Area one-act coaches serve as judges for state play production competition

NORFOLK – A.J. Johnson and Brad and Sheila Hoesing often attend the Nebraska state one-act contest as coaches, but sometimes they hold another title during the event.

Johnson, Hartington-Newcastle’s one-act coach, and the Hoesings, who coach Wausa Play Production, were all judges during the 2023 Nebraska School Activities Association Play Production Championships, which were held Dec. 6-8 at Norfolk’s Johnny Carson Theatre.

“It’s a great honor to be selected as a judge for the state contest,” Johnson said. “It is difficult because of the level of competition and the stakes involved. The challenge is to look at each play on its merit based on the ballot criteria and compare plays of all different styles using that ballot as a guide.

“Just because a comedy makes you laugh hard or a serious play makes you feel strong emotions, that doesn’t mean it fits every criteria on the ballot,” he said. “You have to make sure you evaluate each of the criteria on the ballot for each play.”

Brad Hoesing explained judging state one-act contest performances “is not a light thing to do.”

“We know that we’re going to make someone very excited and very happy, and we’re also going to break a heart,” he said. “We take it very seriously.”

On Dec. 6, Johnson was one of the judges for the Class D1 performances, which included Wausa’s “The Birds.” He awarded Wausa a first-place ranking, which helped the school earn another state title.

“The primary designation on the ballot is acting,” Johnson said. “It is 50 of the 60 points. For acting, judges must consider voice, characterization, ensemble, timing and overall effectiveness. The production values such as staging and overall staging effect are worth 10 points.”

Johnson noted being a one-act coach “helps a lot” when serving in the role of a judge.

“As a coach, you know what it is like to be in the competition and you also know what it is like to not win,” Johnson said. “I really think that makes you more aware of truly judging the entire play and using all of the ballot criteria and really justifying your decisions in a way that coaches and kids will understand. It causes me to really deliberate my decisions and take my time because I know how they make kids feel.

“While we’ve had great success here, we’ve also had some tough losses,” he said. “I think about the kids who I don’t give first to and how I really need to justify those decisions when I am writing my ballots. The kids who win don’t need justification – they are happy – the kids who don’t win deserve to know why.”

Sheila Hoesing was a technical judge for the Class C2 performances on Dec. 7 and Brad Hoesing was a judge for the Class B performances on Dec. 8.

“We’ve judged state several years,” Brad Hoesing said. “That’s an honor, too, because, being coaches, we know how much work goes into those productions and we know how much those kids buy into the productions.”

Johnson recalled he has been a judge for the state one-act contest about 10 times.

“You do get paid,” Johnson said. “Judges from across the state are voted on by the coaches and then selected by the NSAA. You do have to apply to judge at state.”

Brad Hoesing added, “The coaches across the state vote and the highest vote-getters – of all the judges that are registered – judge state. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re (Class) D2 or A. The highest vote-getter could be in D1 or D2, or could be in A. You just don’t know.”

Johnson noted he enjoys being a judge for the state play production competition.

“It really is an honor to be selected,” Johnson said. “It is also a very important job. In many other school activities, the official merely guides the action. In play production, the official is the one who decides who wins.

“I work hard to make sure I follow the criteria and I take my time in making my decisions to make sure I’ve considered the whole ballot and the whole production and not just one aspect,” he said.