It's time to start working on your playwriting. The American Alliance for Theatre Education is having its Playwrights for Change contest. If you would like the participate on the school level for consideration to be sent into the national competition, you need to submit your play to Ms. Brown by Friday, January 16th. The school-wide winner will be announced on February 2nd,  receive a $25 gift card, and have their play represent Trenton in the national competition.
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(There is an adult competition, but you must be a member of AATE to participate and submit your play directly to them by April 1st.)

Basic Rules:
1. Plays must be the original work of the playwright and not an adaptation of pre-existing work.
2. Scripts may not be co-authored. Scripts must be written by one playwright.
3. Completed scripts must be no longer than 10 minutes when read aloud.
4. Scripts may have up to, but no more than six characters.
5. Student playwrights must include their name and the title of their play on a cover page and
nowhere else on the script. Also, include a character breakdown with character names and identifying information. 
6. The contest recommends (but does not require) 12-point Times New Roman font. The advantage is that when the standard playwriting format is followed, one page equals about one minute of reading time.
7. Plays need to be written in play format. See the example attached. (There are three links: formatting, creative tips, and the submission form.)

The Theme:
When we first consider compassion, it often extends to our family and close friends. But what happens when we broaden that view, recognizing our deep interconnectedness to all people—and choose to act kindly not only toward those who we perceive are different from us, but toward individuals we view as adversaries and even the natural world? The true challenge is to practice empathy in these wider, more difficult spaces.

The audition sign-up sheet has gone live! Spread the word. If more slots need to be added, they will, but only AFTER the current slots are filled. Sign up here.

Hello, all.
We are starting strong with a schoolwide meeting about the spring musical and a new event.

Come to the meeting to find out how you can get involved with this year's musical. This will be our largest yet!

We are also excited to be partnering with others around the nation for the "Enough! Plays to End Gun Violence" dramatic play reading. The plays were written by six students from across the US and deal with issues such as school shootings, suicide, drive-by shootings, and other forms of gun violence. Since this is our first year participating, this audience for this is by invitation only. We hope to see this become an annual event for us that we can open to the public next year and become the Central Jersey location to see change happen regarding this issue. To find out more information, check out www.enoughplays.com They accept student-written plays between February and April each year. Winners receive a stipend and their work will be published in an anthology of short plays that can be produced.

Every year, the theatre department of TCHS invites its advisory committee to visit during the school day and see what the students have been developing. The day wraps up with the annual Thespian Induction and Theatre Awards. See the schedule below:
8:30 Welcome guests
9:00 Theatre I students perform monologues (special presentations from some seniors)
10:25 Theatre III does dramatic readings of new plays written by seniors
11:50 Lunch break
12:40 Theatre III presents their Capstone Project
2:00 Break to set up for awards
2:30 Thespian Induction and Theatre Awards Ceremony (free event open to the public)

Please review the available slots below for the first set of auditions. Two people will be scheduled for every 15 minute slot. Please keep your monologue and musical theatre song to under six minutes.  When you sign up, include the link to the music for your song choice. (Yes, it must be a musical theatre song where we can see you become a character.) Songs are allowed to be sung in Spanish. If you are interested in playing the Magic Carpet, you do not have to sing your musical theatre song. You need to communicate the lyrics in a nonverbal way. Remember the carpet is alive and has feelings. It is simply nonverbal. 

Before you start your audition, you need to "slate". This gives us information about who you are and what you will be doing. Go onto the stage, stand in a neutral position, and say the following: "Hello, my name is ______________. I will be performing the part of ________________ from _____________________ by ________________ and singing __________________ from ______________________. " (Fill in the blanks with your first and last name, the character's name, the play's name, the playwright's name, the song title, and the musical from which you got the song.)

Once you sign up for the first round of auditions, you will be added to a Google Classroom called "Spring Musical". Please pay attention to this because we are trying to schedule a dance workshop before the dance audition.

The dance audition will need to be completed by everyone who is auditioning, and that is scheduled for Monday, December 9th at 2:15 in the auditorium.

Character callbacks will be scheduled for Tuesday, December 10th. Everyone will not be called to return for callbacks. If you are not called, it does not mean you are not cast. Please wait until the cast list is posted to find out who is actually cast in the show.

We look forward to seeing you at the auditions. Click the flyer below to signup.
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Por favor, revisa los espacios disponibles a continuación para la primera serie de audiciones. Se programarán dos personas para cada espacio de 15 minutos. Por favor, mantén tu monólogo y canción de teatro musical en menos de seis minutos. Cuando te registres, incluye el enlace a la música de la canción que elijas. (Sí, debe ser una canción de teatro musical donde podamos verte convertirte en un personaje). Las canciones pueden cantarse en español. Si estás interesado en tocar en la alfombra mágica, no tienes que cantar tu canción de teatro musical. Tienes que comunicar la letra de una manera no verbal. Recuerda que la alfombra está viva y tiene sentimientos. Es simplemente no verbal.

Antes de comenzar tu audición, necesitas "prepararte". Esto nos da información sobre quién eres y qué harás. Sube al escenario, párate en una posición neutral y di lo siguiente: "Hola, mi nombre es ______________. Interpretaré la parte de ________________ de _____________________ por ________________ y ​​cantaré __________________ de ______________________". (Completa los espacios en blanco con tu nombre y apellido, el nombre del personaje, el nombre de la obra, el nombre del dramaturgo, el título de la canción y el musical del que sacaste la canción).

Una vez que te registres para la primera ronda de audiciones, serás agregado a un Google Classroom llamado "Musical de primavera". Presta atención a esto porque estamos tratando de programar un taller de baile antes de la audición de baile.

Todos los que se presenten a la audición deberán completar la audición de baile, y está programada para el lunes 9 de diciembre a las 2:15 en el auditorio.

Las devoluciones de llamadas de los personajes se programarán para el martes 10 de diciembre. No se llamará a nadie para que regrese para las devoluciones de llamadas. Si no te llaman, no significa que no estés en el elenco. Espere hasta que se publique la lista del elenco para saber quiénes son los elegidos para el programa.

Esperamos verlo en las audiciones. Haga clic en el folleto a continuación para registrarse.

This year we had 17 students complete the OSHA-10 for General Industry with a focus in Entertainment. Below are the recipients of this year's OSHA credential as well as a link to an online article to find out more regarding our training with Lankey and Limey's Dominic Housiaux.

Article: Safer High School Musicals: Entertaining OSHA 10 at Trenton Central High School in New Jersey