MAINSTAGE 2012

To see the 2012 MAINSTAGE SHOW line up, click here.

Information about the times and possible combinations of shows you may see, go to the Mainstage Ticket Order Form on the Registration 2012 page.

Theatre Names and Locations for our Festival 2012:

Straz Center for the Performing Arts - 1010 North W.C MacInnes Place, Tampa, FL 33602

Carol Morsani Hall
Ferguson Hall
Jaeb Theatre
Shimberg Playhouse
Patel Conservatory - TECO Blackbox

Tampa Theatre - 711 North Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602

Tampa Convention Center - 333 South Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602

Blake High School for the Performing Arts - 1701 N. Blvd, Tampa, FL 33607

To see pictures of the shows, click on the title of the show below:

Jekyll & Hyde - An evocative tale of the epic battle between good and evil, Jekyll & Hyde is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story about a brilliant doctor whose experiments with human personality create a murderous counterpart. Convinced the cure for his father's mental illness lies in the separation of Man's evil nature from his good, Dr. Henry Jekyll unwittingly unleashes his own dark side, wreaking havoc in the streets of late 19th century London as the savage, maniacal Edward Hyde.
Lord of the Flies - The famous story of a group of British boys stuck on a deserted island who try to govern themselves, with disastrous results. "Belen Jesuit has produced one of the best high school plays I've ever seen!" - Florida State Thespian Mainstage Judge.
The Pirates of Penzance - A fresh take on one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular comic operas, this updated version of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE took New York by storm when it premiered in Central Park in 1980, leading to a subsequent smash-hit Broadway run. Wacky, irreverent and as entertaining today as it was when it first opened in 1879, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE spins a hilarious farce of sentimental pirates, bumbling policemen, dim-witted young lovers, dewy-eyed daughters and an eccentric Major-General, all morally bound to the often-ridiculous dictates of honor and duty.
Parade - One of the most powerful and dramatic shows ever written. Parade is the tragic, true story of the trial and lynching of Leo Frank; A man accused of murdering 13 year old Mary Phagan. This story is brought to emotional and theatrical life by acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown. (Songs for A New World, 13, and The Last Five Years.)
The Yellow Boat - Come take a journey on The Yellow Boat as young Benjamin narrates for us his many adventures. Written by his father, this true story is told "through the eyes of a child" and shares with us what life is like before and after he contracts HIV/AIDS virus through a blood transfusion needed to treat his hemophilia. **Each performance will be followed with an optional talk back session facilitated by a guest speaker from THE NAMES Project Foundation and donations will be collected for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS.
The Diviners - Winner of the American College Theatre Festival, this marvelously theatrical play is the story of a disturbed young man and his friendship with a disenchanted preacher in southern Indiana in the early 1930s.
Midsummer - Shakespeare + The Moody Blues = A NEW Rock Musical! Travel to an enchanted Athenian forest with four-star-crossed lovers who encounter flying fairies and comical pranksters. Be entranced by legendary Moody Blues' hits like "Nights in White Satin", "Tuesday Afternoon," and "Your Wildest Dreams." Shakespeare like you've never seen it before! It's FUN!
The Drowsy Chaperone -A rare combination of unprecedented originality and blinding talent, Drowsy Chaperone boldly addresses a great unspoken desire in all of our hearts: to be entertained. If you've ever sat in a dark theatre and thought, "Dear Lord in heaven, please let it be good," this is the show for you!
Lost in Yonkers - Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers is a coming of age tale that focuses on two brothers as they are left with their Grandma while their desperate father attempts to pay off his debts. This well written memory play delves into timeless themes such as acceptance, survival, and the importance of family.
The Giver - The Giver follows the story of Jonas whose world is perfect. Everything is under control, safe, and painless. There are also no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. Jonas is chosen for special training from the Giver. He must learn the truth about his world, and decide if he can take control of his own destiny.
Next to Normal - Next to Normal thrusts itself upon an audience with its "in-your-face" story about a family's battle with mental illness. Tailored for the hip modern Broadway crowd, this Tony-Award winning musical addresses such issues as grief, loss, suicide, and drug abuse. Do not miss this groundbreaking performance.
Bingo, The Musical - A splashy, zippy, outragously funny musical. Come meet Vern, Honey, and patsy: three pals that have driven through a terrible storm in the name of thier weekly obsession. In between the number calling, strange ritulals and fierce competitions, love blossoms and long lost friends reunite!
Return to the Forbidden Planet -A comical love story with a shakespearen twist. The story takes place in a spaceship that crash lands on planet "D'Illyria," where the ship meets some unlikely characters. In the words of Sandra Cockrell, " My stomach hurt because I laughed so hard." LIVE LONG AND PROSPERO.
I Love You, Because - A young, uptight greeting card writer's life is changed when he meets a flighty photographer. They learn to love each other not in spite of their faults, but because of them. "Everything a musical should be... a charming piece of work that will send you home smiling."

All Thursday and Friday night mainstages are ticketed events. Please use the Mainstage Ticket Order form above to reserve your tickets.

The following Saturday mainstages, listed below, will NOT be ticketed in advance. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Registration Table, on Saturday, at the Tampa Convention Center. These RUSH tickets will be distributed up to 2 per person and will be available at the following times:

BINGO, THE MUSICAL - Showtime 2pm - RUSH tickets available starting at 10am. RUSH tickets available starting at 10:30am and tickets will remain available until all tickets have been given away.

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET - Showtime 7:30pm - RUSH tickets available starting at 10:30am and tickets will remain available until all tickets have been given away.

I LOVE YOU, BECAUSE - Showtime 8:30pm - RUSH tickets available starting at 11:00am and tickets will remain available until all tickets have been given away.

Mainstage Guidelines

PURPOSE

PLEASE BE AWARE: Any violation of the General Rules of Florida State Thespians' Mainstage screening will be subject to disqualification and/or disciplinary action by the Board of Directors.

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

At the beginning of each school year, the Florida State Thespians will post the Mainstage criteria, highlighting any new changes on the web page.
All Mainstage applicants must be currently affiliated with the International Thespian Society at the time of application.
All Mainstage plays will be sponsor directed.
The sponsor must have attended one (1) Florida State Thespian Festival within the last two (2) years.
Each school may submit only one application per year for Mainstage adjudication.
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.
The performance should be scheduled at a convenient time between September 1 and the published December deadline on the application.
Mainstage productions will be a minimum of forty-five (45) minutes, and a maximum of two and one-half hours.
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.
The sponsor agrees to provide transportation to and from the hotel to the site of the performance.
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.
No production will be eligible for consideration if it was performed during the previous State Festival.
A sponsor CANNOT bring the same play for both the Mainstage and a cut version for district one acts.
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 before the 2013 cut-off date.
The application fee is non-refundable.
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.
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.
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.
All Mainstage producing groups must provide programs for the capacity of the scheduled theatre. No advertisements may appear in the program.
It is strongly suggested that all musical presentations have live accompaniment.
The sponsor will receive the decision from the Mainstage Committee within ten working days before the State registration deadline.
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.
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.
Collaboration among high schools to present a Mainstage production using students from more than one Troupe will be permitted only if a letter from the sponsors from all affiliated troupes involved accompanies the Mainstage application. These letters must include the reasons for the collaboration, agreement of all parties to the production, and a clear explanation of what responsibilities each of the sponsors will assume. The collaborated production will be considered the only entry from each of the involved schools. No student may perform in more than one Mainstage entry each year. The final decision if the collaboration will be permitted will be made by the State Director based on the information provided.