Plays: Approved Lists

NOTE: Even though a play has previously been produced for contest, this does NOT mean that play is "automatically approved" for entry in the UIL One-Act Play Contest. If the play you are considering does not appear on one of the approved lists which follow, then it must be submitted to the office of the State Drama Director for the play appraisal committee's approval prior to the deadline.

DEADLINES to submit plays that do not appear on either the short or long approved list:

• High School: December 6

• Junior High: at least 45 calendar days before your contest

Plays which are by nature dramatic monologues, duet acting scenes, reader’s theatre, musical theatre or which are predominantly narration, choral speaking or lack character interaction may NOT be used in this contest. This includes some versions of titles found on the approved lists where "various dramatizations" are permissible. (i.e. Alice in Wonderland has several musical versions which would not be allowed.)

Publishers: The League strongly encourages directors to select quality literature for competition. There are numerous publishing companies whose catalogues include many of the plays found on the list of approved plays.  Directors may also submit original works, plays that are only available as internet downloads or originals with author permission, through the Play Approval process.

To reiterate, directors are not required to submit plays on the approved lists to uil 

It is the responsibility of the Director to check the current approved lists and secure performance rights with the publisher before starting work on a production.

Again, if you are planning to do a play that IS NOT already on one of the approved lists, you will need to

SUBMIT YOUR PLAY FOR APPROVAL

PLEASE NOTE:

Play titles that appear in either the short or long approved play lists that are marked with ** (after the title) will need to be checked in advance (by you) with your school's administration to confirm that the subject matter and/or dialogue/action of the play meet your local community standards.

That said, any UIL One-Act Play MUST ALWAYS be approved by your local school administration for community standards.

An Approved List of Long Plays for Contest 2024-25

Scenes from the following plays are approved provided directors receive written permission from the publisher or author to cut copyrighted materials. All scenes must comply fully with Section 1033 (c) of this HANDBOOK. Groups wishing to acquire rights for the One-Act Play Contest from any publisher should make their inquiries by letter. Section 1033 (c) (1) (H) Standards: "Directors shall eliminate profane references to a deity and obscene language or scenes from the approved production. Directors shall revise or reject all material within approved plays which in any way fails to meet these requirements. The administration of the producing school is charged with the responsibility of assuring that the director complies with these requirements and that the play does not offend the moral standards of the community. When a script and production are examined and approved by the administration of the producing school, the production is eligible for presentation at any contest site." These plays must meet all requirements of the One-Act Play Contest Rules.

In addition to those listed, all other plays written by Chekhov, Ibsen, Molière, George Bernard Shaw, Eugene O'Neill, Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus (translations only), and Shakespeare (cuts from original text only) are approved. This blanket approval does not include any adaptations of these authors' works unless they appear on the Approved List as such.

Dram Pub = Dramatic Publishing
Dram Play = Dramatists Play Service

* - Reduced royalty not available

** - Play titles marked with ** (after the title) will need to be checked in advance (by you) with your school's administration to confirm that the subject matter and/or dialogue/action of the play meet your local community standards

4 - Out of print - available in manuscript

Note: Dramatic monologues (any play that is written for only one onstage actor) are not eligible for entry in the one-act play contest. [Section 1033 (c) (1) (F)].

Permission must be obtained from the League to make "off-stage voices" judgeable characters in the One-Act Play Contest (e.g., The Shadow Box, Voices, Voice of the Prairie, etc.), and they will be approved only if such characters appear in view of the audience. Adding or changing characters listed in the acting edition of an approved play is restricted by Section 1033 (c) (2) (C). Permission usually cannot be obtained to produce scenes from or acts of any full-length play by Edward Albee, Samuel Beckett, Ketti Frings, David Mamet, Elmer Rice, Peter Shaffer, Neil Simon and Peter Weiss. The same is true of Thornton Wilder, V. Glasgow Koste and Eugene Ionesco except those on the approved short list which are under review.