News and Updates

Houstonfest Scholarship Winners

Daily log of changes to state-qualifier list

What's new for 2013

Scholarships at State

Teacher-to-Teacher Tips

Plays will be performed at Houstonfest

Important Dates

Jan. 14, 2014:  Regular deadline to submit registration spreadsheet in order to pay regular price of $10/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 1/21)

Jan. 21, 2014:  Final dead-line to submit registration spreadsheet for late price of $12/student and deadline to postmark payment

Jan. 28, 2014:  Proof sheet of entries sent to teachers for final verification and changes

Jan. 30, 2014, 8:00 p.m.:  Deadline to submit changes (adds, drops, substitutions).  After this point, no more additions or substitutions will be allowed in individual events.  Substitutions in group events may continue in emergency situations.

Feb. 1, 2014:  Houstonfest, Lanier Middle School

Feb. x, 2014:  State online registration due by 11:59 p.m. in order to qualify for early-bird price of $10 per student.  Online registrations submitted after this point incur the regular registration fee of $12 per student.  Also, deadline to apply for the Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship.

Feb. x, 2014:  State online registration due by 11:59 p.m. (regular deadline).

Feb. x, 2014:  Postmark deadline for State payment, regardless of whether you completed your online registration by the early-bird or the regular deadline.

Feb. 22, 2014:  Texas State German Contest, University of Texas at Austin

Mar. 1, 2014:  Houstonfest Scholarship applications due

Mar. x, 2014:  Gail Cope Scholarship applications due

Rules:  Drama Events

General rules for all drama events:

It is not allowed to use the same script (or a substantially similar script) in more than one event at the same contest if there are any common cast members in both events.  For example:  A school may not use the same script for a skit and a puppet show if one or more students are in both casts.

It is also not allowed for any cast member to perform a script which he/she has performed in any previous year.  For example:  If your Skit 2 in 2011 was "Rotkäppchen," you may not use "Rotkäppchen" for Skit 3 in 2012 or for Skit 4 in 2013 (unless the casts from one year to the next are 100% different).

The spirit of both these rules is that students should be challenged to work with different material in each event they enter, both within the same year and from one year to the next.

Duet Acting:

One entry per school per level:  Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4.  Time limits:  Level 1, 3-5 minutes; Level 2, 4-6 minutes; Level 3-4, 7-10 minutes, with a 30-second grace period (under or over).  This competition follows the basic rules of the National Forensic League, which include the following:  The 2 contestants may use no more than 2 chairs, no other props, no costumes; may only pantomime actions; must have a memorized introduction in German; may have no prompting; must use a piece from a published work by a German-speaking author (no translations); must have 2 copies of this piece for the judges; and must adhere to the time limits set forth above.  Failure to provide 2 copies of the script will result in a 10-point penalty on the critique sheet.  The merit of the selection will be a criterion in judging.  Download critique sheet.

Play:

One entry per school.  Time limits:  15-20 minutes, with a 30-second grace period (under or over), plus a maximum of 10 minutes to set up.  The State rules say, “Plays will be presented at the State level only.  If there are 3 or more play entries, there will be a regional contest.”  However, the assumption will be that we will always perform plays at Houstonfest, regardless of how many entries there are.  They might not be in tip-top shape, but schools should do the best they can.  It’s good to have the intermediate deadline to help with preparations for State.  Two copies of the script must be given to the judges; failure to provide two copies of the script will result in a 10-point penalty on the critique sheet. There must be a minimum of 3 speaking characters, no maximum.  If advantaged speakers are included in a play cast, this information must be given to the judges.  Plays with five or more characters will be given greater consideration by the judges.  Drama and comedy are of equal value.  Backdrops, props, make-up, and costumes are nice but not mandatory.  A play must be a published work originally written in the German language by a recognized German-speaking author.  It may not be a German translation of a play originally written in another language, but rather the original must have been written in German.  It may not be adapted from a German fairy tale.  A play may be adapted to fit the time limit.  It may be any 15- to 20-minute segment from a play, a radio drama, a cabaret play, or any other published dramatic work.  Suggested authors:  Brecht, Tucholsky, Dürrenmatt, Borchert, Goethe, Schiller, etc.  Download critique sheet.

Puppet Show:

One entry per school at the Lower Level (German I-II), one entry per school at the Upper Level (German III-V; may include advantaged speakers).  Time limits:  Lower Level, 4-8 minutes; Upper Level, 7-10 minutes, with a 30-second grace period (under or over) plus a maximum of 3 minutes to set up.  The script must be from a published work.  Fairy tales may be adapted as puppet shows.  Two copies of the script must be provided for the judges.  The performers must memorize all lines from the script.  The judges will ensure that the performers have no scripts.  No stage will be provided, nor may one be brought by any entrants, but rather, students will perform behind chairs or a table covered by a black cloth (which is provided onsite). Each group must provide its own puppets, props, backdrops, and painter’s tape. Backdrops should be no larger than 10’ × 10’. They may be secured to the wall with painter’s tape only.  If advantaged speakers are included in an Upper-Level cast, this information must be given to the judges.  Download critique sheet.

Skit:

One entry per school per level:  Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4.  Time limits:  Levels 1-2, 4-8 minutes; Levels 3-4, 7-10 minutes, with a 30-second grace period (under or over), plus a maximum of 3 minutes to set up.  There must be a minimum of 3 performers with speaking parts, no maximum.  If it is a mixed-level skit, then it must be entered on the level of the most-advanced cast member.  If advantaged speakers are included in a level 4 skit, this information must be given to the judges.  Skits may be written by the class, the teacher, German-speaking authors, or others.  Two copies of the script must be provided for the judges; failure to provide two copies of the script will result in a 10-point penalty on the critique sheet.  Skits may be from fairy tales.  Good pronunciation and grammatically-correct German are most important in the judging.  Costumes and props may be added for flavor but are not required.  Download critique sheet.