ThesFest Adjudications

Share Your Work. Get Feedback. Grow as a Theatre Artist.

ThesFest Adjudications give middle school theatre students the opportunity to showcase their work, receive constructive feedback from theatre educators and professionals, and grow as performers and theatre artists.

Students may participate in performance or technical theatre categories. Each entry is presented to adjudicators who evaluate the student's work using the official Thespy rubric for that category and provide feedback designed to encourage continued learning and growth.

ThesFest Adjudications are inspired by the International Thespian Excellence Awards (Thespys®), with requirements adapted by TN EDTA specifically for middle school students. ThesFest Adjudications are not qualifying events for advancement in the International Thespian Excellence Awards.

How to Register

To participate in a ThesFest Adjudication, opt in using the same form you used to complete your individual ThesFest registration, or ask your theatre teacher for assistance.

Choose Your Category

Performance Categories

  • Perform one monologue or two contrasting monologues from a published theatrical work.

    [View Acting — Solo Requirements →]

  • Two students perform a non-musical scene from a published theatrical work.

    [View Acting — Duet Requirements →]

  • One student performs a selection from a published musical, combining acting, singing, and storytelling.

    [View Musical Theatre — Solo Requirements →]

  • Two students perform a selection from a published musical, combining acting, singing, and storytelling.

    [View Musical Theatre — Duet Requirements →]

Technical Theatre Categories

  • Present and explain an original costume design for a published play or musical.

    [View Costume Design Requirements →]

  • Present and explain an original lighting design for a published play or musical.

    [View Lighting Design Requirements →]

  • Present and explain an original scenic design for a published play or musical.

    [View Scenic Design Requirements →]

  • Present a promptbook, production paperwork, and other materials demonstrating the student's work or approach as a stage manager.

    [View Stage Management Requirements →]

How Adjudications Work

1. Choose your category.
Review the category requirements and official adjudication rubric before beginning your preparation.

2. Prepare your entry.
Rehearse your performance or prepare the required materials for your technical theatre presentation.

3. Present at ThesFest.
Perform or present your work for a panel of adjudicators.

4. Receive feedback.
Your work will be evaluated using the official Thespy rubric for your category. Ratings and feedback are intended to recognize achievement while helping you identify opportunities for continued growth.

General Adjudication Rules

These rules apply to all ThesFest Adjudications. Students should also review the specific requirements for their individual category.

Introductions

Every adjudication begins with a brief introduction. Your introduction does not count toward your performance or presentation time.

Performance students should introduce:

  • Student name(s)

  • School

  • Title of the play or musical

  • Character(s) or selection being performed

Technical theatre students should introduce:

  • Student name

  • School

  • Title of the play or musical

  • Adjudication category

Keep your introduction brief. You do not need to explain or summarize your performance before beginning.

Time Limits

Acting — Solo: Up to 3 minutes
Acting — Duet: Up to 5 minutes
Musical Theatre — Solo: Up to 5 minutes
Musical Theatre — Duet: Up to 5 minutes
Technical Theatre: 5–8 minute presentation + up to 4 minutes of adjudicator questions

Time begins with the first word, musical note, movement, or acting beat following the introduction.

Students should rehearse with a timer and prepare to finish comfortably within the allotted time. If the maximum time is reached, the student will be asked to conclude the entry. Exceeding the time limit does not automatically result in disqualification, but it may prevent adjudicators from evaluating the complete presentation.

Selecting Performance Material

Acting

Acting selections must come from a published play or musical.

Material from movies, television, novels, short stories, poetry, screenplays, stand-alone monologue collections, or other works not written and published for the theatre should not be used

Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre selections must come from a published musical

Pop songs, songs written exclusively for film or television, or other songs that are not part of a published musical should not be used.

Technical Theatre Projects

Costume Design, Lighting Design, Scenic Design, and Stage Management entries must be based on a published play or musical.

Projects may be:

  • Realized — work created for a production that was actually produced.

  • Theoretical — work created as a design or educational project for a production that was not actually produced.

Both are welcome at ThesFest.

Student Work & Collaboration

ThesFest Adjudications are designed to showcase the student's work.

Teachers, directors, family members, and other mentors may teach, coach, provide feedback, and help students develop their skills. However, the performance, design, documentation, and creative decisions presented for adjudication should represent the student's own work.

Technical theatre students presenting work from a realized production should be prepared to explain their individual responsibilities and how they collaborated with directors, teachers, performers, or other members of the production team.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Students may use artificial intelligence tools for brainstorming, research assistance, or as part of their creative process.

If AI was used in the development of a technical theatre entry, the student should disclose how it was used.

Final design decisions and the work presented for adjudication should represent the student's own thinking and creative choices. Students should be prepared to explain and justify all elements of their work.

Scenic Elements & Props

Performance adjudications intentionally use minimal scenic elements so adjudicators can focus on the student's performance.

  • Acting — Solo: Up to one chair

  • Acting — Duet: Up to two chairs

  • Musical Theatre — Solo: Up to one chair

  • Musical Theatre — Duet: Up to two chairs

No other props, furniture, costumes, or scenic elements may be used.

Students are not required to use the permitted chairs. Any furniture used must be handled safely.

These limits align with the corresponding performance-category limits in the official Thespy rules.

Musical Theatre Accompaniment

Musical Theatre entries must use a pre-recorded instrumental accompaniment track, unless the selected material was specifically written to be performed a cappella.

Accompaniment tracks may not contain lead or background vocals.

Students should download their track to their device before arriving at ThesFest and should not rely on Wi-Fi or a streaming service for playback.

TN EDTA will provide a speaker with Bluetooth and AUX connectivity. Students are responsible for having their accompaniment ready for playback.

What to Wear

Students should dress neatly, comfortably, and appropriately for an adjudication setting.

Performance students should present themselves as students, not in character. Costumes, stage makeup, and character-specific clothing or hairstyles should not be used.

Wear clothing and footwear that allow you to move safely and comfortably.

Technical Theatre Presentation Materials

Technical theatre students may use physical or digital materials as appropriate for their category.

If using digital materials:

  • Download files before arriving.

  • Do not rely on internet access.

  • Arrive with your device charged.

  • Be prepared to navigate the presentation independently.

Additional visual materials are welcome when they help explain the student's work, provided they can be set up and removed quickly.

Adjudication & Feedback

ThesFest uses the official Thespy rubric for each adjudication category.

Students, teachers, and families are strongly encouraged to review the rubric while preparing an entry. The rubric identifies the specific skills adjudicators will evaluate and helps students understand what successful work looks like.

Each individual category page includes a link to the appropriate rubric.

Accessibility & Inclusive Participation

TN EDTA wants students to be able to participate fully in ThesFest.

Students and teachers are encouraged to select material thoughtfully and approach characters, cultures, identities, and experiences with respect.

Students who need reasonable accommodations to participate in adjudications should communicate those needs to TN EDTA in advance of the festival whenever possible.

Following the Rules

ThesFest is an educational experience, and our priority is to help students participate successfully.

TN EDTA may stop or modify an adjudication when necessary because of a safety concern, inappropriate or ineligible material, a significant violation of category requirements, exceeding the allotted time, or conduct that interferes with the adjudication process.

Students and teachers are responsible for reviewing both these General Rules and the requirements for their individual category before ThesFest.