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Guidelines for Festival Adjudicators

Revised: January, 2007

GUIDELINES FOR ZONE & MAINSTAGE FESTIVAL ADJUDICATORS

A. GENERAL INFORMATION:

  • Theatre BC 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 Events Vice President and each Festival Chair. 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 with the Executive Director, prior to Zone Festivals, for an orientation workshop/discussion 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 Review 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 will also provide a MAINSTAGE-style "Coffee Critique" adjudication session, for more detailed adjudication, with each Zone Festival entry. "Coffee Critiques" are commonly open to all festival participants and run approximately two (2) hours.
  • The Zone Festival Chair and/or Zone Chair must be in attendance at adjudication sessions 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.
  • 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.
  • The Zone Festival Committee may request that the Adjudicator conduct an additional workshop for festival participants and public, subject to the consent of the Adjudicator. If agreed, a separate and additional "Regional Workshop" Instructor’s Agreement and fee schedule will be required.

B. ADJUDICATIONS:

  • The Adjudicator must be sensitive to the needs of community theatre and provide a constructive, educational experience for festival participants, through public and private adjudication sessions, known as "Coffee Critiques".
  • 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.

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.

C. PUBLIC ADJUDICATIONS (approx. 15 mins)

  • Public adjudications should include some information about the playwright, the challenges involved in producing the play and some general comments with regards to the successful aspects of the production.
  • Any criticisms should be brief and gently dealt with in this public forum.

D. PRIVATE ADJUDICATIONS/COFFEE CRITIQUES (max.2 hours)

  • All artistic and technical aspects of the production should be covered.
    This may be done by: using a lecture method; a question and answer exchange; demonstrations using the actors; comments and personal examples; or a combination of any or all of the above.
  • Some time should be allowed for questions from the cast, crew, and festival pass holders.
  • NOTE: It is not acceptable for the adjudicator to denigrate the choice of the play, in terms of taste, or to express a personal bias against the play or playwright.
  • The Zone and/or Zone Festival Chair or Designate must be in attendance at adjudication sessions to serve as a moderator or arbiter if required.

E. AWARDS PRESENTATIONS

  • Ultimately, those productions and/or individuals who best meet the demands of their role are recognized at the concluding awards ceremony.
  • The Adjudicator will determine merited awards, in keeping with Zone/MAINSTAGE 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. Zone Festival productions may be selected for Mainstage as part of the "Workshop Play" component through an application process.
  • 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/MAINSTAGE traditions. The Adjudicator is advised to request a list of Zone/MAINSTAGE festival award categories prior to the festival week and to confer with the Festival Chair upon arrival.
  • Adjudicators are encouraged to include honorable mentions for some or all of the awards and to indicate briefly why the winner was ultimately chosen.

Upon the completion of the last Zone/MAINSTAGE Festivals, the Adjudicators will be invited to make observations and recommendations for consideration by Theatre BC's Directors.

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

Good Luck & See You at MAINSTAGE !!!