RULES
- The script must be the original work of one current student OR the collaborative work of no more than two current students from the same thespian troupe.
- The text must contain dialogue and have two characters ONLY.
- Script length must be a minimum of (3) TEXT pages and a maximum of (5) TEXT pages (excluding title, and optional second page.)
- All text must be in: Times New Roman, Palatino, or Courier font.
- Scripts must be saved as a PDF file and emailed to the District Festival Chair or Junior Thespian Chair per the given instructions for the festival. It is the responsibility of the playwright(s) and troupe director to ensure the safe, complete, and timely transmission and receipt of all necessary digital documents. No paper copies of the script will be accepted.
- The first page of the script will be the TITLE PAGE, including information relating to the title, playwright(s), troupe director, troupe number, school name, and completion date, and will be arranged according to the Florida Junior Thespian guidelines.
- The (optional) second page of the script will be the SYNOPSIS PAGE, including character list and/or breakdown (male/ female), floor plan, a forty- to sixty-word summary of the play, any other information the playwright(s) deem(s) necessary to understanding the script, and will be arranged according to the Florida Junior Thespian guidelines.
- All successive pages of the script will be the TEXT PAGES and will include the actual text for the scene and will be arranged according to the Florida Junior Thespian guidelines.
- The script will contain only pages specified by the Florida Junior Thespian guidelines. It is most important, however, that each script have consistent formatting within itself.
- A script that is improperly formatted is in violation of the specified Florida State Junior Thespian guidelines and is subject to disqualification prior to adjudication.
- Judges may make comments in the margins of the scene, on the evaluation for, and/or during the verbal adjudication.
- The student may not submit a scene that has been previously adjudicated by Florida Junior Thespians. The scene must be original work.
- The event will not exceed ten (10) minutes. The playwright(s) will introduce their scene followed by a discussion with the judges. Observers may be in the room for this event.
STANDARD ELEMENTS FOR STAGE PLAYS
- Type Setup
- FONT: Times New Roman, Palatino, or Courier. Size 12.
- SPACES: Proper typesetting dictates ONE space after periods.
- Style Setup
- CHARACTER: All Caps. Centered on the page. A single space hard return after.
- DIALOGUE: Left justified. Left indent to allow for binding (1.5”) and 1” from right margin.
- SCENE HEADING: Use all caps, centered with no indent.
- STAGE ACTION: Action is centered and extends to the right margin. Action that is reliant on dialogue is left indented to the left of the Character name.
See the attached PDF for formatting tips and options. Again, the most important thing is that the play itself is consistent with itself.
The following topics will be considered by the adjudicators while reading your play:
- Character
- Are goals established?
- Is the goal pursued in a manner consistent with the character’s personality and limitations?
- Can an audience empathize with the protagonist?
- Are the supporting characters vital to the development and resolution of the plot?
- Dialogue
- Is each character’s diction (choice of words) consistent with the given circumstances?
- Is all dialogue necessary to the development of the plot and each character?
- Plot
- Does the playwright provide all exposition necessary to understanding the characters and their situations (who, what, when, where why)?
- Once the initial incident in introduced, does the rising action follow a logical sequence of events to an appropriate climax and resolution?
- Stageability
- Will this work easily translate to the stage given the limitations of a stage play?
Dramatists Guild Modern Format for Plays