justification for the addition, including relevant pages from the script. 

For scenic items:

  • A scale drawing of the complete ground plan of the proposed set.
  • A scale drawing of each proposed addition to the basic set.
  • A full description of all materials to be used in construction of each proposed addition to the basic set.

For restricted properties:

  • A full description of each proposed item.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What happens to my play once I send it in? (Why does it take so long?)

  •      Once your package is received by UIL, it goes to the UIL finance office to process the evaluation fee
  •      Once the payment has been processed, it goes to the UIL Theatre office for administrative processing
  •      After your submission has been logged, it is distributed to a member of the Play Reading Committee for review
  •      The Committee Member reviews the play, according to UIL standards, completes an evaluation form, and returns the script to the UIL office
  •      If your play was rejected by the first reader, it will go to a second reader for consideration
  •      Once your script is back in the UIL office and the submission has been approved or rejected, the decision letter, along with the evaluation form(s) is emailed to you (the decision letter and eval form(s) will come to you in one email, at your school email address)
  •      Your school administrator is cc'd on that same email 
  •      Your script is stamped (if approved) and packaged up along with a copy of your play decision email
  •     The package goes into the USPS mail system for return to you (there is no tracking available for return packages)

2. My school finance office requires an invoice before it will issue a check. What do I do?

Once you have successfully submitted the appropriate form linked above (play form or scenic form), you will immediately receive an automatically generated confirmation email. That email will contain both the information you entered about your play, as well as additional language (at the top of the email message) stating it is an invoice, requesting the required remittance of $30 for the evaluation fee. 

This automatically generated confirmation email will be sent to the email address you enter on the form--the one designated as your personal (not school) email address. 

Why do we ask for a personal email address on the form? Because a lot of the time, these automatically generated emails are rejected by school email systems and/or end up in your spam folder.

Here is an EXAMPLE of an automatically generated confirmation email.

 

3. What are some of the common reasons why plays are rejected or are sent back unread?

Common reasons why plays are sent back UNREAD:

• strike-throughs are made in pencil (strike-throughs must be in pen)

• script is sent in, only partially marked--large passages are not highlighted or marked-through

• script is entirely unmarked, and no note has been enclosed stating that the play is to be performed in its entirety

• the play is already on one of the Approved lists

• you sent a xeroxed copy of the script, in violation of copyright law

• the play was sent after the deadline (Dec 5 for high schools)

Common reasons why plays are REJECTED:

• the play is "story theatre" or "reader's theatre" with dialogue primarily directed to the audience. If it features too many monologues and/or lacks character interaction, it cannot be judged by UIL standards for the One-Act Play competition

• the play is much too long for the 40-minute maximum, i.e. a 75-page play with only 10 pages of dialogue/action cut

• little to no attempt has been made to clean up the script for language and/or action that is not appropriate for school competition

• the play lacks literary merit, it resembles a bad Saturday Night Live sketch (for example) with no character development or story through-line

4. In terms of content, language and action, what do I need to cut from the play?

Straight from the OAP Handbook:

When selecting your play, remember that League rules require directors and administrators to eliminate profane references to a deity, obscene language, actions or scenes from the approved production. It is up to each school’s administration to determine that all profanity and obscenity has been eliminated and that their play and production does not offend the moral standards of their community.

Profanity is characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or any sacred principles or things. The use of any deity’s name when not in reverence or prayer would be profanity by definition. The use of “Jesus,” “Oh, God,” “God knows," etc. is considered, by definition, profane when not used in reverence or prayer and shall be removed. This is not an option.

Indecent and obscene language shall also be eliminated. Foreign language that is profane, indecent or obscene shall also be eliminated.

Since most competitors are minors, particular attention shall be paid to any action that insinuates sexual activity and physical violence. School Administrators shall review the production to make sure it complies with the Standards rule.

5. My play was rejected by the reading committee, what should I do?

If your play was rejected for lack of literary merit...you need to find a new play. There are close to 1000 titles on our approved lists for you to consider, HERE

If your play was rejected because it is "story theatre" or "reader's theatre", if it features too many monologues and lacks character interaction...you need to find a new play. There are close to 1000 titles on our approved lists for you to consider.

If your play was rejected because you didn't follow the directions above--you didn't cut enough or you left in all of the @#$! curse words, you may resubmit your play for approval, as long as it is before your submission deadline (Dec 6 for high schools and 45 days before contest for junior high). Please note that you will need to submit another $30 reading fee, as it is considered a second submission.

6. What does it mean that Play Approvals are valid for two years?

Your school's play approval is valid for two years. This means Plays approved for 2025-26 are still approved for the 2026-27 contest year.

**Note: This policy applies to each individual SCHOOL, not to individual directors**

In other words: if you (the director) submitted a play for approval last year, but you (the director) move to a different school in the interim, the play approval for last year does not follow you to your new campus. In that instance, the director would need to submit the play anew for consideration this contest year.

To reiterate, plays approved by the UIL Play Reading Committee are specific to that play from that school. The approval is good for a period of two contest years.

And to be totally clear—if a school has received play approval for a play, that approval is only for that school, for a period of two contest years. It is not a blanket approval for any school wishing to perform that play.

At contest, schools performing plays (not on the approved list) shall submit the UIL approval-stamped integrity script and the full approval email to the contest manager.