High School Scene Festival
An Annual Scene Competition + Education Opportunity
The next High School Scene Festivial is scheduled for Friday, February 6, 2026, 9am-5pm.
Register HERE TODAY. REGISTRATION DEADLINE is December 10, 2025!
Email HSSF Producer Chelsea Sutton for additional questions and info: crsutton@cpp.edu.
Elements of HSSF
Scene Competition
Every participating school can bring up to three (3) scenes no longer than ten (10) minutes in length to compete. Scenes must have a minimum of two actors and can be directed by either high school faculty or students. The first round of competition takes place in the morning; the top 6-8 scenes will perform again in the final round in the afternoon and the top three will be announced in an awards ceremony at the end of the day.
Elements of HSSF
Tech Olympics
The Tech Olympics offers a variety of challenges for students, including light focus, costume quick changes, knot tying, and prop placement in a friendly competition. Teams of students compete for the best times and the top three in each challenge and overall are announced during the awards ceremony at the end of the day.
Elements of HSSF
Workshops
In the morning and afternoon, workshops are offered for students covering a range of topics, such as stage combat, audition techniques, playwriting, television writing, acting techniques, jobs in theatre, preparing for the college theatre program, film techniques, and dance theatre. Workshops change from year to year.
High School Scene Festival Guidelines
Each School may bring up to three (3) Scenes. There is no limit to number of characters per scene. No Monologues. We ask that scenes be limited to approximately 10 minutes.
Each performance space will have four standard chairs, two blocks of various sizes and a table. You may bring hand properties, but please don't bring large properties or furniture.
You may bring costumes and we will have costume racks available, however please know that we cannot guarantee the security of the items.
If you wish to use any taped sound effects or music, please bring your own playback devices to insure proper amplification. Please know that the scene competition emphasizes the action not the technical support.
We’re open! Please note above a guide about sound and music. If you think you’ll need a handheld mic please let me know ASAP. We won’t be able to organize wireless mics. If you have other tech concerns, reach out!
There will be Two (2) Judges assigned to each performance space as well as A Stage Manager and an Assistant Stage Manager. In the morning, Scenes will be presented in Round Robin competitions, and then the top two scenes from each performance space will be advanced to the finals, which will be held in the University Theatre that afternoon. Judge evaluation work sheets will shared with instructors following the Awards presentation, when available.
No entering or exiting of performance space will be permitted during a scene. To allow preparation time for actors -- no noise will be permitted between scenes. During performances hallways outside the performance areas will be quiet zones. Teachers will be responsible for the behavior of their students during the evening session.
Please send the name of the scene, play, playwright, and student names for the printed program AND for the judges by Monday January 26. A digital program will be available via a QR code for last minute changes.
Nope! You will never compete against your own school. We will attempt not to overlap scenes performed by the same school, so that teachers may be able to move between rooms. Timing may not be perfect!
Tech Olympics Guidelines
Nope! Events require no special skills and can be enjoyed by actors and technicians alike.
Each event will be judged on the most accurate, safest, and fastest time. Awards will be given for the best-combined score in each event and the best overall score for all four events. Students enjoy cheering on their peers in feats of technical skill. Schools with a large number of students attending may want to have several teams. During this raucous time, competitors vie in “Olympic” style against a clock.
Nope! Equipment and materials will be supplied.
We will finalize all the challenges this fall, but our 2025 Tech Olympics included:
- Costume Change: The Costume Change event requires a two-participant team to direct and assist an actor through a quick change of costumes, while maintaining decorum and organization.
- Knot Tying: In Knot Tying, participants must correctly demonstrate their ability to tie three knots: a clove hitch with two half hitches, a bowline around an object, and a butterfly knot.
- Props: In the Props event, the participant has to strike existing props from a given on-stage table to a marked prop table, and then take a different set of props from the prop table and set them up properly onstage.
- Lighting Focus: In Lighting Focus, the students then need to to focus a light and drop color on a provided subject.
- Floor Plan Taping: In Floor Plan Taping, students will need to properly tape out a to-scale floor plan on the stage floor; stage plan is provided.
- Sound System Power Up: In Sound System Power Up, students will need to power up a sound system in a particular sequence.
What To Expect On The Day!
The day begins at 9am and ends by 5pm! We gather together in the morning for a welcome and a group warm up, and then the scene competitions begin at about 9:45am. Lunch is from 12pm-1pm. Workshops and other activities happen in the afternoon. The Finals and Award ceremony is approximately 3:30pm-5pm.
Check In will open at starting at 8am. Check In will be at the registration table in the lobby of the University Theatre. Each school/students will be given their scene competition time slots, programs, maps and performance locations at registration.
This year we will be assigning students to workshop "tracks" and they will remain with the same cohort of students throughout the afternoon workshop period; we will gather student names and first choice tracks this fall and teachers will receive the assignments at least three days before the event. There will also be printed and posted lists at registration for reminders.
Yes! The top two scenes from each performance room are announced by the end of lunch. Finalists compete in the University Theatre for the last round of judging (in front of an entire high school student audience) culminating in the awards presentations. Awards are given for events held throughout the day ranging from best actor to the fastest quick costume change. Awards are also given for the top performers at the Tech Olympics!
No. We provide free snacks and water for students as well as coffee and breakfast pastries for teachers. We encourage groups to bring their own lunches or each lunch on campus. Campus dining options are listed here.
You can unload students and props at our loading dock - coordinates/pin here: 34.05609574339074, -117.82189796068349
The closest parking we suggest is located in STRUCTURE 1 and STRUCTURE 2 on the CPP Campus. Both lots are a bit of a walk to the theatre (plan 10-15 minutes), so please plan your arrival accordingly.
Disabled Parking is available by Music Building on both sides of Camphor Lane. From Temple Avenue West bound turn right onto University Drive. From Temple Avenue East bound turn left onto University Drive. Turn right on Camphor Lane until you reach a gate. University Theatre will be on your right hand side. Here is a dropped pin to help! Additional parking options and map can be found here.Parking fees in all structures is $5.35 per vehicle on the weekends/evenings. You can pay at pay stations or download the Pay By Phone App for iOS and Android to easily pay on your phone.
Please review these driving and walking instructions on how to get to campus and to our theatre!
Here is a Google Map location for our Theatre Box Office located at Building 25. Here is a dropped pin to help!
Buses can drop students off at the round-about by Bronco Commons off of Eucalyptus Road: https://goo.gl/maps/HkCQEiDWHSf58s3D9
The bus can park for free at Parking Lot F by the Police Station OR Parking Structure 2 off Collins Street.
