Regionals Quick Links
Regionals Overview
Oregon Thespians Competition
The Regional Acting Competition is one of the largest Oregon Thespians events, involving a large number of students participating in three regions around the state. In the context of Oregon Thespians’ annual roster of events, this is the first step in a student’s effort to be selected to participate in the State Showcase during the State Festival, and qualify to participate in the International Thespian Excellence Awards Showcase auditions at the International Thespian Festival in June.
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Schools participate in one of three regional events: Northwest, Northeast, and Southern. The dividing line between the North and South is the 45th parallel (just north of Salem). The dividing line in the North between the East and West is Interstate 5. Schools can only participate outside their region by special arrangement (due to transportation issues, for instance).
NOTE: As of 2016, all Portland Public Schools participate in the Northwest Regional, regardless of their location in the Metro Area.
Regionals
READ ME FIRST:
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Oregon Thespians will follow state, district, and host site health and safety guidelines.
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All Troupe Directors, Chaperones, and Student Participants are expected to follow the directions of their own school district’s expectations and protocols with regard to vaccination status, negative testing, and any other district requirements, in order to comply with that district’s protocols for participating in any field trip. Everyone must comply with any and all other necessary restrictions when attending this event.
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Everyone attending Regionals in any capacity may be asked to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth (no gaiters) at all times in all venues, unless actively performing for a live audience (ex: auditions, one acts, main stage events, showcase). Plan accordingly.
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All participants, regardless of age, must complete a self check at home. If you are feeling ill or showing signs of sickness, stay home.
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​Anyone not adhering to these protocols will be subject to possible disqualification.
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Thank you for understanding and helping keep us all healthy and safe!
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​REGIONALS
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REGISTRATION OPENS: Thurs. Jan. 2
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REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thurs. Jan. 16
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CHANGE DEADLINE: Thurs. Jan. 23
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All changes must be completed by the deadline.​
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Each change incurs a change fee, including drops.
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No adds/changes after this deadline.
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Entry Fees:
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Thespians/Junior Thespians pay $16 per event entered.
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Future Thespians/Future Jr. Thespians pay $18 per event entered.
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Change fee $5 PER CHANGE, including drops.
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For further details:​
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Read Regionals SOP
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Use the optional Regionals Planning Template (force copy spreadsheet) to help get organized.
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Watch the "How to Register on SpeechEase" Video.
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JUNIOR THESPIANS REGIONALS:
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When offered, Junior Thespians Regionals info is shared on the Jr. Play Day page and is done in conjunction with the registration for that event.
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Ensure accurate registration information with your troupe BEFORE registering as changes and drops will incur fees, and cause difficulties with coordinating this complex event at three locations. Thank you for your attention to detail.
Oregon adheres closely to the International Thespian Society’s International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) Program Guide. Students are strongly encouraged to consult the Guide as they select material, paying particular attention to specific requirements for eligible scenes, monologues, and musical selections. Troupe Directors will be required to enter the title, playwright, and publisher (Rights and Licensing) for every entry when registering to ensure eligibility and entries will be checked for allowable material.
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Registration is done online by Troupe Directors. When registering for the Regional Acting Competition, you will be providing numbers of entries and numbers of participants. Before you go online to register, make sure you know how many entries you have in each event, and also how many Thespians and Future Thespians are in each entry. You will be asked to list the name and membership number of each inducted Thespian Member you are registering. Double check your numbers. You will be responsible for paying for all participants, even if you show up with fewer than you register. Please review entry limits for participants as well as schools.
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Performance Categories
Current Rubrics (click each title for link)
There are 8 non-musical event categories: Solo Acting (Novice and Experienced), Duet Acting (Comic and Dramatic, Novice and Experienced), Group Acting, and Pantomime. There are 7 musical event categories: Solo (Novice and Experienced), Duet (Novice and Experienced), Musical Theatre Dance, Small Group Musical, and Large Group Musical.
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In each category other than Novice, the top 10% scoring entries (or a minimum of 2) in each region are named Showcase Qualifiers and are invited to advance to the State Showcase auditions at the State Festival. In Novice categories, only 1 top scoring entry advances. In each category, the next 10% (or those remaining in the top 20%) are recognized as Regional Finalists.
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Students who would like to be eligible to participate in the International Thespian Excellence Awards Showcase (Thespys™) should consult the specific EdTA guidelines as some rules vary. Performance rights are required and it is the responsibility of the Troupe Director to ensure the material is allowable prior to registration. EdTA has published helpful information online. CLICK HERE for the Thespys Program Guide. Troupe Directors and Students must consult the Rights and Licensing page annually for each publisher's updates to ensure material selected is allowable for Regional Acting Competition, which also impacts qualifying for Regionals and State recognition, and ITF.
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While the day is structured around competition, the spirit of the day is focused on recognition of quality student work, and constructive feedback from qualified adjudicators all Troupe Directors solicit annually.
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Design/Tech Categories
Early Entry Design/Tech Feedback Before State
Students who plan to enter in a Design/Tech Category at State can bring (or send) their entry to Regionals, where it will receive initial feedback.
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If you would like to participate in the Early Entry Design/Tech Feedback program, you need to register your involvement with your Troupe’s Regionals registration. Then, you just need to get your entry to and from your Regionals site. More information will be sent to those who register.
This remains an entirely optional opportunity for the Design/Tech at the Regional level.
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Click here for complete DESIGN/TECH ENTRY information
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Optional Design/Tech Theatre Feedback at Regionals:
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Judges will provide feedback to Design/Tech competitors based on each event’s requirements. It is meant to provide student designers with an opportunity to get initial feedback on their completed projects, for both required elements and their design, PRIOR to submitting it for actual competition at State.
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You are NOT required to submit work at Regionals for feedback in order to compete at State.
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You MAY compete at State WITHOUT submitting work at Regionals.
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Regionals is ONLY meant for additional feedback PRIOR to submitting your work for actual judging.
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If you are planning to compete at State in Design/Tech Theatre, you may submit your completed project by Regionals to get feedback from a judge who will be using the State rubric. Then, you will have time between Regionals and State to work on your project and submit the final design for actual judging at State.
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Regionals will NOT be a State qualifier for Design/Tech, only feedback.
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You do NOT have to submit designs at Regionals in order to compete at State.
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Each Troupe is limited to 3 entries per Design/Tech Event.
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Judging will take place at State for National qualifying.
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If you pay for Regional feedback, you do NOT pay again at State.
Each entry is $16 for Thespians, $18 for Future Thespians.
If you are interested in qualifying your entry for Nationals in Design/Tech, you should review the documents located at the International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys) website. Troupe Directors and Students must consult the Rights and Licensing page annually for each publisher's updates to ensure material selected is allowable for Early Entry Feedback and State, which also impacts qualifying for State recognition and ITF.
Regionals Standard Operating Procedures
Below is the Standard Operating Guide for Regionals. This document can be printed and added to a hardcopy manual, if desired. Check the date of any hardcopies you have. Below is the most current version.
Also available is the HOW TO guide for Hosts, or those considering hosting.
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Highlights from the SOP:
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If you are planning to participate in International Thespian Excellence Awards at the International Thespian Festival, review the documents found in EdTA’s Thespys™ page located here for the most current information.
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Pantomime is not a National Event, though we will still have it in Oregon.
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Similarly, there is only Group Musical at that National level, with no distinction between Large or Small.
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See Performance Categories and Design/Tech Categories for event ballots (i.e. rubrics), developed by EdTA for use at Nationals.
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Participants are required to dress in modest black or dark attire of “business casual”, including neutral footwear, that allows for freedom of movement for the action of the performance. (At the International level, that includes removing dangling jewelry, no light-up footwear, and no fashionably distressed attire.) To be as inclusive as possible, no student should be disqualified for clothing. This requirement is the same as any other rule/guideline to which students are expected to adhere, with respect to consequences. Students can still perform for feedback, but may not advance.
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Students will continue to qualify to participate in Thespys™ at the International Thespian Festival by receiving one overall Superior Rating at Regionals or State (on the latest ballot).
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Furniture allotments are as follows: Solo events have only 1 chair; Duo events have 2 chairs; Group events have up to 6 chairs and a table. The table is intended to be used as a table, not a platform or flat. In Oregon, we consider Pantomime to be a Group event.
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Reminder/Clarification: Material must be published and written for the STAGE only that are approved and available for amateur rights and licensing. No film or other source media will be permitted. Song cycles fall into the permitted category if they were written for the stage, published, and are approved and available for amateur rights and licensing.
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Clarification: A student may participate in more than one musical event (max 2), but not in more than one entry per any given musical event.
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Musical performers must use a pre-recorded, non-vocal music track only.
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Pantomime performers must use a pre-recorded, non-vocal music track or recorded sound effects that are available in the public domain or original music only.
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Reminder to review all health and safety protocols.