Ask the State Director - - - Student Web

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING YOUR TECHNICAL EVALUATION ON YOUR ONE ACT 

The following suggestions were submitted by the one act tech judges at Festival 2006.  Please consider these points as you prepare your one act. 

1. Promptbook with all cues clearly marked with warnings and goes.
2. Stage manager takes control of show from the very beginning of five minutes load-in time
3. Lighting has appropriate changes for mood, location, and time of day
4. Well organized load-in
5. Organized and methodical movement from box to wings and wings to box
6. All cues clearly called by stage manager and executed by crew
7. Not just that you have a set but that you make use of it and the use stays relevant to stage action
8. How set is constructed, is used well on stage
9. Lighting that helps tell the story; follows the visibility. Movement, form and timing
10. How the FOH crew works with TPAC crew on set up, timing etc.
11. Sound that is well timed, well thought out.
12. Live music is always great because it shows collaboration.
13. Cues that are well timed.
14. Stage management- a well-put together prompt book so if Laurel pulls that stage manager’s badge at 8:02 some one else can step in and call the show.
15. SM’s should use words like warning, standby, and go when calling cues.
16. SM’s should have good communication with crew and cast ---passing on information from tech meeting with TPAC staff.
17. You can always telll the groups that do this in how the actors are on stage
18. That set-up and strike is run smoothly and with minimal confusion that everything conforms to the box.
19. Costumes that fit and match the characters, makeup so people who are supposed to be old look that way
20. Does the crew use their “tech time” wisely?

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