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Junior Thespian
Festivals Each year Texas Thespians hosts multiple regional Junior Thespian Festivals around the state. These festivals provide workshops, competition opportunities and hours of quality programming for our middle school Thespians!
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Texas Thespians Junior Regional Festival Dates 2026 - 2027
Junior Festival North Texas - The OC - Forney
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Junior Festival Details
YOU DO NOT NEED A
CHARTERED THESPIAN TROUPE TO ATTEND
CHARTERED THESPIAN TROUPE TO ATTEND
WHO CAN ATTEND?
ANY Texas 6th-8th-grade theatre teacher, director, or administrator with 6th-8th-grade theatre (or theatre-loving) students. All students must be registered and accompanied by an adult sponsor. International Thespian Society chartered troupes AND schools with no official chartered troupe can attend.
COST?
Registration $60 per attendee
Thespys- $20
Texas Design Events- $5 per participant
WHAT DOES THE REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDE?
Each registered attendee receives a Junior Festival totebag, lunch, and access to all festival programming.
ANY Texas 6th-8th-grade theatre teacher, director, or administrator with 6th-8th-grade theatre (or theatre-loving) students. All students must be registered and accompanied by an adult sponsor. International Thespian Society chartered troupes AND schools with no official chartered troupe can attend.
COST?
Registration $60 per attendee
Thespys- $20
Texas Design Events- $5 per participant
WHAT DOES THE REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDE?
Each registered attendee receives a Junior Festival totebag, lunch, and access to all festival programming.
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Director Resources and Forms
Registration Packet with everything you need to help you navigate registering your group!
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This is a registration packet for you to share with your students and parents for those attending the South (Houston) or Central (Austin) festivals.
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This is the registration packet for you to share with your students and parents for those attending the North (Forney) Junior Festival.
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Need help getting to festival? Apply for Texas Thespians Grants!
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Junior Festival North Texas
The OC - Forney October 17th, 2026 North Registration Window: Sept. 14th - Oct. 9th, 2026 |
Junior Festival South Texas
Seven Lakes HS December 12th, 2026 South Registration Window Nov. 9th - Dec. 4th, 2026 |
Junior Festival Central Texas
McCallum Fine Arts Academy Feb. 20th, 2027 Central Registration Window Jan. 18th - Feb. 12th, 2027 |
Competitions
Whether you are an actor, singer, dancer or technican, Texas Thespians has a competition for you!
Troupes can enter a maximum of TEN (10) Thespy (or National Qualifying) Competitions. Short Film and Playwriting do not count in the 10 total entries allowed. Texas Challenges have different entry limits per troupe.
Troupes can enter a maximum of TEN (10) Thespy (or National Qualifying) Competitions. Short Film and Playwriting do not count in the 10 total entries allowed. Texas Challenges have different entry limits per troupe.
Click here to learn more about the Performance Thespys.
Contest |
Time Limit |
Participants |
Scenic Items Allowed |
3 Min |
1 |
1 Chair |
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5 Mins |
1 |
1 Chair |
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5 Mins |
2 |
2 Chairs |
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5 Mins |
3-16 |
1 Table and 6 Chairs |
Click here to learn more about the Technical Thespys.
Competition |
Submission Item #1 |
Submission Item #2 |
Important Notes |
Fully Constructed Costume |
Research Materials |
Must use a pattern, can be homemade |
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5 Renderings |
Research Materials |
Must have fabric swatches |
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Light Plot |
Research Materials |
Provide Cues & Magic Sheet |
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5 Renderings |
Research Materials |
Provide Makeup Plot |
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30 min/30 pg time limit |
Submitted before festival |
Synopsis/Cover Letter Req. |
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Scale Model of 3 Scenes |
Research Materials |
To Scale Ground Plan |
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5 Minute Time Limits |
Submitted before festival |
Opening/Closing Credits |
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3 to 4 Cue or Examples |
Support Materials |
Speaker Plot/Cue Sheet |
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5-10 pgs. of Prompt Book |
Support Materials |
Can be Digital or Physical |
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Creative Assets |
Support Materials |
Can be Digital or Physical |
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Constructed Prop |
Support Materials |
Create a Theatrical Prop |
Click here to learn more about the Juniors Texas Only Challenges.
Contest |
Time Limit |
Number of Participants |
Other Info |
7 Minute Max |
Solo 1, Duet 2, Group up to 12 |
Songs chosen from published musicals. Props allowed. |
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Vary |
Unlimited |
Improv will be in workshop sessions this year! |
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5 Minutes |
2-12 |
Each School can enter one entry. Text must be performed as written by original author. Scripts can be used. Theme changes each year! |
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5 Minutes |
Max 3 |
Will perform in a showcase during a workshop session. Selections may include (but not limited to) original or published poetry, slam poetry, prose, song, pantomine, TV Commericals, comedy sketches |
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No presentation |
Unlimited entries per school. Teams can be 1-4 students. |
Will mirror the UIL A++ Theatrical Design Contest this year including using the same prompt as UIL. |
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As needed |
2-6 students per team |
Registered teams will be allowed to practice in Tech playland during workshop session #1. Tech challenge sessions will happen during lunch rotations. |
Other Information
Learn more about Submittable, our online balloting program.
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Click here to get to the Submittable links for all the contests once registration has opened.
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TEA CPE Provider #902-342
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