WELLINGTON DRAMA FESTIVAL RULES

 

THE WELLINGTON DRAMA FESTIVAL IS AN OPEN FESTIVAL FOR ONE ACT AND FULL LENGTH PLAYS PRESENTED BY ADULT COMPANIES AND YOUTH GROUPS. PARTICIPATING TEAMS ARE WELCOME FROM SHROPSHIRE AND BEYOND.THE FESTIVAL IS AFFILIATED TO THE NATIONAL DRAMA FESTIVALS ASSOCIATION, THEREBY CONFERRING ELIGIBILITY ON THE WINNING GROUP TO BE INVITED TO THE BRITISH ALL WINNERS FESTIVAL.

 

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

 

EACH ENTRY MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE DUE DATE AND ACCOMPANIED BY:

  1. THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORMS FULLY COMPLETED
  2. A PUBLISHED COPY OF THE ACTUAL SCRIPT. PHOTOCOPIES ARE NOT ALLOWED UNLESS PROVED TO BE THE ONLY WAY OF PROVIDING A SCRIPT. (THE SCRIPT WILL BE SENT TO THE ADJUDICATOR AND WILL BE RETURNED AT THE END OF THE FESTIVAL.)
  3. ANY PROPOSED ALTERATIONS TO THE TEXT OF THE SCRIPT, WHICH ARE ACCEPTABLE ONLY IF ACCOMPANIED BY THE AUTHOR’S WRITTEN PERMISSION
  4. THE APPROPRIATE NON-REFUNDABLE ENTRY FEE
  5. ALLOCATION TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTION. EACH ONE ACT PLAY MUST HAVE A RUNNING TIME BETWEEN 20 AND 59 MINUTES (AND IF LASTING 60 MINUTES OR MORE WILL BE RE-ASSIGNED TO THE FULL LENGTH SECTION). EACH FULL LENGTH PLAY MUST LAST BETWEEN 60 MINUTES AND 3 HOURS. RUNNING TIMES ARE FROM THE OPENING TO THE FINAL CURTAIN-CLOSING OR BLACKOUT. OPENING / THEME SETTING MUSIC IS EXCLUDED.

 

. GENERAL ADVICE ON ENTRY

 

1.     IT IS A CONDITION OF ENTRY THAT EACH PARTICIPATING TEAM SENDS AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE AWARDS CEREMONY ON THE FINAL NIGHT

2.     THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECLINE TO ACCEPT ANY ENTRY. ENTRANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IN WRITING AND THEIR DEPOSITS IN THIS INSTANCE WILL BE RETURNED.

3.     WINNERS AND TEAMS WHO ARE FOUND TO HAVE NOT COMPLIED WITH THE ENTRY RULES DURING THE FESTIVAL WILL BE PENALISED. IF DISCREPANCIES ARE DISCOVERED AFTER THE AWARDS CEREMONY, TEAMS MAY FORFEIT THEIR AWARDS AND CAN BE BANNED FROM ENTERING THE FESTIVAL IN FUTURE.

4.     THE NECESSARY ROYALTY PAYMENT FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF EACH PLAY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ENTRANT AND A COPY OF THE PERFORMANCE LICENCE MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE FESTIVAL COORDINATOR BY THE DUE DATE. FAILURE TO PRODUCE THE LICENCE WILL INCUR AUTOMATIC EXCLUSION FROM THE FESTIVAL.

5.     ENTRANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING FOR THEMSELVES THAT ANY NECESSARY MUSIC RIGHTS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED FROM PHONOGRAPHIC PERFORMANCE LTD AND/OR THE PERFORMING RIGHTS SOCIETY. THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEE SUCH LICENCES IF REQUIRED.

6.     ALL ENTRANTS WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE THEATRES ACT 1968, AND ENTRANTS ARE DEEMED TO HAVE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT AND THE LIABILITIES THEREUNDER CONCERNING THE PERFORMANCE OF PLAYS WHICH MIGHT BE CONSIDERED OBSCENE, SEDITIOUS OR LIBELLOUS OR LIKELY TO INCITE RACIAL HATRED OR A BREACH OF THE PEACE.

7.     EACH TEAM TAKING PART IN THE FESTIVAL MUST CONSIST WHOLLY OF MEMBERS OF A BONA FIDE AMATEUR GROUP, WHICH HAS A REGULAR EXISTENCE APART FROM THE FESTIVAL.

8.     ONLY MEMBERS OF COMPETING TEAMS INCLUDING PRODUCERS/DIRECTORS WHO ARE AMATEURS WILL BE ADJUDICATED.  PERMISSION MUST BE OBTAINED IN ADVANCE FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE CAST, WHO WILL NOT BE ADJUDICATED. PEOPLE HOLDING AN EQUITY CARD ARE HELD TO BE PROFESSIONALS.

9.     NO GROUP CONSISTING ENTIRELY OF FULL TIME DRAMA STUDENTS, MAY ENTER THE FESTIVAL COMPETITIVELY.

10. THERE SHALL BE A SECTION FOR ADULT PRODUCTIONS AND A SECTION FOR YOUTH PRODUCTIONS, IN WHICH THE CAST IS COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 19 YEARS ON THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL. AGES AND BIRTH DATES MUST BE DECLARED ON THE APPROPRIATE ENTRY FORM. SPECIFIC CHILD PARTS IN AN ADULT PLAY MAY OF COURSE BE PLAYED BY CHILDREN OF THE APPROPRIATE AGE.

11. WHILST EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ACCOMMODATE SPECIFIC REQUESTS, EACH TEAM MUST BE PREPARED TO PERFORM ON THE DATE AND TIME SELECTED BY THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE.

12. IN THE EVENT OF A SELECTED TEAM HAVING TO WITHDRAW THE FESTIVAL COORDINATOR MUST BE INFORMED IN WRITING OR BY E-MAIL IMMEDIATELY. DEPOSITS WILL BE FORFEITED.

 

 

 

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

 

  1. COMPETING TEAMS MUST NOMINATE THEIR OWN STAGE MANAGER TO LIAISE WITH THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER ON ALL MATTERS CONCERNING THEIR PRODUCTION.
  2. EACH TEAM MUST SEND THEIR STAGE MANAGER TO THE VIEWING DAY AT THE AGREED TIME SLOT.
  3. EACH TEAM WILL PROVIDE ITS OWN LIGHTING/ SOUND PERSONNEL WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER.
  4. THE STAGE MANAGER OF EACH TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE STAGE CURTAINS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER.
  5. NO TEAM MAY USE RECORDED SPEECH, PROJECTION OR TV MATERIAL WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. MOVE TO ‘GENERAL ADVICE ON ENTRY’,
  6. NO PART OF A PERFORMANCE MAY BE RECORDED, FILMED OR TELEVISED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY. NO PART OF AN ADJUDICATION MAY RECORDED, FILMED OR TELEVISED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE ADJUDICATOR.

7.      PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ALLOWED DURING ANY PERFORMANCE. AT ALL OTHER TIMES PERMISSION MUST BE SOUGHT FROM THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER.

  1. NO TEAM SHALL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE SAME WORK IN THE FESTIVAL MORE THAN ONCE IN A PERIOD OF 5 YEARS. MOVE TO ‘GENERAL ADVICE ON ENTRY’
  2. ALL STAGING DETAILS AND LIGHTING PLOTS SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER ON THE VIEWING DAY.
  3. THE PROVISION OF HAND PROPS AND COSTUMES SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPETING TEAMS.
  4. COMPETING TEAMS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING, DECORATING AND STRIKING THEIR OWN SETS ON THE DAY OF PRODUCTION. THE BUILDING AND STRIKING OF SETS MUST BE CARRIED OUT IN THE TIME ALLOCATED BY THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER. ONE ACTS ARE ALLOWED 10 MINUTES TO BUILD AND 10 MINUTES TO STRIKE. TIMES FOR FULL LENGTH PRODUCTIONS MUST BE AGREED WITH THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER
  5. SMOKING IS NOT PERMITTED IN ANY PART OF THE THEATRE. THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THE NON-SMOKING RULE IS WHEN A PERFORMANCE REQUIRES SMOKING AS PART OF THE PLOT. APPROVAL TO SMOKE MUST BE OBTAINED FROM THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER FOR EACH PERFORMANCE. SMOKING UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES CAN ONLY TAKE PLACE DURING PERFORMANCES WHEN THE FESTIVAL TECHNICAL MANAGER IS PRESENT. THE TEAM’S STAGE MANAGER MUST TAKE CHARGE OF THE SITUATION AND ENSURE THAT THE PERSONS ACTING DISPOSE OF THEIR MATERIAL PROPERLY AND CARRY OUT A FIRE WATCH FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER IT IS EXTINGUISHED.
  6. VISITING TEAMS MUST FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH THE FIRE AND SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS IN THE THEATRE.
    IN THE EVENT OF AN EVACUATION OF THE THEATRE THE TEAM’S STAGE MANAGER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING A LIST OF ALL PERSONNEL WORKING BACK STAGE AND FOR MARSHALLING THEM WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THEATRE STAFF TO THE ASSEMBLY POINT IN THE CAR PARK.
  7. THERE IS NO FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IN THE THEATRE AT PRESENT. WARNING OF THE NEED FOR A FULL EVACUATION WILL BE GIVEN BY THE CONTINUOUS RINGING OF THE  THEATRE’S INTERVAL BELL.
  8. ALCOHOLIC DRINKS MAY ONLY BE CONSUMED IN THE THEATRE IF PURCHASED AT THE THEATRE BAR TO COMPLY WITH LOCAL LICENCE LAWS.

 

AWARDS

 

  1. TROPHIES ARE AWARDED BY THE ADJUDICATOR, BASED ON HIS/HER MARKS
  2. SIX TROPHIES ARE RESERVED FOR YOUTH PRODUCTIONS
  3. ELEVEN TROPHIES ARE RESERVED FOR ADULT PRODUCTIONS
  4. EIGHT TROPHIES ARE OPEN TO BOTH YOUTH AND ADULT PRODUCTIONS
  5. TROPHIES CAN ONLY BE REMOVED ONCE A SIGNATURE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE FESTIVAL COORDINATOR
  6. TROPHIES AWARDED AT THE FESTIVAL ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AWARD WINNERS’ PRODUCER
  7.  TEAMS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENGRAVING THEIR OWN TROPHIES WHERE APPROPRIATE
  8. ALL TROPHIES MUST BE RETURNED TO THE THEATRE AFTER ONE YEAR (IN AN UNDAMAGED STATE AND A RECEIPT OBTAINED) OR BEFORE THE NEXT FESTIVAL AT A DATE WHICH WILL BE NOTIFIED IN WRITING
  9. THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT TROPHIES IF NOT RETURNED BY THE DUE DATE AND RECOVER THE AMOUNT FROM THE TEAM

 


 

 GENERAL RULES

 

  1. ALL PERSONS WISHING TO ENTER THE AUDITORIUM FOR A PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING THE AWARDS NIGHT, MUST BUY A TICKET. COMPETING TEAMS TECHNICAL CREW (MAXIMUM OF 4 PERSONS) ARE ALLOWED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR ENTRY
  2. THE CAST OF ONE-ACT PLAYS ARE ALLOWED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TO SEE OTHER PERFORMANCES ON THE SAME NIGHT
  3. ONCE A PERFORMANCE HAS BEGUN LATECOMERS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE AUDITORIUM UNTIL THE NEXT AVAILABLE INTERVAL
  4. THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE CANNOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO ANY COSTUMES, PROPS, FURNITURE OR PERSONAL EFFECTS BELONGING TO VISITING TEAMS OR FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY TO ANY MEMBERS OF THESE TEAMS
  5. THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE SHALL RESOLVE ANY MATTERS CONCERNING THE INTERPRETATION OF THESE RULES OR ANY OTHER MATTER CONCERNING THE FESTIVAL, AND ITS DECISION SHALL BE FINAL

 

ADJUDICATIONS

 

SOME ADJUDICATORS ARE PREPARED TO GIVE WRITTEN ADJUCATIONS. TEAMS WISHING TO HAVE THESE MUST MAKE THEIR OWN ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE ADJUDICATOR IN ADVANCE VIA THE FESTIVAL COORDINATOR.THESE ARE CHARGEABLE.

THE ADJUDICATOR WILL ANNOUNCE THE NAMES OF THE GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TO BE AWARDED TROPHIES BUT HE WILL NEITHER PUBLICALLY DIVULGE THE MARKS, NOR INDICATE THE COMPLETE ORDER OF MERIT OF THE TEAMS

 

THE ADJUDICATOR WILL USE AS A GUIDE THE FOLLOWING SYSTEM OF MARKING:

ACTING                                                                                      40

PRODUCTION                                                                               35

STAGE PRESENTATION                                                                  15

ENDEAVOUR, ORIGINALITY AND THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT              10

 

THE ADJUDICATORS DECISION WILL BE FINAL

 

 

 

 

 REVISED 30/10/06   

 


 

 

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DECLARATION TO BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED WITH THE SCRIPT

 

NAME…………………………………………………………..

 

OF………………………………………………………….COMPANY

 

FESTIVAL ENTRY………………………………………………………

 

I HAVE READ THE WELLINGTON DRAMA FESTIVAL RULES/I HAVE VIEWED THE RULES ON THE WEB SITE ( please delete as appropriate)

 AND AGREE TO ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR PARTICIPATING TEAM/S BOTH ACTING AND NON ACTING WILL ABIDE BY THEM.

 

SIGNED…………………………………………………………………………..DATE

 

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FOR OFFICE USE

 

 

DATE RECEIVED……………………………………………………….