Theatre Program Standards
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Theatrical productions are a valuable part of our educational experience. These program standards are established to ensure that everyone can enjoy and participate in our productions safely and respectfully.
- Respect and Inclusivity: We value respect and inclusivity. All cast and crew members shall treat one another with respect, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristic. Harassment, discrimination, or bullying will not be tolerated.
- Professionalism: Productions provide an opportunity to develop valuable life skills. We expect everyone involved to approach their roles with dedication, punctuality, and a commitment to the highest standard of performance and behavior.
- Language and Content: While theatre often explores challenging topics, we will be mindful of our community, which includes students, parents, and community members. Language, content, and themes shall be handled with sensitivity and consideration.
- Safety: Safety is paramount. Actors, technicians, and all participants shall follow safety protocols, including the proper use of props, costumes, stage combat, choreography, and equipment.
- Teamwork: Theatre is a collaborative effort. Everyone, from actors to crew members, plays a vital role in the success of a production. Teamwork, communication, and mutual support are key components of our community standards.
- Diversity of Voices: We encourage students to embrace different viewpoints. Nothing in these standards is intended to permit or encourage censorship based on topic or viewpoint.
- Parent and Community Involvement: We value the support of parents and the broader community. We encourage their involvement and seek to maintain open lines of communication with them.
- Responsible Use of Resources: Directors are expected to establish procedures for maintaining program assets and campus resources.
- Conflict Resolution: In the event of conflicts, we expect all parties to address them maturely and seek help from instructors or administrators when necessary.
- Consequences: Student violations of these community standards will result in appropriate consequences, which may include removal from a production or other disciplinary actions.
By adhering to these program standards, we ensure that Fort Bend ISD’s theatre programs provide educational and respectful experiences for everyone involved.
UIL Community Standards
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When selecting a play, remember that UIL rules require directors to eliminate profane references to a deity, obscene language, actions, or scenes from the approved production. It is up to each school’s administration to determine that all profanity and obscenity has been eliminated and that their play and production does not offend the moral standards of their community.
Profanity is characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things. The use of a deity’s name when not in reverence or prayer would be profanity by definition. The use of “Jesus,” “Oh, God,” “God knows” is considered, by definition, profane when not used in reverence or prayer. Foreign language that is profane or obscene shall also be eliminated. Since most competitors are minors, particular attention should be paid to any action of a sexual nature.
Is specific language, stage action, or a scene obscene? In Hazelwood vs Kuhlmeier et al. (1988) the United States Supreme Court held for the first time that public school officials may impose some limits on what appears in school-sponsored student publications and thus designated the school’s administrator as the person to define the standards of the community.
If the script has been read and the staged production viewed and approved by the administrator of the producing school, the production is eligible for presentation at any contest site.
Each school’s administrator must affirm this review when they sign the “Community Standards Compliance Form.” The League’s Play Appraisal Committee may eliminate language, actions, or scenes as a condition for approval of plays not on the approved lists. If the play cannot be cut to meet community standards, then the play should not be selected for contest use.
Theatre directors are responsible for self-policing their scripts to ensure that what is selected for production will meet their community’s standards.
It is the duty of each director and their administrator to make a responsible selection for the students you work with and the community you represent. Make sure that you discuss the choice of script and questionable language and business with your administrators.
Theatrical Performance Approval
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All theatrical performances in Fort Bend ISD must be submitted for performance approval. Prior to beginning work on any production, the theatre director must complete a Theatrical Performance Approval form and submit the script (as it is to be performed) to campus administration by following the approval process outlined below.
Titles shall not be announced publicly, and auditions shall not be held, until the script has been approved.
Scripts, performance contracts, and royalty agreements are not to be secured/purchased for performance(s) until this form is on file in the Fine Arts office.
Theatrical Performance Approval Process:
Part 1
- The Theatre Director will submit this form and a copy of the play (as it will be performed) to campus administration.
- Principal(s) will review production selections. The recommended time to review the selection is no more than five business days, due to the possibility of the director having to make an alternate selection and/or complying with UIL submission deadlines.
- In the event campus administration has questions/concerns about production submissions, a meeting will be scheduled (with theatre directors and school principal) to discuss production selection.
- Once a production has been approved, the theatre director shall submit this form to the District Fine Arts office. Script and royalty agreements then may be secured with the publisher. Once a royalty agreement is in place, auditions may be scheduled, and the show title may be announced to the community.
Part 2
- No student may audition for the cast/crew without submitting their completed Parent Consent Form, which requires the parents’ permission for their child to participate in the production. The Parent Consent Form will contain a synopsis of the script, as well as disclosures about production elements that may need to be presented with sensitivity.
- Productions will be viewed in their entirety by a campus administrator prior to public performance to ensure production elements meet community standards. This should be scheduled by the theatre director while rehearsals are ongoing, and students have adequate time to make any needed adjustments.
- A production that has been viewed and approved by the campus administration may proceed to public performance without further evaluation.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Theatre directors may present uncomfortable topics and material for approval. They should, however, inform the principal about those production elements and explain why those should be included in the show. Some plays deal with uncomfortable topics and require uncomfortable design to convey those topics.