Guidelines
for Zone Festival Adjudicators
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- Theatre BC's Festivals Committee will confirm Adjudicators
for the Zone Festival dates provided in advance by each Zone.
- Assignments will be made by the Executive Director, in
conjunction with Theatre BC's Festivals Committee and each Zone Festival. However as a
policy, Adjudicators will not adjudicate the same Zone Festival(s) as a previous or recent
year.
- The Zone will be responsible for the initial travel costs,
accommodation, adjudicator fee and the per diem at the time of its Zone Festival.
- Each Adjudicator will be required to sign a contract to
which these Guidelines will be appended.
- The Adjudicators will meet prior to Zone Festivals for an
orientation workshop and to establish a common ground for evaluation. Time and
place will be designated by Theatre BC.
- Adjudicators are expected to familiarize themselves with the
plays entered in their designated Zone Festivals BEFORE arriving at the festival. The Zone
Festival Chair will ensure that the Adjudicator has received the entered scripts and
copies of publishers’ permission letters, as submitted by the participating Member
Clubs, well in advance.
- Completion of a CONFIDENTIAL "Production Sheet" by
the Adjudicator is required for each play in a Zone Festival. These are to be forwarded to
the Theatre BC Office upon the completion of each Zone Festival, including the
entered scripts and publishers’ permission letters.
- The Adjudicator must primarily provide a constructive,
educational experience for festival participants, through public and private adjudication.
- The Adjudicator should positively reinforce the efforts of
all participants, but also set a STANDARD against which the performances and productions
can be measured. This is best achieved by identifying the challenges of producing a
particular script and comparing the production's achievements, in all respects, with the
demands of the play.
- The Adjudicator must be sensitive to the needs of community
theatre.
- The Private Adjudication must be attended by the Zone
Festival Chair and/or the Zone Chair in order to verify and/or mediate
comments.
- The Zone Festival Committee may request that the
Adjudicator conduct MAINSTAGE Festival-style "Coffee
Critiques" for each entered play on the following day in lieu of Private
Adjudication. This is to be negotiated directly with the Adjudicator upon his/her
assignment to the Zone Festival. As "Coffee Critiques" are commonly open to all
festival participants and tend to run approximately two (2) hours as opposed to one hour
for Private Adjudication, an additional fee will be paid by the Zone Festival. The Zone
Festival Chair and/or Zone Chair must be in attendance to help mediate comments.
- The Zone Festival Committee may request that the
Adjudicator conduct an additional workshop for festival participants, subject to the
consent of the Adjudicator. If agreed, a separate and additional "Regional
Workshop" Instructor’s Agreement and fee schedule will be required.
- The Adjudicator will determine merited awards, in keeping
with Zone traditions. However one production must be chosen as the "Best Production" to
represent the Zone at the provincial MAINSTAGE Festival as an adjudicated
"Mainstage" production. Instruction will be provided by Theatre BC as to the
"Workshop Play" component of the MAINSTAGE Festival.
- The Adjudicator will present awards or trophies, and/or
Certificates of Merit upon the conclusion of the festival at a ceremony in keeping with
Zone traditions. The Adjudicator is advised to request a list of Zone festival award
categories prior to the festival week and to confer with the Zone Festival Chair upon
arrival.
- Member Clubs whose Zone Festival entry is chosen "Best
Production" has the option of a workshop with the Adjudicator following the Zone
Festival, usually on the Sunday following the closing night. Scheduling and arrangements
on location is the responsibility of the Zone Festival Committee in consultation with the
Member Club. The purpose of the "Best Production Workshop" is to help prepare
the Member Club for participation at MAINSTAGE and should include consideration of
performing in a larger venue, as well as design and technical modifications. Sessions must
cover a minimum of three hours' work up to a maximum of two three-hour rehearsal-type
sessions. MAINSTAGE will pay a flat fee of $200.00 for this workshop upon the return of
scripts, permission letters and completed Production Sheets to the Theatre BC Office.
- Upon the completion of the last Zone Festival, the
Adjudicators will be invited to make observations and recommendations to Theatre BC's
Festivals Committee.
Overall, the
Adjudicator's role is to measure how well each theatre company meets or exceeds the
challenges of producing the script they have chosen to produce. This includes all
aspects of production as well as interpretation and fulfilment of the playwright's intent.
Groups are in essence "competing" first with the challenges of their script. No
matter how different the material is from night to night, each production should be
reviewed in this way. By going through this process, theatre groups should become more
aware of all elements of production, improve their skills and collectively, their
production capabilities. We entrust such a process to "the trained eye" as
opposed to simply opting for a "popular choice" format.
Ultimately, those productions and/or individuals who
best meet the demands of their role as selected by the Adjudicator, are recognized at the
concluding Awards Ceremony.
Any questions regarding these guidelines
should be directed to the Theatre BC Office by phone 250-714-0203 or by e-mail: info@theatrebc.org
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Good Luck & See You at MAINSTAGE !!!
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