2009
National Society of Arts & Letters
Drama Competition
National Competition Rules
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Contestants must show evidence of career potential but not be under exclusive contract to a theatre, film or television agent at the time of the competition and must not be under professional management.
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Competition is open to contestants who have passed their 18th birthday but not yet reached their 30th birthday as of May 15th. Proof of birthdate must be supplied. A photocopy of a birth certificate or recent passport will be acceptable.
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Contestants must be citizens of the United States.
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Contestant must not be directly related to any current or former member of NSAL.
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Contestants must have competed in and been declared the sole first place winner of an NSAL Chapter Competition prior to entering the National Competition. The contestant may choose a chapter in the area where he/she has been residing or where he/she is enrolled in a college, graduate program, or acting school. In case there are no chapters in their hometown or in their place of residence, contestants may enter the competition of the nearest chapter.
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Contestants may not compete in more than one chapter competition.
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Contestants must be able to be in Washington, DC for the entire period from May 14th to 17th. Contestants must attend the orientation session to be held on May 14th through the Career Award Dinner on May 16th. All expenses are the responsibility of the sponsoring Chapter.
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Contestants must attend the orientation session, the competition, the Master Class and the Career Award Dinner.
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After their names are announced, the national finalists selected by the judges for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd awards will perform at the Career Award Dinner on May 16th.
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The meaning and interpretation of the above rules, along with local chapter and contestant rules, will be determined by NSAL. If such meaning or interpretation is questioned or not understood, the decision of NSAL National will be final and binding.
2009
National Society of Arts & Letters
Drama Competition
Performance Requirements:
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Contestants must present two audition monologues from memory and in English. Contestants must present one comedic piece and one serious piece. Contestants must select their comedic and serious pieces from the following list of playwrights.
Classical
| Aeschylus |
| Aristophanes |
| William Congreve |
| Euripides |
| Oliver Goldsmith |
| Ben Jonson |
| Christopher Marlow |
| Moliere |
| Plautus |
| William Shakespeare |
| Richard Brinsley Sheridan |
| Sophocles |
| John Webster |
Modern
| Jean Anouilh | Eugene Ionesco | George Bernard Shaw |
| Alan Ayckbourn | Arthur Kopit | Sam Shepard |
| Bertolt Brecht | Tony Kushner | Neil Simon |
| Anton Chekhov | David Mamet | Tom Stoppard |
| Caryl Churchill | Mark Medoff | August Strindberg |
| Noel Coward | Arthur Miller | John Millington Synge |
| Horton Foote | Marsha Norman | Wendy Wasserstein |
| Michael Frayn | John Osborne | Oscar Wilde |
| Jean Giraudoux | Suzan-Lori Parks | Thornton Wilder |
| Lorraine Hansberry | Harold Pinter | Tennessee Williams |
| Lillian Hellman | Luigi Pirandello | August Wilson |
| Beth Henley | William Saroyan | Lanford Wilson |
| Tina Howe | Peter Shaffer | Paula Vogel |
| Henrik Ibsen | John Patrick Shanley | |
Note:
The contestant will provide the judges with one copy of the complete play from which the contestant has taken each monologue upon arriving for the competition. Contestants will identify on the front cover their contestant number, character name, and reference page numbers locating monologue.
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If the contestant selects a comedic piece from the classical period, then the serious selection must be from the modern period or vice versa.
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Selections must demonstrate contrasting characteristics.
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Contestants must demonstrate a full and varied range of ability.
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Upon entering the stage, contestants will announce contestant number, the title of the play, playwright, and the name of the character of BOTH selections in the order of performance. The announcement time will not count in the performance time.
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The total performance time may not exceed six (6) minutes total time for both selections. Transition time will be included in the timing.
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A chair will be available on stage. Hand props, costumes or recorded sound are not permitted.
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Performance attire: Male contestants will wear black slacks and a black t-shirt. Female contestants will wear black slacks or a black skirt and a black t-shirt.
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A performance area will be provided. The audience capacity will be approximately 200 persons.
Click here to download your copy of the National Competition Rules and the Performance Requirements in .pdf format, and here to download the application information.
NSAL Chapter Drama Competition Contact List:
Click here to download your copy of the chapter contact list .pdf format.
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