What is Quiz Bowl?

Quiz Bowl is an event in which teams compete in a high-stakes game of theatre smarts! Teams compete through two rounds where they answer questions in rapid recall from all areas of theatre knowledge, including history, performance, design and more. Those who move on to the championship will have the opportunity to compete during ThesCon with an entertaining game show host and live audience!

If you have any questions, please email Alyssa Cooper at alyssa.cooper@gathespians.org

How can my troupe participate?

• Each troupe can bring one (1) team consisting of four (4) thespians and two (2) alternate players.
• These members cannot be running for STO or a troupe representative. 
• The team must be led by one (1) coach, who can either be the troupe director or an adult assigned by the troupe director. 
• Complete the registration process by the deadline.

Topics

Preliminary Round/Rules

• The Preliminary Round will take place at LeadCon 2, on January 6, 2024. 
• At preliminaries, the entire team (including alternates) can compete, but at least two team members must be present. 
• The preliminary round will take place online, so if possible, please bring a laptop to use to compete.
• The top four teams from each track will compete in the live round on Friday, February 2, during Workshop Session 4. 
• The Preliminary round will be managed by a monitor. 

Final Round Rules

• The quiz bowl director may declare that a team has forfeited a game should they fail to appear on time, or if the team is otherwise unable or unwilling to compete in accordance with the game rules.

• A game consists of two ten minute halves With a brief two minute intermission. If the score is tied at the end of the game, an overtime period will be played.
• For each track, the top four teams will compete. A total of three rounds will occur, with the winners of the first two rounds competing in the Championship Round. 
• The clock starts when the moderator begins reading the first category question, and play will be continuous until the end of the half.
• The clock will also stop in cases of emergency or other serious problems such as disciplining or warning players, ejecting a player, or resolving a technology issue.
• When the clock sounds the end of time, the half or game shall end with the conclusion of the current question-answer cycle.
• The team with more points at the end of the game wins. If the score is tied, an off-the-clock overtime period consisting of three category and/or wild card questions will follow. These tossup questions are scored normally. Bonus questions are not used in overtime.
• The timeliness with which the clock is started at the beginning of a half or with which it is started and/or stopped at other points in the game is not protestable unless a discrepancy exceeding 5 seconds is alleged.

Points

• Each correct category answer is worth 5 points. Correct wild card (Thespians/EdTa Questions) are worth 10 points, plus the opportunity to answer a Bonus Question. Correct Bonus answers are worth 20 points. Incorrect answers will not incur any penalties, but the other team will be given the opportunity to answer. 
• A player may buzz to answer a question at any point after the moderator has begun reading it. The moderator will stop as soon as a player has buzzed. Only the player who buzzed may give an answer. Players must begin answering within 2 seconds after being recognized.
• Teammates may not engage in verbal or written consultation during the game.
• To receive credit, a response must indicate accurate and precise knowledge of the answer.
• To be considered accurate, a response must generally be compatible with every clue in the question. The moderator will evaluate the answer given by a player, and may ask for clarification if an answer is compatible with the clues but is ambiguous. In these cases, the moderator may say “more information please.”
• A protest (request for clarification or correction of an error) can be requested under the following circumstances: to evaluate the response, dispute the correctness of clues in a question, or question the proper application of game rules.
• Protests must be made by the official coach, Invalid or unnecessary protest can result in additional loss of points and an expulsion from the game.

Code of Conduct

• All players, coaches, moderators, scorekeepers, and other persons associated with the quiz bowl must abide by a code of conduct, which includes treating all other participants and staff with respect, exhibiting disruptive behavior, not cheating or creating the temptation for another to cheat, abiding by all game rules and decisions of the game staff, honestly and promptly reporting game situations or violations of this code to a staff member.

• Active players and alternates may not consult reference materials or use any devices, such as phones or computers (computers are allowed during Preliminaries, but may not be used to research/search for answers), during gameplay (this includes halftime and timeouts). Official Coaches and Troupe Directors may be connected to their device during gameplay, but are strictly prohibited from offering impermissible assistance to players at any time. Pre and post-game periods are not considered “during gameplay.”
• Teams are responsible for the conduct of all persons associated with that team. All instances of misconduct must be reported to the game director at the conclusion of the game, or as soon as practical.