Lindsay M. Warfield, State Chapter Director Florida State Thespians 4522 W. Village Dr. #307 Tampa, FL 33624 floridathespians.com
7/14/2020
To: All Troupe Directors, Florida State Thespians
My fellow Troupe Directors,
I hope this message finds you and your families well. I know the school year is looming with many unanswered questions for all of us. I want to relieve some of the uncertainty by letting you know the plan for Thespians this year. As you know, the safety of our students, troupe directors, guest artists, and their families is our top priority in Florida State Thespians. In this unprecedented time of COVID-19, it is our goal to safely provide quality opportunities for students to remain active in theatre, participate fully in thespian festivals, receive quality assessment from trained professionals, and continue to engage in their arts community. To achieve this, we have developed a plan for all Florida Thespian Festivals in the 2020-2021 season to be Virtual. It is also our hope that providing a “no matter what” opportunity for students to perform and have their work seen will help you, within your own programs, to maintain interest and engagement, (even if we find ourselves restricted in our access to live events this year).
To ensure all students receive equal opportunity for Virtual Festivals; to maintain a sense of consistency and continuity; and to help us all navigate this virtual world, we will be offering Regional Virtual Festivals in lieu of District Festivals for the 2020 fall semester. We have split the state into four Regions for Florida Thespians and two Regions for Florida Jr. Thespians. Attached you will see a breakdown of festival registration dates, District allocations for each Regional Festival and registration costs. I have also included a FAQ below, and I will host a Zoom townhall to address any remaining questions in August after our annual Board of Director’s meeting.
If we are going to be in Regions this year, what happens to our District?
Your District remains the same and intact. The difference is, you won’t be attending any District Festivals this year, but rather combining with other Districts to form a Region. When you register for your Regional Festival, it will be very important that you register your “District and Troupe
Number” (District 9, Troupe 7485 would look like this: 097485). Districts will be maintaining their identity throughout the Regional format. You will continue to have direct communication from your District Chair. Your District Chair is working on a team with the other District Chairs involved in your Region to make sure we create the best possible event for you! All registrations for a Region will be sent to the designated Regional Festival Coordinator for your region. Once expenses are paid, the remaining registration fees will be split and given to each of the Districts according to the number of troupes/ participants from each District. The goal is that by doing this, each of our 14 Senior High and 12 Junior High Thespian Districts remain in healthy financial standing going into the following 2021-2022 school year (when we work towards going back to “normal” brick and mortar festivals.)
If the Festivals are Virtual, shouldn’t they be free?
We wish! Quality adjudication from industry professionals is a standard we wish to maintain. We are still hiring three judges per event “room,” and will also need to cover the cost of the technical development of the programs we are using to create this virtual platform. The great news is that each District should be saving money this year, as should each troupe (not worrying about travel, hotels, food, venues, etc). We’ve priced the festivals as close to “at cost” as absolutely possible. We have worked diligently as a Board of Directors to keep the cost affordable this year, and to insure that as much money as possible will go directly back to each District for their future planning (and District Scholarship funds).
How will my students do events ‘virtually’?
All events this year will be pre-recorded, pre-submitted, and pre-adjudicated. (This will allow us to address any technical issues or upload issues prior to the Regional and State Festivals going “live”). When registering for the festivals, the events will need to be uploaded to our Vimeo account you will copy and paste the link to your uploaded video when you register your event. (Detailed instructions will be provided when registration opens). This will be the case for all IE’s and One Acts. Mainstages will also be recorded and submitted this year for adjudication. Please stay tuned for some ‘how to’ videos to help you and your students with this formatting. Also, VERY exciting: ALL One Acts and Mainstages that receive a Superior rating will move on to State this year! (A pretty nice silver-lining when not restricted by physical “Space”).
What is included in a Virtual Regional Festival?
Once the festival ‘goes live’ every registered attendee will be able to log-in with their own password and access every submitted event. They can go into every “room” to view everything that was submitted for adjudication for that festival. (That’s a whole lot more content than they would get at a in-person festival!) We are also offering workshops each day. Some workshops will be prerecorded, so students can access them at any time that works for them, (or teachers can use them the week of their festival for class work!) and some will be LIVE workshops (after school hours and on the weekends). Each evening of the festivals we will have LIVE zoom meetings hosted by each District so students can interact and talk about the work they saw or the workshops they participated in each day, and have some time to see some familiar faces and enjoy each other’s company.
Are the rules for events changing to fit this format?
Yes! The Board of Directors is currently working to adjust the rules so that they not only fit this format, but allow for student success, no matter what their current situation (filming from home, working without access to a stage, etc). We will have a 2020-2021 Rules Addendum available by mid-August.
If I want to do a One Act and/or Mainstage, is there anything different that we need to be prepared for? Yes. You will want to make sure that you are able to secure “live streaming” rights to the show you select to do. Most licensing companies are offering live streaming now, but make sure before you settle on a show selection.
Can parents attend the Virtual Festivals?
Yes! Why not? They will need to be registered the same way that you register you and your students. We are also selling tickets for the Top-Honors Showcases, which may be of great interest to many, to celebrate the achievements of the students/ troupes.
What about Showcases?
We are doing a Top-Honors Showcase at the end of every Regional Festival. These will be ticketed events, and open to the public. What we are most excited about is the students’ ability to watch every Regional Top-Honors Showcase if they choose! Festivals are all scheduled for different dates, so we can spend an entire two months celebrating our incredibly talented students in Florida Thespians Regionals!
How are Scholarships going to work?
Each District will handle the District Scholarship Auditions separately from Regional Festivals. Please speak with your District Chair for more details. State Scholarships will work the same as they always have, but with pre-recorded and submitted auditions, the same as all other events. These will be part of the State Registration for senior high.
Will the State Festivals be Virtual this year, as well?
Yes! We are currently planning Virtual State Festivals for both Sr. and Jr. Thespians. We will have more details and information about State along with our Rules Addendum next month after our annual Board Meeting.
So, should we be canceling our hotel for State 2021?
That is up to you. Some theories are that the longer you hold onto your block the better chance you have of maintaining a block for the next year. But, definitely, do NOT put any money down! (And please contact our HelmsBrisco housing reps if you have questions or for more advice on housing).
Wait, I have more questions!
I understand this letter may raise more questions for you. You will hear from me again mid-August with more details. Please reach out to your District Chair with further questions, and we will continue to work through this historic year together. We look forward to “seeing” you and your talented thespians very soon!
Remember, my fellow Florida Thespians: We are ONE State, and we are stronger together this year! Artists adapt and find ways to make art: sometimes inspired by, and sometimes in-spite of our current climate. While many theaters across our country are dark, we hope you and your students will join us in keeping this light burning!
Stay well! We’ve got this! All my best,
Lindsay M. Warfield
State Chapter Director, Florida Thespians
Sr. High Regional Festivals:
Eastern Regions:
Registration window: September 23rd-October 23rd. Event File Upload by November 2nd.
Festival Dates:
November 12-14 for NE Region: 2, 3, 11, 10 November 19-21 for SE Region: 7, 8, 13, 15
Western Regions:
Registration Window: October 20th- November 20th (File upload deadline for NW is Nov. 20th). Event File Upload by November 30th for SW.
Festival Dates:
December 3-5 for NW Region (Districts 1, 12, 5) December 17-19 for SW Region (Districts 4, 9, 14)
Registration Cost for Sr. High Regional Festivals:
$50 Troupe Fee
$30/ person
$5/ person/ event (for up to 3 IE events and 1 One Act Event)
Top Honors Showcase Tickets: $5/ registered attendee $10/ public sales Limit 8 events/ category/ troupe
Florida Junior Thespians Regional Festivals:
Registration Window: September 15th-October 15th (File upload deadline October 26th)
Virtual Festival Dates:
November 5th-6th for Northern Florida Jr. Regional Festival (Jr. Districts 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11) November 7th-8th for Southern Florida Jr. Regional Festival (Jr. Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12)
Registration Cost for Jr. Thespians Regional Festivals:
$20/ person
$5/ person/ event (for up to 3 IE events and 1 One Act Event)
Limit 8 events/ category/ troupe.
Mainstage Screening: Non-refundable Mainstage Application Fee: $300.
Each show must have ‘live streaming’ licensing capabilities. Recorded MainStage productions will be submitted for adjudication. If the show receives a Superior Rating, it will be shown *as submitted* at the State Festival.
Screening window and details TBA.