Bunce Hall, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
RULES AND INFORMATION
Garden State Theatre Fest 2004, sponsored by the New Jersey Theatre League, is the first step for New Jersey Theatre Companies to compete in the world theatre community. Groups from all over the state are encouraged to participate. Winners then go on to compete with state winners from New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the District of Columbia in the Eastern States Theatre Association Regional Festival (ESTA/FEST) April 16-18, 2004 in Maryland. There will be no National Festival this year.
1. REGISTRATION
The 2004 Festival will be held Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st 2004 at Bunce Hall, Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Thursday will be for tech in only - performances will begin Friday at 7:30. Every effort will be made to tech groups closest to the venue on Thursday. Schedule and starting time will be announced to entrants and the public as soon as possible. The Festival is open to the public, and we encourage you to bring audience from your Theatre Company to be part of the event! (See #4) Hotel information will be sent upon registration for those companies that need accommodations.
Participation is open to any amateur community theatre company that has been organized in New Jersey for at least one year prior to March 18th, 2004, has produced at least two shows, and is governed by a Board from their community. Proof of compliance with these rules must be provided in the form of programs for two previous shows and a copy of organizing documents showing the year of formation, to be enclosed with Registration. The theatre company must also be a member of the New Jersey Theatre League for 2003-2004. First priority for acceptance for the 2004 Festival will be given to Companies that are current members of NJTL.
In order to meet the Call for Entries Deadline, registrations and the $45.00 entry fee (plus $45.00 for member dues if your company is not already a member) must be received by 1/15/04. One ticket for the director of your show is included in the cost of your registration. Up to ten additional tickets may be purchased at $5.00 each, upon acceptance of your registration. You will be notified of your acceptance and sent additional forms and information after 1/15/04.
All participating Theatre Companies are encouraged to be a member of AACT (American Association of Community Theatre) for the current season. The New Jersey winner, invited to appear at the Eastern States Theatre Association's Region II ESTA/FEST, must be or become a member of AACT.
Entrants must submit a Certificate of Insurance from their insurance carrier to cover their cast, crew, and staff concerning liability for the weekend of the Festival at Rowan University, per a requirement of Rowan. The Certificate of Insurance must be mailed in advance of the Festival Dates to the Festival Chairperson. For 2004, this is to be sent to Patti Keefer Billow at 108 North Brown Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030 by the deadline of 1/15/04.
2. ENTRIES
Any theatrical presentation, within the specified limits, may be offered. Productions entered may be a cutting of a full-length play or musical, a one act play, or any other performance of a theatrical nature, including children's shows. Entries may also be original works.
Productions from the previous NJTL Festival may not be presented.
For the 2004 Festival, maximum time - "bare stage to bare stage" - is 75 minutes. An appointed Festival timekeeper will record all times. Any production that exceeds the time limit will be disqualified from proceeding in the Festival cycle. (When estimating your playing time, remember to include audience response time!!!!!)
Royalties MUST be paid by each participating Company directly to the appropriate leasing agent. Permission from the playwright/agent to stage a cutting of a longer work is the responsibility of the Theatre Company. Proof of both actions must be submitted in writing to the Festival Chairperson by the deadline of 1/15/04. Note: It is advisable to obtain rights for both legs of the Festival at the same time. Should your entry not proceed, publishing companies are typically quite good about refunding or crediting royalties.
Note: Use of incidental music carries a responsibility by the Theatre Company. If the music you intend to use is not in the public domain, your Company should procure the rights to the music. Proof of permission to use incidental music must be submitted in writing to the Festival Chairperson by the deadline of 1/15/04. This may take several weeks to accomplish. We've enclosed information for you in this package. Lack of written permission will mean that the music cannot be used in performance at the Festival.
Each participant must submit 3 copies of their script no later than the deadline of 1/15/04 for the use of the judges. PLEASE NOTE: These may not be xeroxed copies, but must be in published script form (except in the case of original works not yet listed with an agent). If submitting a cutting, the scripts must be submitted with the cuts written into the script.
3. DIRECTORS/ACTORS
Directors may be either non-professional or professional, as may be other production staff personnel, as long as duties connected with this production are considered part of their normal Theatre Company duties for which they receive regular compensation and not special compensation for work on the Festival entry.
Actors who are active members of Actors Equity any time from 7/1/2003-6/30/2004 are not permitted to perform. Persons who receive more than one-half of their annual income from work as actors are not permitted to perform.
4. ADMISSION
Admission to the Festival will be $10.00 for each audience member; all cast members and crews must purchase tickets. Theatre Companies may, if they choose to, pay $10.00 at the door for their cast, crew and any audience the day of the Festival at the box office; you may purchase up to 10 tickets at the time of registration at a cost of $5.00 each. Tickets paid for at Registration will be given to the Theatre Company upon physical registration at the Festival.
No one will be admitted to, or may leave, the auditorium while any play is in progress. Please be sure that everyone involved in your production is aware of this rule, including any audience you may encourage to come!
5. TECHNICAL RULES
The order of performances and estimated set-up/curtain times for the participants will be established by the Festival Committee following the registration deadline and will be communicated immediately to the participating Directors and Theatre Companies.
There is no maximum crew size. Cast members may also double as crew; however crew size should be limited to promote the greatest efficiency. (Note: All crew and cast must pay the admission fee, with the exception of the director for whom a ticket is included in the registration fee.)
Initially, participants should presume that they are to supply all of their needs. The sharing of properties, etc. may be arranged, but should not be counted on.
Lights, sound, cycloramas, furniture, etc. which the auditorium has available will be handled by the conditions outlined by the theatre staff. (Technical Information Sheets will be sent upon Registration, and must be returned by the due date stated therein.)
Any special production equipment may be set up prior to the Festival provided if it is agreeable to the participating directors and is authorized by the Festival Chairperson. Any additional expense will be the responsibility of the club involved.
It will be the responsibility of the Festival Chairperson to see that no unfair advantage is taken in the event that a participant enters on his home stage.
Appropriate, private, on-stage technical time ("tech time") will be scheduled for each participant prior to the start of the Festival, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Arrangements will be made to "load in" scenery and set pieces, either as part of your Company's tech time or at another pre-scheduled time. Your tech time will not be less than 45 minutes and not be longer than 60 minutes. Tech times will be communicated to each Company upon acceptance of each Company's Registration. During tech time each participant will set their lighting and sound cues with the Festival Technical Director and Stage Manager and technical staff from Rowan University, spike the stage for set pieces, store properties backstage in a designated area, and become familiar with the playing area. While this time is not intended for a full rehearsal, the allocated time should be used by the cast and crew to their best advantage. Only the cast, crew and director for each show, along with Festival & Rowan Staff as determined by the Festival Chairperson will be allowed in the auditorium during each Company's Tech Time.
6. ADJUDICATION
Each entry shall be judged by recognized judges selected by the Festival Chairperson and approved by the Festival Committee. Participating directors will be informed of the judging and critique procedures in detail prior to the start of the Festival by the Judge's Secretary.
Judging will not be prejudiced by subject matter. Only dramatic/theatrical value and presentation will be considered.
A verbal critique will be given from the stage following each production. The critiques will be of value as a learning experience for both participants and the audience. Judges critiques may be videotaped by the Theatre Company. Private critiques may be given to participants following the award ceremony, time permitting. There are no numerical scores. Under no circumstances may a Theatre Company tape the presentation of their entry.
Plays are to be judged on the overall production, the major elements of which are acting and directing.
The best show is the one which most fully realizes the intention of the playwright.
Among the criteria that will be considered by the adjudicators are:
Is the acting believable?
Is the acting technically skillful?
Are the characters well interpreted?
Does the company display ensemble work?
Is the material appropriate for the company?
Is the concept appropriate for the material?
How well is the concept realized by the company?
Do the actors display effective timing?
How well has the structure of the play been controlled?
How effective are movement and stage pictures?
Is the play well paced?
Do the technical elements support the overall production?
How was the total impact?
Please see the enclosed summary from the NJTL Workshop "How to Win at Competition", entitled "Criterion of the Judges".
7. AWARDS
The New Jersey Winner will receive a cash prize, a plaque, and the entry fee to the Eastern States Theatre Association Region II Festival.
The Runner-Up will receive a cash prize and a plaque. If there are six or more entries in the Festival, the Third Place winner will also receive a cash prize and a plaque.
Certificates of Individual recognition may be awarded at the discretion of the judges in the areas of Acting Excellence, Directing Excellence, and Outstanding Stagecraft. Judges may also give discretionary awards of their individual or collective choosing.
8. VIOLATIONS
At the discretion of the Festival Committee, the violation of any Rule shall disqualify the participating production from all Awards, although the production may be allowed to perform. Questions or disputes shall be referred to the Festival Chairperson for settlement, with decisions final and binding.
9. WITHDRAWAL
Formal notification of withdrawal from the Festival must be submitted to the Festival Chairperson no later than 14 days prior to the Festival. Please note that Membership Dues and Registration Fees are non-refundable, unless your entry is not in the first 8, based on postmark.
CRITERION OF ADJUDICATORS
These notes are largely based on the Workshop presented by NJTL "How to Win at Competition". The criteria here is what most trained adjudicators look for in the shows they judge for competition, though it makes sense to use these as a sort of yardstick for the "polishing" of any show in the last weeks of rehearsal. This list comprises the basic "production values" of a given show.
1) Blocking �
Does the movement make sense in the world of the play? Does it lend itself to communication between the actors and between the actors and the audience? Does it serve the needs of the play? Are the entrances and exits effectively and dramatically achieved?
2) Use of the stage �
Is the stage used effectively? Does the staging lend itself to the dramatic elements of the script?
3) Characterization �
Are the actors comfortable in the skins of the characters? Do you get a strong sense of who they are? Do they understand the play and their place in it? Is the narrative clear, i.e. do the actors understand the words of the playwright and convey their mood and texture to the audience? Do the actors build upon each other, listen to each other and work toward dramatic tension and conflict? Do they sustain their characters throughout?
4) Pacing and Flow �
Is the pacing of the play comfortable for the actors? Does the pacing add to the drama or the comedy of a given moment? Does it work together with the other elements to contribute to the continuity of the world of the play?
5) Acting Fundamentals �
Could you hear and understand the words the actors said? Is the energy they bring to their characters consistent and believable?
6) Technical �
Does the lighting lend itself to the dramatic needs of the play? Does the sound lend itself to the dramatic needs of the play? Costumes? Is there enough attention to detail in these elements? Do they contribute to the action?
7) Overall �
Was the genre of the play was understood by the director and the actors? Did the play as presented achieve the intention of the playwright?