THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO DRAMA FESTIVAL 2016-2017 Information Package Frequently Asked Questions What is The University of Toronto Drama Festival? The UofT Drama Festival is a three or four day drama Festival that features only original and previously unproduced student works. This year the Festival will run from Feb 8-11, 2017. It takes place in the historic Hart House Theatre, and starts at 7:30PM each night. When do I submit my original student play for selection? An outline of the play must be submitted the week of October 24th, 2016. The full script is due on January 9th, 2017. All outlines and plays will be read by Drama Coalition Organizing Committee for Festival approval. Remember to include a cheque for the Submission Fee of $75 (non-refundable, per play) payable to the University of Toronto Drama Coalition. This does not include the Ticket Quota Fee of $300/play, which is to be paid after plays have been approved by the Organizing Committee. What is the Meet and Greet? This year s Meet and Greet will happen on Feb 5, 2017. The Meet and Greet is a chance for all of the groups competing (along with their casts and crews) to get together and showcase two-minute vignettes from their productions. It is also a time to get comfortable in the space and on the stage, meet the adjudicator, and meet with Hart House s Technical Director to review requirements and ask any remaining questions you may have. This event is mandatory as it covers the general rules to be followed during the Festival at Hart House Theatre. Buying/Selling Tickets Each group is required to buy 30 tickets per play selected at $10/ticket for the night of their performance(s). It is the responsibility of each group to sell at least their ticket requirement, but we highly encourage promoting your show and getting as many people in to see it as possible! Payment for tickets is due during the meeting the week of November 14, 2016. The cheque for $300/play (Ticket Quota Fee) is payable to Hart House Theatre. Complimentary Ticket Policy All Drama Festival participants recognized in the program, including the performers, running crew and the director, are asked and encouraged to see the other Festival performances. To this end, they are entitled to receive complimentary Festival tickets (one ticket per person per evening, with the exception of actors on the night of their performance) will be made available to participants by reservation with UofTtix.
Tickets must be reserved in advance, in person, and must be picked up 30 minutes prior to the start of the evening. Actors are not allowed to sit in the house any evening that they are performing. Lobby Display There will be a lobby display for each production in the Festival. How the lobby display is assembled is decided upon on a year-to-year basis, and instructions will be provided by the Festival Coordinator(s) each year. Hart House Theatre has 2 bulletin boards in the Front of House, as well as easels available for use. The number of easels available will be confirmed by the Festival Coordinator(s) each year. The Program Your program information must be submitted during the Executive Meeting the week of January 9, 2016. The Program is coordinated through Hart House Theatre and information published is subject to space available. Any information not included in the program may be published on the Coalition website. The following information is suggested: - Name of Play - Playwright - Director - Cast List - Crew List - Director s Note (Subject to Available Space) Any non-uoft Student (alumni, staff, faculty or community participant) must be represented with an asterisk (*) at the end of their name as they are not eligible for Festival awards. Missed Meetings It is the responsibility of the participating group to have a representative present at every Drama Coalition meeting. It is the responsibility of the representative present to relay necessary information back to the participating group. One absence without 24 hours notification will be tolerated without penalty. Any more missed meetings at any time without providing 24 hours notice and good reason to drama.coalition@utoronto.ca could lead to your group s elimination from the Drama Festival and disqualification from Coalition Awards. Coalition meetings will be weekly in January - February leading up to the Festival.
University of Toronto Drama Festival Rules and Regulations 2016-2017 Philosophy The University of Toronto Drama Festival is a three or four day competitive Festival intended to provide a safe platform for the development of student talents, promotion of creativity and the recognition of excellence in theatrical performance and production. The Festival provides an opportunity for the dramatic clubs/groups/societies at the various colleges and campuses at UofT to meet on a level playing field-- inside the historic Hart House Theatre-- for three or four days of fun and competitive theatre. Thus, the Festival offers a vehicle to advance the quality of co-curricular theatre at the University of Toronto. Rules and Regulations A. Participation 1. All entries must be sponsored by a UofT recognized Group. The word Group means all dramatic groups/clubs/societies of the various colleges and campuses at UofT, in the remainder of this document. (If you need help becoming a recognized UofT Group please ask the Festival Coordinator(s) for details.) 2. Any UofT recognized Group may sponsor any number of productions in the Festival, provided there is space. One space will be given to each group first and participating Groups additional plays can fill any remaining spots. The additional plays will be decided upon by the Drama Coalition Organizing Committee-- should there be an abundance of extra materials to work with. 3. All individuals involved in a Group s production must be eligible participants. An eligible participant is here defined as a registered full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate student, faculty or staff member of the University of Toronto for at least one semester of the academic year of the Festival, or a graduate of the past year. Exception may be made if the Committee needs to fill an evening in the event of a cancellation; such a production would not be eligible for any awards or adjudication. Professional, community, and alumni assistance is welcome as long as a fee is not paid and acknowledgement is made in the program. 4. No Group may enter the Festival without representation on the Coalition Executive. A Festival entry will be void should the sponsor lack representation at two Drama Coalition meetings without 24 hours notice and good reason sent to drama.coalition@utoronto.ca. 5. A Group need not be represented by the same person throughout the Committee year. The appointment of individuals to this position is at the discretion of the Coalition representative of the sponsoring Group. The Coalition shall in no way, however, be responsible for bringing an incoming representative up to date on Coalition affairs and decisions. The Coalition shall also have the right to demand proof of permission of the sponsoring Group before granting any voting, nominating, or veto power to the representative.
6. Each Group must be represented by at least one person on the Drama Coalition and must be present at each meeting. 7. Only original scripts written by eligible participants to be part of the Festival. The script must never have been produced before. Special cases may be brought to the Festival Coordinator(s) to be decided upon. This must be done prior to the deadline for entry. 8. If a Group is unable to find a script from their own search, they are allowed to approach a playwright from another participating Group or submissions from the Hart House Theatre Playwriting Competition. This is only intended as a last resort and each Group is responsible for finding their own original scripts for their Festival entry. 9. The deadline for entry into the UofT Drama Festival shall be the Executive meeting the week of October 24th, 2016. At this time, a signed Playwright s Agreement, a signed Ticket Quota Agreement, a signed Director s Agreement, an outline of the proposed script, the non-refundable Festival Submission Fee of $75 per play, and the Festival checklist are due. Entry is official when these items have been signed and submitted to the Festival Coordinator(s). 10. The deadline for the Ticket Quota Fee for the UofT Drama Festival shall be the Executive meeting the week of November 14th, 2016. At this time, a signed Ticket Quota Agreement, the Festival Ticket Quota Fee of $300 non-refundable per play, and the Festival checklist are due. 11. A Group participating in the Festival is not allowed to perform their show in advance of the Festival. They are however encouraged to remount the production after the Festival and the Coalition will gladly coordinate between the Groups to assist in this. 12. Once a play has been accepted for official entry in the Festival, the Group is responsible for submitting updated versions of the script to the Festival Coordinator(s). Any script that varies significantly from the last version issued to the Adjudicator is disqualified from all awards. 13. The Organizing Committee has the right to veto, by a majority vote, any production, which it decides is inappropriate. 14. The Festival Coordinator(s) of the Festival have the right to void the entry of a participating group of the Festival should the conditions of the Ticket Quota Agreement, Director s and Playwright s Agreement not be met. 15. A voided entry may be appealed to the UofT Drama Coalition Executive to re-enter the Festival. Re-entry shall only be decided by a majority vote of the Coalition Executive. 16. A voided/canceled entry forfeits any moneys already submitted to the Committee. There are no refunds for Ticket Quota or Festival Submission Fee if a show is removed from the Festival, or if a Group decides to remove itself after having been chosen to participate in the Festival. 17. Group representatives are responsible for collecting their tickets from UofTtix once the Ticket Quota Fee is paid. 18. Access to the backstage areas of Hart House Theatre are restricted to Drama Coalition Organizing Committee members and participants of the Festival for that evening. Parents, friends, and members of the general public are strictly forbidden from entering any backstage areas. 19. A completed script must be submitted January 9th, 2017 in order to remain in the Festival. B. Time Limitations
1. The minimum time allowed for any production entered is fifteen (15) minutes. The maximum time allowance for a production is sixty (60) minutes. Not staying within these time limits will result in exclusion from possible awards. A production in gross excess of the allowed time limit can be stopped at the discretion of a Hart House Theatre Representative. 2. On the night of the performance, each production is allowed ten (10) minutes to safely set up and five (5) minutes to safely strike the set. 3. Each production shall receive a minimum of two (2) hours of scheduled rehearsal time in Hart House Theatre. This will be determined on a year-to-year basis, depending on the number of entries. 4. The Festival Stage Manager is responsible for the official timing of all productions. Timing will begin with the first cue given by the production s stage manager and end with their last cue. The curtain call is not counted as part of the time allowance. 5. Once a play has been accepted for official entry in the Festival, the Group is responsible for informing the Festival Coordinator(s) of any changes to the scripts and/or running time. The deadline for changes will be January 25th, 2017. No changed can be made after this date. C. Rights and Royalties 1. The Hart House Theatre, UofT Drama Coalition, the UofT Drama Festival and/or any related sponsors will not accept legal responsibility for any violation of copyright by a Group participating in the Festival. D. Sets, Properties, and Costumes 1. All sets, properties, costumes and their transport are the responsibility of the producing Group. 2. Access to the stage for the building and/or touch-ups of the set or for any tech requirements, other than during scheduled rehearsal time, is under the discretion of the theatre staff and must be requested in advance. 3. All sets are to be delivered to Hart House Theatre on the day of the performance and removed after the evening s performance. This is necessitated by limited storage space and is non-negotiable. E. Lighting and Facilities 1. General stage lighting will be set for all productions. 2. The general stage lighting plot will be the same for all productions. Additional lighting and specials will be divided equally between the shows each night. 3. Each participating Group will receive a plan of Hart House Theatre and an outline of its facilities. 4. One technical production meeting per production in Hart House Theatre is scheduled for the Sunday prior to the Festival during the Meet and Greet. Each production has fifteen (15) minutes in the theatre to look over and discuss the lighting/sound boards, the dimensions of the stage, etc. and meet with the venue s Technical Director. F. Penalties 1. Failure of a production to comply with any of the Festival s rules and regulations will result in that production s disqualification and ineligibility for all group and/or individual awards.
2. Any problems arising from external and extraordinary circumstances may be taken into consideration by the adjudicator and the Hart House Theatre representative in collaboration with the Festival Coordinator(s). 3. If a production does not meet the minimum time allowance of fifteen (15) minutes, or runs over sixty (60) minutes, it is disqualified from all awards. 4. Alumni or non-student participation in the performance may disqualify a production from qualifications for consideration for awards. "Performance" is defined as anything taking place during the time in which the productions are on stage. 5. Failure to obtain copyright or permissions for the author, and to supply written proof to the Coalition, disqualifies a production from all awards. 6. A production will be disqualified from receiving any awards if any person has been paid for working on any aspect of the production. 7. A production will be disqualified from receiving any awards if any cast members are seen in the audience during the night of their performance. All cast must stay in the backstage area at all times during their night of performance, with the exception of during the public adjudication. Guidelines Adjudication 1. Each production will receive a public and private oral adjudication. 2. Adjudication will be based on the quality of the performance and production at all levels. 3. Decisions made by the adjudicator are final. Recommendations 1. Each participating Group is responsible for either sending their script electronically or submitting in triplicate (three copies) to the Drama Coalition in advance of the cut-off date for production proposals. 2. Choice of material is the responsibility of the participating Group. 3. Latecomers will not be seated in the auditorium during a performance. 4. Professional and alumni assistance is welcome, as long as a fee is not paid and acknowledgment is made in the program. It will be up to the discretion of the Festival Coordinator(s) and Drama Coalition Executive to decide if a production has had an unfair advantage. 5. All Drama Festival participants recognized in the program, including the performers, running crew and the director, are asked and encouraged to see the other Festival performances. To this end, they are entitled to receive complimentary Festival tickets (one ticket per person per evening, with the exception of actors on the night of their performance) will be made available to participants by reservation with UofTtix. Tickets must be reserved in advance in person and must be picked up thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of the evening. Actors are not allowed to sit in the house the evenings that they are performing. Festival Awards
1. The following awards will be given: a. IATSE Local 58 Award for Technical Achievement b. Donald Sutherland Award for Best Performance c. Robert Gill Award for Best Direction d. Robertson Davies Playwriting Award e. President s Award for Best Production 2. As well, the adjudicator, at their discretion, may award up to five (5) certificates of merit. A list of suggested areas for awards will be presented to the adjudicator. This list will include: Ensemble Performance, Original Script, Supplementary Production Design, and achievement in any of the above listed areas. This list is suggestive only and in no way binds the adjudicator to awarding these certificates. 3. There will be one audience choice award per evening, by preferential ballot, at the conclusion of each of the performance evenings. Important Dates ENTRY DEADLINE: The week of October 24th TICKET QUOTA FEE: The week of November 14th, 2016, the deadline Ticket Quota Fee for the UofT Drama Festival SCRIPT DEADLINE: January 9th, 2017, the hard deadline for finished Festival scripts. Submit electronically to the Festival Coordinator(s) and the Drama Coalition Executive. PROGRAM INFORMATION: Due week of January 9th, 2017 DEADLINE FOR CHANGES: January 25th, 2017, no changes can be made after this date. MEET AND GREET: February 5th FESTIVAL DATES: February 8th-11th
University of Toronto Drama Festival 2017 PLAYWRIGHT S AGREEMENT I,, (name) representing, (Participating Group). hereby declare that I have read, and agree to comply with, all University of Toronto Drama Coalition and Hart House Theatre rules and regulations with regard to (Name of Production) in the 2017 University of Toronto Drama Festival. I also acknowledge that my play will be published in a collection with the rest of the produced plays from this year s Festival and that I still retain the rights for my play. Signature: Date:
University of Toronto Drama Festival 2017 DIRECTOR S AGREEMENT I,, (name) representing, (Participating Group) hereby declare that I have read, and agree to comply with, all University of Toronto Drama Coalition and Hart House Theatre rules and regulations with regard to (Name of Production) in the 2017 University of Toronto Drama Festival. I also acknowledge that I have submitted all forms and fees necessary to be eligible for the Festival, and I recognize that members of said production may be called upon to assist in certain tasks not required by the rules and regulations, for the greater good of the Festival. Signature: Date:
University of Toronto Drama Festival 2017 TICKET QUOTA AGREEMENT I,, (name) representing, (Pariticpating Group) hereby declare that: (Name of production) in the 2017 University of Toronto Drama Festival agrees to purchase at least thirty (30) tickets at ten dollars ($10) each for the Festival, understanding that the members of said production may sell these tickets at the regular price ($12). The tickets bought through the pledge of thirty (30) tickets per group are not refundable. This fee is payable to Hart House Theatre. Signature: Date:
University of Toronto Drama Festival 2017 FESTIVAL SUBMISSION FEE- I,, (name) representing, (Participating Group) hereby declare that: (Name of Production) in the 2017 University of Toronto Drama Festival agrees to pay the seventy-five dollar ($75) Submission Fee per play entered into the Festival. This fee is payable to the University of Toronto Drama Coalition. The Festival Submission Fee per play is not refundable. Signature: Date:
University of Toronto Drama Festival 2017 FESTIVAL CHECKLIST (1 per play per Participating Group) I,, (name) representing, (Participating Group) hereby declare that: (Name of production) in the 2017 University of Toronto Drama Festival has submitted the following to the Festival Coordinator(s): Deadline Last week of October Festival Submission Electronically to drama.coalition@utoronto.ca Hard copy in triplicate Submission Fee Agreement Submission Fee ($75) payable to the University of Toronto Drama Coalition Playwright s Agreement Director s Agreement Deadline Mid-November Meeting Ticket Quota Agreement ($300) payable to Hart House Theatre Signature: Date: