The League's One-Act Play Contest, founded in 1927, is the largest high school play production contest or play festival in the world. More than 14,000 Texas high school students in more than 1,200 plays participate in 300 plus contests, which take place from the beginning of March through the three-day, 40-production State Meet One-Act Play Contest. The One-Act Play Contest is supported by more than 300 members of the Texas Theatre Adjudicator and Officials Organization. The League's theatre program is considered by historians to be the foundation of educational and community theatre in Texas. It continues to be a major factor motivating increasing numbers of schools to offer theatre arts as an academic subject.

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The UIL One-Act Play contest is a competition where similarly sized Texas schools present an 18-40 minute play and may be adjudicated by a panel of three judges or a single judge. The contest is held on a single day and open to the public. There are six possible levels of competition: Zone, District, Bi-Distrct, Area, Region, and State. At each level of competition a judge awards individual acting awards as well as selecting three productions to advance to the next level of competition up to the Regional Level where only two will advance to the State Level. After the awards are announced a Judge gives an oral critique to each of the schools. Because of the wide participation and diversity of plays produced certain rules and guidelines have been adopted by the State One-Act Play Office. These rules are in place to ensure safety, allow for equity, satisfy legal standards, and make the running of the contest practical.

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Welcome to

Denison High School Theatre Department's

2024 UIL One Act Play Production of

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by B. Dwayne Craft

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Harry Houdini is perhaps the most well-known illusionist of the past two centuries, and the passion and beauty that are behind his fame are revealed during his final performance. Told through the memories and voices of those who knew and loved the man for the magic he brought to their lives, this play is a touching portait of the man behind the magic. Derived from the actual facts of Houdini's life, this play is guaranteed to captivate the audience with its unique staging, intimacy and honesty, as well as fidelity to the reality of the man known as the world's greatest magician.