New Hampshire Educational Theatre Guild

New School Info

Choosing a Play

For those already thinking of festival, here are a few things to keep in mind.  The play may be no longer than 40 minutes and zero seconds from the first dramatic moment to the last dramatic moments.  Dramatic moments include music before the house lights go out and actors interacting with the audience before the house lights go out. Many choose to do a single act of a play or a cutting.  Be certain to get the publishers written permission, otherwise this may be a copy write infringement. If there are further questions, don’t hesitate to contact a board member listed elsewhere on this page.

Festival VS Competition

The Board of the NHETG believes very strongly that theatre is an art form, not a sport.  In support of this premise we think of the festivals as a celebration of theatre where students and directors get to share theatre and learn from each others work.  Granted, shows are chosen to go on to the next level of festival but we do not believe this is the primary goal of the festival. The primary goals are education and fun.  Please help maintain the spirit of festival by discouraging the use of the “C” word in this regard.

What is NHETG and Festival?

The New Hampshire Educational Theatre Guild is an organization of high school students and teachers whose goal is to encourage excellence in high school theatre.  The major events each year are the Fall Workshops and the New Hampshire Drama Festival held in the spring.  High school theatre groups from all over the state meet to perform 40 minute one-act plays or cuttings from full length plays at several one-day regional festival.  Regional finalists participate at the two-day State Festival.  At all of the festivals, students have a chance to meet other thespians and share their productions.  Individual awards are given to students and two schools are chosen to go on to the three-day New England Theatre Festival.

Fall Workshop

Each fall the NHETG sponsors a day of theatre workshops.  For the last several years these have been held at and run by Plymouth State University.  Usually it is on the 3rd Thursday in October.  The day runs from about 9am till 5pm.  There is an option to stay and see an evening performance of the current PSU production.  This is a great day for all.  We tend to have over 300 register.  Sometimes we have to turn folks away.  Registration info will be mailed in September.  Register early.

Festival Registration & Fee

Expect to receive your festival registration information shortly after Thanksgiving.  The paid registrations will be due by the middle of January. The fee will be $150 to enter a show in the festival. This is a one time annual fee which covers all levels of the festival.  The fee is used to defray the cost of adjudicators, consultants, awards and equipment at all regional and state festivals.  Additionally this covers the registration fees for New Hampshire to participate in the New England Drama Festival.

How Festival Works

Regional festivals are 1 day events.  The state festival is a 2 day event and New Englands is a 3 day festival.  Some nearby schools may be asked to tech the day before the festival.  Upon your arrival, you will be greeted by your student host.   The job of your host is to guide you through the festival and to answer or find an answer to any questions you may have.

Your host will:

· Welcome you and show you where to park.

· Escort you to registration where you will receive nametags and other information.

· Stay with you throughout the festival while you are at the school.

· Verify that your entire group is accounted for before the start of each performance.

· Escort you to the load-in area prior to your technical rehearsal and introduce the load-in host.

· Escort you to the load-in area and green room prior to your performance.

 

Technical Rehearsal:  Please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your tech.  Prior to your tech, your host will escort you to the load-in area and introduce you to the load-in host.  The load-in host will show you where you may prepare your set and answer any questions you may have about your tech.  Feel free to ask any questions before your tech. 

When the stage is ready you will be ushered into the wings and introduced to the host stage manager and the other host techies.  You will be given colored spike tape which you must return at the end of your tech.  The host stage manager will ask if you would like your set and strike timed during your tech and if so when.  The host stage manager will review tech procedures to insure a mutual understanding.  You will “own” the theater for a period of at least 35 minutes for a technical rehearsal.  Every show at a festival gets the same amount of tech time.  Different festivals may however have different amounts of tech time from 30 to 60 minutes depending on schedules.  You may use this time any way you wish.  It is suggested that you time your set and strike during the tech.  If you can set-up within the 5 minute limit, you will not be timed for set-up before the start of your show.  The same is true for strike.  There will be two timekeepers, one to time your Tech and one to time your 5 minute set and strike.  The tech timekeeper will call out the time remaining in 5 minute intervals.  The set/strike timekeeper will call out the time remaining in 1 minute intervals.  If the tech rehearsal cannot proceed at any point through some fault of the host school, the host stage manager will signal the timekeeper to stop the clock and the guest school will be asked to leave the stage until the problem can be fixed at which time the clock will resume.  When there is 5 minutes left in your tech, you will be requested to strike if you have not yet done so. The host tech crew will be on hand to guide you through the use and operation of the host facility equipment.  They will also help, at your request, with load-in and load-out.  Otherwise, they will stay out of your way as much as possible.  Schedule:  As to when you will perform, your host will not know until he/she receives information from you and all other participants.  We try to mix shows on the basis of size of set and style of performance.  A final schedule will be mailed, faxed and/or emailed to you as soon as your host school has all necessary information.                   

Green Room:  The green room will be provided with dressing areas, tables and lighted makeup mirrors.  This room will be yours to use during the 40 minutes prior to your performance.  This room must be cleared of your belongings prior to your performance so that the next cast may use it.  We will provide a lockable room where you may stow your belongings during your performance.

NHETG Membership Dues:  Student dues are $2.00.  Adult dues are $5.00.  Dues may be paid at the registration desk on Friday morning, but should have been paid at regionals or perhaps fall workshops.

Performance Sessions:  You will be required to attend all shows except the one immediately before yours.  Immediately following your performance, you will strike your set to a location determined by the host stage manager.  When the festival stage manager gives the cue, all cast, crew, student and adult directors will come from backstage to the first 2 rows of the theatre where the adjudicators will give an oral, public critique.  When you come out into the auditorium the audience will acknowledge your performance with applause.  Formal curtain calls are not a practice at Festival.  Awards:  At the conclusion of the last show, the judges will deliberate.  Time varies, but it usually is about an hour or 2.  Your host school may be providing dinner or some entertainment (such as a dance) during this time.  When the judges are ready, you will be called back into the theatre.  All Star Company awards will be given for acting, technical theatre and anything else that compels the adjudicators.  Finally, the judges will name the schools going on to the next level of festival. At regionals this could be from 1 to 4 shows.  At states there are two alternates, and then the two schools who will proceed to the New England Festival.  Packets with information from the next host will be presented to the finalists.

New Englands:  The New England Festival involves the 2 best shows from each of the 6 NE states. This is a true festival in that there are no awards and no finalists. The festival is 3 days with workshops and a much easier schedule.  Each state has it’s own rules and is expected to adhere to them but the host is not expected to enforce them.   

Forum Participant Guidelines

Student forums will be held after each block of shows at state and new england festivals.  Room assignments will be explained at the opening of the festival.  This information will be posted in the lobby and at the registration desk. A marking on the student’s nametag will determine discussion group assignment. Directors will be given stickers and asked to divide their students among the Forums.

Student Forum Purpose

The purpose of Student Forums at the NHETG Drama Festival is to give students the opportunity to exchange ideas and to ask questions relating to the productions they have just seen.  This is intended to be an educational experience for all.  Each group will be comprised of students from all production companies.  Each Forum will have a facilitator and a space in which to meet. The number of students in each forum should be around 20. We will try to have 12 groups.

Student Forum Expectations

·         Make a few notes regarding each show either during or immediately after each production.

  • Be prepared to comment on or question some specific aspect of each production.
  • This is not a forum for negative criticism. Be sensitive to your fellow thespian’s feelings.

·         Avoid the “mutual admiration society” where the only things said are glossy, shallow compliments. If compliments are to be given, make them specific.

  • Discuss character development.
  • Discuss script interpretation.
  • Discuss the design choices and implementations of the Set, Lighting & Sound.
  • Discuss the rehearsal process.
  • Explore the choices made by the production company.

 

How to Tech at Festival

The thought of having just 35 minutes in a theatre to prepare a show for performance can be a daunting one. Here are a few suggestions that may ease the pain and anxiety. It is important that everyone in the company have a clear understanding of what will happen in the technical rehearsal and what will be expected of them. To establish these expectations the director, technical director & stage manager should get together and script the rehearsal.

The company should then be assembled for a rehearsal of the technical rehearsal, complete with time limits. It will help to make your stage as similar to the host site as possible. Adjust curtains to mimic the host stage dimensions. Place chairs where there are obstacles or to represent the proscenium location.  Sometimes it is best to take your show to the cafeteria or a lobby space to learn not to rely on the comfort of your own theatre.  Before rehearsing the technical rehearsal, be sure to rehearse setting and striking your set.  Even the largest set can be set in less than 5 minutes if it is well choreographed.

Following is a typical list of tech rehearsal objectives:

  • Determine the location of the set on the host stage.
  • Put the set on the stage in less than 5 minutes.
  • Spike the set with the tape provided by the host.
  • Check sightlines and blocking for critical or problem scenes.
  • Check the projection of every speaking cast member.
  • Set light levels and run critical or difficult cues.
  • Set sound levels and run critical or difficult cues.
  • Strike the set in less than 5 minutes.

 

Some of the above can be accomplished concurrently while others will need their own time. It may be possible to check vocal projection while light levels are being set but not while sound effect levels are being set.

When determining the location of the set on the stage, remember that all stages have a center, an apron edge and a plaster line (or curtain line). Use these as reference points.

It will help if each actor knows what lines should be used to test projection in advance.  Every space has different acoustics. Have some members of your company help by listening from different parts of the house.

Give your lighting and sound techs a few minutes to learn the host systems. In some ways, theirs can be the most difficult adjustment in a new theatre. If your lighting crew is not familiar with computer light boards and the host site has one, they should probably avoid using too many of its bells and whistles. Most light board manuals can be found on the web.  Several weeks before the festival, the host may permit a tour of the light board.  Remember, practice makes perfect, even for a rehearsal. Break a leg.