INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONSULTANT

NEW HAMPSHIRE EDUCATIONAL THEATRE GUILD

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:  As Consultant, it is your job to serve as a liaison between the NHETG Board and the judges and to see that the adjudication process runs smoothly.  No small task.  Please familiarize yourself with the documents entitled “Adjudication Guidelines” and “Instructions to Judges” before reading this document.  Please note that above all else, you are required to remain an impartial observer, serving as facilitator in the adjudication process and not a participant.

 

I.                   BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE JUDGES:

  1. Arrive ahead of the judges to locate the assigned Judges’ room and meet the student and/or/ adult Judges’ Host, as well as the Festival Host.  It is important that you politely explain to the Judges’ Host that due to the confidential nature of the work, he/she should check with you before entering the judges’ room.  At any rate, he/she should never be present when the judges are discussing a show or potential awards.
  2. You should also introduce yourself at this time to any on-site NHETG Board members, should you need their assistance during the Festival, or they yours.  Find out from the on-site NHETG Board member who will be in attendance at the scheduled meeting with the judges so that you may introduce everyone.  You will be chairing the pre-festival meeting with the judges.
  3. The Festival Host should have prepared notebooks for each judge containing pencils, scratch paper, programs, festival schedule an “Order of Preference” form and official “Judge’s Comment Sheets”.  The comment sheets should have the name of the play and school, and should be placed in order of performance in the notebooks.  Each judge should be provides with a mini-flashlight.  Check each notebook before the judges arrive.  If the “Order of Preference Chart” or “Judge’s Comment Sheets” have not been filled in with names of plays, do so.  (The Judges’ Host can be of help.)
  4. Check with the Judges’ Host to see that “Reserved” cards are made for the judges’ seats in the house and for the seats to the left and right of each judge.  If the judges request that the seats behind them be empty, mark them as reserved.
  5. You may serve as the judges’ timekeeper during public oral critiques or you may assign this job to the Judges’ Host or one of the play timekeepers.  If you do choose to assign a student, please clear this with the Festival Host before instructing the student.
  6. Check to see what time the house opens for the start of the festival and make sure with the House Manager that the doors do not open until the judges have been allowed to choose their seats.  Ask the Festival Host if there are any poor seats.
  7. Make sure the House Manager knows not to close the theatre doors or begin a show until you assure him/her that the judges are seated in the house.
  8. Find out where the Directors’ Critique will be held, and exactly how long the judges may spend with each director.  As students will not be invited to this critique, you will serve as timekeeper and moderator.
  9. Find out who has been assigned to prepare awards. You will be meeting with this person frequently during the festival so that he/she can work continuously as potential awards come up.  It is especially important that this person meet you immediately after the last play session to get finally information.  He/she must then remain in close contact to prepare last minute additions.
  10. Finally, check with the Festival Host and the NHETG Board regarding arrangements for meals (and lodging if necessary), plus payment for mileage and honorarium so that you can pass this information to the judges.

I.                   MEETING WITH THE JUDGES

  1. Define your role to them, assuring them that they are free to discuss issues in your presence, but may choose to converse in private.
  2. Go over the “Guidelines” and “Instructions to Judges”.
  3. Ask the judges how they wish to handle the public oral critique sessions.
  4. Based upon how the judges decide to handle the public critiques, determine a method of letting the judges know their time limits.  Often, the timekeeper sits in front, in view of the judges, and stands to let them know they have one minute to go, and walks up the aisle when time is up.
  5. Before the house opens, have the judges choose their seats and have the Judges’ Host place reserved signs on them, and the seats to the left and right. (Watch your time. You may have to do this as soon as the judges arrive, or at a very specific time between a tech rehearsal and the house opening.)  Please try to have the judges sit in the same seat throughout the Festival, unless there is a problem.
  6. Go over the procedure to be followed after each performance.
  7. Finally, have the judges start signing blank awards.  If there is not time at this point, remember to grab them when they have a moment!  Have them sign more than you will need for All-Star Company and some extras in case they choose to give other discretionary awards.

II.                DURING FESTIVAL

  1. After each performance, you will have a few minutes to meet with the judges.  You must immediately ask them to identify any potential All-Star Company candidates.  They should use a program page, circle the names, initial the page and hand it to you.  If you need to take names verbally, be sure to note which judge voted for whom.  Any names receiving 2 or more votes should be given to the person preparing awards.  Names and roles can be clarified with directors at the Directors’ Critique. (Note: you will need a runner to bring information to the person preparing awards, unless that person is adjacent to you.  Do not use a student.)
  2. The judges do not have to decide immediately how they want an award worded, but you need to establish if the work to be honored is student work.  At the Directors’ Critique you will need to discreetly ask the directors of the productions in consideration, but let them know that this is a question the judges had and not necessarily a decided upon award.
  3. Escort the judges back for the public critique, informing the House Manager that you are ready so that the doors can be closed.
  4. During the public critiques make sure the judges are projecting and that your system of timekeeping is working smoothly.
  5. If you feel that the judges are getting away from the guidelines proposed for public critiques, please contact the on-site NHETG Board members for their opinions.  If you must re-direct the judges, this should be a joint decision of the consultant and the Board.
  6. Before the start of each play, make sure each judge is seated and inform the House Manager that all are present.
  7. After checking that potential discretionary awards are in fact for work done by students, use any available time to ask judges for proper wording on the award which will clearly express their intent.  Inform the person preparing awards so that these can be completed.
  8. Meet with the on-site Board member and Festival Host to establish what role the judges and consultant will play in the Awards Ceremony.  Make sure this is agreeable to the judges.  Note: it is not your responsibility to plan this ceremony, simply to serve as liaison to the judges.
  9. You must politely but firmly keep the judges on task completing their written comments. If necessary, give them set times at which the sheets from a session are due.  The more they write now, the sooner they get to leave after the Awards Ceremony.

III.             FOLLOWING THE LAST PERFORMANCE AND DIRECTOR’S CRITIQUE

THE JUDGES SHALL BE RESPONCIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Choosing the All-Star Company and the Robert A. Stuart Award recipient
    1. Show the judges their potential choices for the All-Star Company.  If the number is higher than maximum, delete by majority vote.  If the number is below minimum, remind them of names of students receiving only one vote.  AT ANY RATE: remind them of names that received only one vote so that they can be sure the final list is as they wish.
    2. Have the judges decide upon the Robert A. Stuart Award (Presented only at the State Festival). Get this name and any other All-Star Company additions to the awards’ preparer.
  2. Determining and titling discretionary awards:
    1. Show the judges potential awards.
    2. Make additions/deletions as necessary, giving new information to the awards’ preparer.
  3. Choosing productions to move on to the next level of Festival:
    1. Have judges refer to their “Order of Preference” charts.  This is for reference only.  All decisions are by majority vote.
    2. Send names of schools to awards preparer.
    3. Remember that at the State Festival the judges must inform you of the rank of the two alternates.  This information will remain confidential with you unless the alternate is needed. Do not even tell the Board.
  4. Awards Ceremony:
    1. After the productions to move on are chosen, meet with the NHETG Board member and Festival Host to let them know you are done.  Finalize plans for the Awards Ceremony.
    2. Escort the judges to the Awards Ceremony.
    3. Only at the State Festival, read Appendix A before presenting the Robert A. Stuart Award.
  5. Completing written comment sheets:
    1. After the awards ceremony, the judges should complete the written critique sheets before leaving. 
    2. Collect all the Judge’s Comment Sheets by school and give them to a Board member.  The Board member will get them mailed out to the schools and make a copy for the secretary of the NHETG.

 

APPENDIX A:  Robert A. Stuart

Robert A. Stuart was a leader in New Hampshire theatre. His impact on the stage and beyond in this state is inestimable.  Mr. Stuart was a founding member of the New Hampshire Educational Theatre Guild, the New Hampshire Community Theatre Association, and the Friends of the Concord City Auditorium, the venue for the Community Players of Concord where Mr. Stuart was a member for 59 years.  It is because of his shared vision for high school theatre and because of his hard work, dedication, and guidance, along with that of others, that we have high school theatre festivals in New Hampshire today. Mr. Stuart, who was a Life Member of the Guild that he helped to create, passed away at the age of 82 in October of 2007, but his legacy continues with every performance at every NHETG festival.  He was a good friend who will be sorely missed.

 

Version 3 - 12/2/2008