TTAO Spring Newsletter

“As we turn this page and say goodbye,
It’s hard to let these moments slip by.
Together we’ve built something so rare,
A team, a family, beyond compare…

Dear TTAO Family,

It’s hard to believe that my term as president will conclude in June. Together, we have accomplished so much and enriched the vibrant tapestry that is TTAO. As we approach the end of May, let’s celebrate the conclusion of the 2025 UIL OAP season. A heartfelt thank you to our adjudicators and contest managers—your dedication and perseverance are a testament to your commitment to Texas theatre students.

Exciting new ideas are on the horizon! As we continue to grow, we’re making our website more user-friendly. Thanks to Scott Allen for leading this initiative. I'm also thrilled to announce the addition of a new Technical Support position. Congratulations to Travis Springfield—welcome back to TTAO leadership!

Next month, you'll receive your End of the Year Surveys. I encourage everyone to complete them. Your insights are invaluable as we build capacity and drive innovative ideas. Let’s make 2026 our best year yet!

Thank you for your participation in SIOS and PWP. This year, we set a goal of 80 participants, and I’m excited to share that we finished with 92, up from 63 last year! Please give Jill Ludington a big round of applause for her outstanding leadership in chairing this project for the past two years.

Our Continuing Education program has also had a fantastic year. Thanks to our professional development presenters, Kathy Harvey and Yadira Gonzales, for their leadership.

This year, we strengthened our collaboration with Texas Thespians. We conducted Enhancement Training at the Thespians Convention and participated in the Texas Thespians Educators Convention, where we led professional development workshops and honored outstanding achievers, including our SIOS participants. Thank you to Amy Jordan and Carla Schumann for making our successes at these conventions possible.

I thank each of you for sharing this journey with me. Serving as your TTAO President has been one of the greatest joys of my life. My next step will be transitioning to the position of past president of TTAO. Thank you for your commitment to excellence in the Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials Organization.

Though our journey here must end today,
Your impact on my heart will always stay.
May success and joy follow your way,
In each bright dawn and every new day”

Kamil Ahmad

Respectfully,

Yvonne J. Phillips-Dupree

The TTAO Bylaws state that, “The Board of Directors may set and change the amount of an initiation fee, if any, and the annual dues payable to TTAO by members.” (Article III: Membership Section 2)

At the September 2024 board meeting, the board voted to increase TTAO annual membership from $50 to $75 annually. For cost comparison, that is the fee of one play per the TTAO recommended adjudication fees on the adjudicator contractual agreement. Lifetime membership dues were increased to reflect adjustments in annual membership making them $750 beginning on May 1, 2025, the first day for renewals for the new judging season. Lifetime membership shall only become an option for members with 5+ years of active membership in the organization. Increased membership dues will assist in moving toward more online educational opportunities, training, etc. and help support our efforts in scholarship and real change opportunities.

The following information is taken from the TTAO manual of Operations. Please take a moment to

review our polices for the annual adjudicator renewal, which begins May 1 st of this year.

Section 4. Annual Renewal Process

A. TTAO Adjudicators

1. Annually, adjudicators are required to complete a renewal process that includes payment of dues, updating profile information, and providing contest availability. In addition, adjudicators may be required to acknowledge changes and/or reminders for One-Act Play policies and procedures through an online verification process.

2. The Board of Directors may require completion of an additional certification workshop for individuals adjudicating fewer than five contests in their first five years of certification.

3. May 1 through June 1 is the window for renewal to be considered for area, region, or state assignments each year.

4. If an adjudicator misses the renewal window, they may still pay dues and meet renewal requirements until December 31. If they have not renewed by December 31, they will be removed from the judging list and will have to reapply and re-certify.

5. If an adjudicator would like to remain on the list, but not judge during a contest season, they must still pay dues and meet renewal requirements for that season to stay current. If they are a lifetime member, they must still meet renewal requirements, including accepting renewal statements and marking availability.*

*If an adjudicator chooses not to judge for a contest season, they would mark all dates as “unavailable” in the Availability section of Connect when renewing.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for an EXTRAORDINARY 2024-2025 OAP

Season!

As we wrap up this season, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each contest

manager and adjudicator who participated this contest season. Your dedication, time,

and passion have made a lasting impact on our students and educators. Your

contributions do not go unnoticed, and the ripple effects of your work will be felt for

years to come. With the contest season coming to a close, there are a few important

reminders and announcements.

Evaluations

Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us. Please take a moment to submit your

evaluations for the contests you participated in this season. These insights are essential

for our office as we plan for 2025-2026—securing sites, assigning contest managers,

judges and continuing to improve the overall OAP experience. Forms are due June 1.

Contest Manager Evaluation form

Adjudicators Evaluation form

Coming Soon! OAP State Meet 2025

As a member of TTAO you will receive one complimentary ticket /pass to the OAP State

meet. This pass will allow you entrance to all shows at all conferences. You will receive

an official UIL letter in an email very soon. Information on the OAP State meet including

specific times, performance order, parking, etc.…is posted at the following link. Contest

dates are

1A May 12

2A May 13

3A May 14

4A May 19

5A May 20

6A May 21

Contest Site: Austin ISD Performing Arts Center in Austin.

UIL Capital Conference

Interested in sharing your knowledge and continuing to support the UIL theatre

community? Planning for the 2025 UIL Capital Conference is underway!

Save the Date: June 26–27, 2025

Location: AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, The University of Texas at Austin. This

year’s conference will feature a wide variety of sessions designed for both beginner and

advanced OAP directors, as well as Film and Theatrical Design sponsors. Have a great

lesson on acting, directing, rehearsal techniques, or design? We’d love for you to share

your expertise! Email me first, if you are interested. Space is limited this year.

Attending the OAP State Meet?

If you are at the State Meet, please stop by and say hello. We only cross paths maybe

once or twice a year, so it’d be awesome to have a quick chat and thank you face-to-

face.

Warm regards,

Paula

Join us for the State Meet at the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center

OAP May 12-14 (1A-3A)

Theatrical Design May 16-17

OAP May 19-21 (4A-6A) more info coming soon!

The Texas Theatre Adjudicators & Officials (TTAO) awards up to two $1000 scholarships to deserving seniors planning to pursue Theatre Arts as their major at the college level (one for Performance and one for Technical Theatre) Any graduating senior who has participated in the UIL One-Act Play Contest or in the UIL Theatrical Design Contest may apply.

Applications must be received by June 1 of each school year at the

A completed application must include:

• A complete scholarship application (Click here to download a PDF application)

• A letter of Nomination/Recommendation from a teacher (or school official) confirming the student’s participation in the UIL OAP or Theatrical Design Contest, the year of competition, and that the student is a graduating senior.

• A current high school transcript

• A theatrical resume

Please scan all items into a single PDF file including the student’s full name and “TTAO Scholarship” in the file name (Ex. Full Name‐TTAO Scholarship).at the following email address: scholarships@ttao.org

Applications will be reviewed at the summer TTAO Board Meeting and winners will be notified in June.

WHAT CAN I DO AS A TTAO MEMBER TO ENCOURAGE APPLICATIONS?

1. Share with current theatre teachers the opportunity available to graduating seniors looking to study Theatre (Performance or Technical Theatre).

2. Emphasize the ease of the application process and the timeline for application submission.

3. Share that the application and information about the scholarship can be found on the TTAO website.

It is the most wonderful time of year! That's right, OAP SEASON!

How: How can you help? Provide a free OAP clinic for 1 school.

Together we made a difference and helped countless students and their directors last year servicing 63 schools. Join us in servicing even more this year!

When: Find a school in need and offer your expertise. Need help? Check out the SIOS Presentation and connect with interested schools.

Learn more about SIOS here: SIOS Presentation

Then: Email Jill Ludington at jnjpurpose@gmail.com to report SIOS completion (your headshot and the name/date of school serviced).

Can I serve anonymously? You can serve anonymously, but please still email Jill so TTAO can track just how big of a difference we are making.

What is SIOS? The SIOS (Service is our Signature) is an initiative which encourages TTAO Members to provide one free OAP clinic per year. Educational service can be any K-12 school program. Special consideration for Title 1 schools or schools with new directors is encouraged. This is not a requirement. This is an opportunity to LIVE our Core Values of Service and Education.

Break a leg this season!

The C. LEE TURNER REAL CHANGE GRANT APPLICATION

What is the Real Change Campaign?

The Real Change Campaign is TTAO’s initiative to provide essential funding to socio-economically disadvantaged schools and communities through grant opportunities.

GUIDELINES

The C. Lee Turner Grant can be used for any project that supports experiential theatre education activities. Eligible activities include attendance at the TxETA Theatrefest or Summerfest conventions, attendance in the Texas Thespians Festivals or Educator Conference, Summer Drama Camp tuition, clinic fees, and guest artist engagements.

Please Note: A Google account is required to complete the application form. You can sign in or create a Google Account using any non-Gmail email address. There are no associated costs.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants are schools that qualify as Title 1 or socio-economically disadvantaged.

GRANT AMOUNTS

Grant requests may be submitted for any amount up to $2,000.

REVIEW PROCESS & SELECTION

Applications submitted electronically by the deadline will be reviewed by the TTAO Awards and Scholarships Committee. All selected applications will be forwarded to the TTAO Board for final approval.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

The application window is open from August 10 to September 10 and must be submitted electronically. Grant recipients will be announced at the TTAO Open Forum during the TxETA Theatrefest. Grantees may begin spending funds on October 1 of the grant year through December 31 of the following year. Returned or unused funds may be reallocated by TTAO as necessary.

ADMINISTRATOR AND/OR SUPERVISOR APPROVAL

Where applicable, approval from an administrator or supervisor is required. A letter of approval should be uploaded with the application.

GRANTEE OBLIGATIONS

Within thirty days after completing the grant activity, or no later than January 31 following the expiration of the grant year, the Grantee must submit a report of approximately 300 words detailing how the funds were utilized during the previous year.

USE OF GRANT FUNDS

Grant recipients are required to submit invoices for their activities, and TTAO will pay vendors and/or schools directly. Recipients should ensure timely submission of invoices for prompt payment. Grant funds may only be used as specified in the grant application, regardless of the final cost of the project.