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Mainstage Application

If you would like a printable copy of the Mainstage application, click here.

If you would like a printable copy of the Mainstage critique, click here.

If you would like technical information on the Morsani Hall and Ferguson Theatre at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, click here.

If you would like technical information on Tampa Theatre click here.

Mainstage Guidelines

PURPOSE

The purpose of a Mainstage Production is to "showcase" the outstanding theatre present in secondary schools throughout the state of Florida for the current year. Emphasis on selection should be placed on:

• Quality
• Variety
• Innovation
• Appropriateness to the Florida State Thespian Festival.

MAINSTAGE COMMITTEE

The Committee will ideally consist of six individuals and the State Director. The Committee will be selected by the Florida State Thespian Board. This Committee will serve for one year, and the members may be re-elected. This Mainstage Committee will be paired into teams of two to visit the actual candidates for a Mainstage production at their respective schools. These teams will change throughout the year reflective of the location of the applicant. In the event of a possible conflict of interest, that person will abstain from that decision.  The Mainstage Committee will be chosen using these suggested guidelines:

• All applicants must have attended the past three (3) consecutive State Festivals.
• Members will be chosen from a fair geographic distribution.
• One member should be skilled in musical theatre.
• One member should be skilled in technical theatre.
• One member should have had experience(s) in mounting recent Mainstage presentations.
• One member should have knowledge of touring and mounting a Mainstage show.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

1. At the beginning of each school year, the Florida State Thespians will post the Mainstage criteria, highlighting any new changes on the web page.  

2. All Mainstage applicants must be currently affiliated with the International Thespian Society at the time of application.

3. All Mainstage plays will be sponsor directed.

4. The sponsor must have attended one (1) Florida State Thespian Festival within the last two (2) years.

5. Each school may submit only one application per year for Mainstage adjudication.

6. The sponsor should complete in full and submit a Mainstage form, with a check made payable to Florida State Thespians for the yearly fee determined by the State Board, at least one month in advance of the performance date.  All applications must be received by Thanksgiving Day.

7. The performance should be scheduled at a convenient time between September 1 and the published December deadline on the application.

8. Mainstage productions will be a minimum of forty-five (45) minutes, and a maximum of two and one-half hours.

9. The sponsor should make pre-paid reservations at a motel near the site of the performance for the representatives screening the performance.  Food must be within walking distance for the adjudicator.

10. The sponsor agrees to provide transportation to and from the hotel to the site of the performance.

11. On the Mainstage application the sponsor should agree that the production  will include the same script, cast, costumes, and set as would be presented at the State Festival.

12. A sponsor CANNOT bring the same play for both the Mainstage and a cut version for district one acts.

13. You are asked to e-mail 12 pictures that show both your set and characters on your set. These pictures must be sent by email and will not be returned.  PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY PICTURES PRINTED ON PAPER.  These pictures are due by the last Friday before Christmas. 

14. The application fee is non-refundable.

15. All participants of a chosen mainstage for State are eligible to attend State.  Application or adjudication to the mainstage does not qualify students to attend State; you must actively compete at the district level.  All production participants must be officially registered delegates for the entire Florida State Thespian Festival.

16. The orchestra of a mainstage musical will no longer receive day passes.  The orchestra to a mainstage musical with receive an “Orchestra Pass” at a reduced rate.  These Orchestra Passes are good for the night of the musical presentation only.

17. All Mainstage performing groups must have a stage crew to mount and strike the set.  All scenery, props, costumes, makeup, etc. will be supplied by the performing troupe and will not be provided by Florida State Thespians.

18. All Mainstage producing groups must provide programs for the capacity of the scheduled theatre.  No advertisements may appear in the program.

19. It is strongly suggested that all musical presentations have live accompaniment.

20. The sponsor will receive the decision from the Mainstage Committee within ten working days before the State registration deadline.

21. Sponsors wishing to present a cutting from a play or one act from a full-length script MUST secure written permission from the play publisher to present the cutting or one-act version.  This written permission MUST be submitted to the State Director with the Mainstage application.  

22. No adjudication may be scheduled for the dates of the Florida Association of Theatre Educator’s conference and the dates of the Florida Theatre Conference.

© Florida State Thespian Society, Michael J. Higgins, State Director.