Standing rules for ITA adjudicators

Adjudicators shall serve one (1) full theatrical year beginning 1st December and ending 30th November. Adjudicators will also be required to serve in their voting capacity until the completion of the final Finley Award balloting, and attend both the Finley Nominations night and Robert Finley Awards Night.

Adjudicators shall serve for a term of one (1) year, with an option to reapply for a second term and so on. On or about October 1st of each year, the ITA Committee shall confirm appointments of the Adjudicators for the new theatrical year.

Adjudicators may be appointed to one or both adjudication streams: Plays, or Musicals/Dramafest. The Senior Adjudicator will be appointed to both streams. A minimum of three (3) adjudicators will be appointed to each stream.

Adjudicators are allowed to participate in Finley-entered shows NOT entered in the stream they adjudicate. This means a Musicals/Dramafest adjudicator may participate in a play that is entered in the Finley Awards, and vice versa. Adjudicators must disclose their involvement to the ITA Committee and all adjudicators, and must recuse themselves from discussions about shows they are involved in. Adjudicators are not permitted to participate in shows entered in their adjudication stream.

An adjudicator who resigns for any reason during their term shall be ineligible for awards in their adjudication stream for the remainder of that theatrical year.

Adjudicators may see only one (1) complete performance of each production. Attendance by an adjudicator at any auditions, rehearsals, or any other preliminary presentations of any production or a portion thereof is strictly prohibited.

When an adjudicator attends a production, they must see the entire production. The adjudicator may only leave early in the event of an emergency. If the production is not seen in its entirety, the adjudicator may not adjudicate, discuss or score that production.

Awards to be given are listed earlier in this document. Any extra awards shall be approved by the ITA Committee.

Member clubs will provide adjudicators two (2) tickets to each production. It is the individual adjudicator’s responsibility to confirm reservations with the theatre. 

Adjudicators must report to the Senior Adjudicator and the ITA Committee if they have missed seeing a scheduled production. If an adjudicator misses two (2) allocated productions without a valid reason, the ITA shall request the resignation of that adjudicator.

Adjudicators will receive an honorarium as compensation for travel and fuel for each show they attend. Adjudicators will receive:

•  $25 per Perth/Peel show adjudicated

• Fuel expenses paid for regional shows

• Reimbursement of up to $200 total for accommodation for regional shows (booked by the adjudicator and reimbursed upon provision of receipt)

Adjudicators will be paid the honorarium quarterly on presentation of an itemised invoice detailing the shows adjudicated and expenses incurred.

The adjudicators shall meet at the discretion of the Senior Adjudicator; however, any adjudicator may call a meeting of the other adjudicators with fourteen (14) days’ notice given to all involved.

Scores and decisions are handled with total secrecy. Ethics and integrity are required from each adjudicator. Discussion of individual performers and productions must be confined to the adjudicators meetings and the contents of those discussions must be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

No adjudicator may publicly review a show that they are adjudicating and adjudicators reports must be provided to the contact at the member club. No reviews or adjudicator’s reports may be published on social media by the ITA or the ITA adjudicators.

Adjudicators will supply a written adjudication report to the Member Club within three (3) weeks of seeing the show.

The adjudicators will act at the discretion of the ITA Committee and, if need be, justify its actions to the Committee.

Guidelines for adjudicating

Establishing Criteria

Continuity of production? Is the playwright’s intent perceived? Artistic and/or entertainment value? Conflict and irony? Ensemble – interplay, reaction, work together cohesively?

Directing

Balance of casting? Rhythm, timing, transition, pace? Variety and imagination? Staging, blocking, movement, flow? Interpretation?

Acting

Voice and diction appropriate for character? Believability and acceptance by audience of character? Interplay, action and reaction to others on stage? Sensitivity and imagination? Power and projection? (auditory and emotional/emotive) Consistency of characterization? Line interpretation? Pantomime and movement, gestures, expression? Depth of role/character? Insight into role/character?

Technical Arrangements

Lighting – appropriate, mood enhancing, special uses Sound – appropriate, mood enhancing, special uses Properties – appropriate, quality, variety Scene Changes – pacing, effort Set Decoration – creativity, appropriate, non-invasive to movement Special Effects – pyrotechnics, hydraulics, creative scenery Exceptional handling of difficult task(s) The set itself

Costuming

Fits the period? Fits the actor? Ease of movement; eases, or complicates performance? Enhance the overall look of the production? Interpretation, creativity, effort, craftsmanship? These are merely provided as guidelines. Your opinion and expertise are the only criteria upon which you should rely.

Award definitions

Play/Musical/Youth

Indicates that the award may be given out as a Musical award only, a Play award only, or as a Youth award only depending on the adjudicators determination that an outstanding performance was given in the Play/Musical/Youth categories.

Best Production

Musical/Play/Youth: Is given to the producer(s) of the show that is adjudicated to be the outstanding overall production of all productions entered for the year. The judges will consider all aspects of the production for this award.

Best Director

Musical/Play: Is given to the director(s) who is/are credited with the best direction of a production overall. Adjudicators should consider casting, stage movement, style, dialogue movement, stage orientation, visual and vocal presentation. Other considerations might be characterization, dialogue, flow of movement, balance, blocking and how well the story is told.

Best Musical Director

Is given to the person who conducts the vocal and music portions of the production. Adjudicators should consider the difficulty of the music both vocally and orchestrally, and how well the Music Director blended the two for dramatic effect. This person is credited with the music balance and pace. This person draws the onstage performance elements – dance, music, song, and dialogue – together during the orchestration.

Best Choreographer

Is given to the person(s) credited with assembling, teaching and directing the dance portions of a production. Adjudicators should consider the style, difficulty and appropriateness of the dance to the production.

Best Actress/Actor (Lead and Supporting, Youth)

Male/Female – Musical/Play/Youth: Is given to the performer who best presents an overall outstanding performance of all performances given for the year. Adjudicators should look for expressive use of voice and body, articulation, overall characterization, character analysis and interpretation, difficulty of the role, and overall performance criteria.

Best Set

Musical/Play – Is given to the person(s) credited with the set design of a performance and the design and creation of all embellishment to the basic set design. Set decoration is to include the entire set wall treatments, wall hangings, furniture and any set pieces contained within the set. The adjudicators should consider all aspect of the set design, scene changes, overall appearance, and appropriateness to the performance.

Best Costumes

Musical/Play – Is given to the costumer(s) for the best overall display of costumes for the show. The adjudicators should consider the entire costume ensemble and the appropriateness for the period. Any kind of clothing, or anything at all worn by a performer, including masks, wigs, and jewellery, is considered a costume.

Best Ensemble

Musical/Play – Is given to a cast or part of a cast, which consists of three or more characters acting together as a unit, in which no one member of the group stands out however, the performance of the overall group is outstanding.

Adjudicators Responsibilities

Remember to book your seats in advance. Seating is very limited in some of the venues. Make your reservation as soon as allowable prior to a show’s opening. The season and our individual schedules can get hectic and shows do sell out. Always confirm the date, time, and place of performance when you are making your reservation. Most reservations are handled by answering machines. LISTEN to the information provided on these recordings.

If you arrive at a production late and it is already in performance, DO NOT go ahead and view a partial performance. Adjudicators must see a complete performance and are only allowed to view a performance ONE time.

Adjudicating decisions must be based on that one performance only. If something or someone is having an off night, “them’s the breaks!” You may not compensate for something or someone you know normally gives a stellar performance!

Each production is to be viewed as an entity unto itself. Do not withhold points thinking you will see something better later. Score based on what had merit within the individual show. Any aspect which has merit should be given the opportunity to be considered for a preliminary nomination. Comparison of shows takes place on the final adjudicators meeting.

You must be objective. Do not vote for a show just because it features a friend or relative. Do not go into the production with preconceived notions about a theatre or script.

Be careful of any comments you might make when attending productions. Sometimes innocent comments can be misconstrued and you never know who is within earshot. The best plan is to make absolutely no comments whatsoever about the productions you are currently seeing within the confines of the theatre building. An adjudicator should NEVER discuss a production with anyone other than another adjudicator and should certainly be aware of their surroundings if he/she is involved in such a conversation.

Adjudicators should see all allocated shows. Missing shows is not an option, but in the case of an emergency a show may be missed. Missing too many shows without prior arrangement or valid reason will require the ITA Committee to request your resignation.

Adjudicators must supply a written report to clubs whose performances they have adjudicated. These reports could be provided no later than three weeks after adjudicating a performance and provided to the contact person for that club as listed on the entry form.

If for some reason you must resign, please notify the Senior Adjudicator and ITA Committee immediately.

Remember that you have been selected for an important job and your opinions are greatly valued and anticipated by all the participating theatres and that you represent the ITA.