Judge’s Orientation Robbinsville High School March 28-29, 2015 New Jersey Thespian Festival

ABOUT US NJ Thespians is the state chapter of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), which sponsors the International Thespian Society (ITS). It is our mission to promote, strengthen, and advocate for theatre arts education in New Jersey’s secondary schools. EdTA is a national nonprofit organization with approximately 90,000 student and professional members. EdTA’s mission is shaping lives through theatre education by: honoring student achievement in theatre and enriching their theatre education experience; supporting teachers by providing professional development, networking opportunities, resources, and recognition; and influencing public opinion that theatre education is essential and builds life skills. The International Thespian Society is the Educational Theatre Association’s student honorary organization. ITS recognizes the achievements of high school and middle school theatre students. Since 1929, EdTA has inducted more than 2 million Thespians into ITS. That number continues to grow, with more than 36,000 students from around the country being inducted each year.

Judging Overview Students are encouraged to attend all student performances except the following which are closed to spectators: Junior College Audition, Senior Scholarship Performance Audition, Senior Scholarship Technical Interview, Senior Scholarship Educator Interviews, Makeup Design, and the construction hour of Trashy Costume. There are over 700+ students from throughout the state of New Jersey at this event. If you are judging a National Category, you will be with another 1-2 judges. If you are judging a non-national category, you will most likely be judging alone.

Step 1: Review this powerpoint prior to the festival Step 2: Come to the mandatory judge’s meeting. Saturday at 8:30 am and Sunday at 8 am in the Score/ Tally Room. Step 3: Every room will receive a roster with adds and drops on it. You will follow this to know who is competing at what time. Step 4: Each judge completes his/her individual score sheet and then judges compile their total scores. Step 5: Bring your completed sheet to the tally/ score room. Step 6: Complete the payment stub and turn in at the registration table to Angela Corenblith, judge’s coordinator or Carolyn Little, State Chapter Director. JUDGING PROCEDURES

Performance Categories National Qualifiers Contrasting Monologues Musical Theatre Solo Comedic Duet Dramatic Duet Musical Theatre Duet Group Musical Theatre Chapter Select (1 st place only)

Technical Categories National Qualifiers Set Design Costume Design Theatre Marketing Lighting Design Short Film

Performance Categories NON - National Qualifiers Comedic Monologue Dramatic Monologue Pantomime Solo Pantomime Duet Improvisational Pairs Chapter Select (2 nd and 3 rd place) Chapter Select: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress

Technical Categories NON - National Qualifiers Technical Olympics Advanced Technical Challenge Make Up Design Trashy Costume

Other Categories Junior College Audition NJ State Thespian Senior Scholarship: Performance NJ State Thespian Senior Scholarship: Technical NJ State Thespian Senior Scholarship: Theatre Educator

Identifying Competitors In order to compete, each student MUST be wearing their name badge. If they are not, please DO NOT allow them to perform. Now, they can take off their badge when they are performing. We just want them to at least show it to you to confirm that they are actually who they say they are, and that they are, in fact, on your roster. They will write their name, school, troupe number, and piece on the board. You will copy this information down onto their individual score sheet.

Each Judge will receive a packet at the judge’s meeting. The following items should be in each one. Judge Score Sheet guidelines Copies of blank score sheets Category Rule Sheet (please READ OVER prior to start) Payment voucher (to be completed and dropped off by you) YOU SHOULD BRING: a few pens/ pencils to write with A stopwatch (cellphones work, but inform students you are using your cell phone as a stopwatch so they don’t think you are texting during their performances) A calculator CONTENTS OF JUDGE’S FOLDER

COMPETITION /SCORING ACCOMPLISHED POINTS PROFICIENT75-89 POINTS PARTIALLY PROFICIENT POINTS NOT EVIDENT25-49 POINTS For National Qualifiers, judge’s will score on their own and the average will determine if they qualify as Accomplished or not.

STUDENTS NEED FEEDBACK Judges are responsible for completing an evaluation sheet for each contestant. List the school, troupe number, judge’s name, student(s) name(s) and selection. Category will also be checked off. Provide positive, constructive feedback and comments that will help the student improve.

TABULATING SCORES Each student is given a score for their presentation on the judge form. Each score sheet is broken into 4-6 categories, with items that judge’s may choose to check. Once the top portion is complete, judge’s will score the students on each of the categories. They will get a score of a 1, 2, 3, or 4 or each. Then the judge will multiply this by the number provided. Then add the number togethers together to get a final score. The final score will determine if a student is considered Accomplished, Proficient, Partially Proficient, or Not Evident. Students who are awarded Accomplished will receive recognition at the closing ceremony and a medal. They will also qualify for Nationals (if that applies to their category).

Scoring and Getting Paid Judge’s are expected to complete the score sheets and turn them back in as soon as possible. Judges are asked to complete the voucher and check out at the registration table in the commons before leaving the building. ALL SCORES ARE CONFIDENTIAL!!

REMINDER DO NOT GIVE ORAL CRITIQUES TO STUDENTS OR ANYONE ELSE. Be mindful the students are not professionals like yourself!! This is above all a learning experience for young people. Praise what the contestant does well and give suggestions.

Join Us Judge’s and Workshop Leaders Complimentary Breakfast and Lunch All food will be served in the Faculty Room off of the Commons; to the left of the registration table. Breakfast: Saturday, March 28 at 8:45 am and Sunday, March 29 at 8:00 am Lunch: Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 both days at 11:30 am There will be hot coffee and tea available all day in this room.

NJ Thespian Festival 2015 SATURDAY SCHEDULE 7:30 am Registration begins 8:30 am Mandatory Judge’s Meeting (If you are a Saturday only judge) 8:45 am Breakfast 9:00 General Assembly/ Keynote 9:30-5:15 pm Competitions 11:30-1:30 pm Lunch 5:15 pm Sign Out Judges are asked to sign out at Registration Table in the Commons to ensure all paperwork is turned in before leaving the premises.

NJ Thespian Festival 2015 SUNDAY SCHEDULE 7:30 am Registration begins 7:45 am Mandatory Judge’s Meeting (if you are a Sunday only judge) 8:00 am Breakfast 8:15 am- 3 pm Competitions 11:30 am- 1:30 pm Lunch 3:00pm Sign Out Judges are asked to sign out at Registration Table in the Commons to ensure all paperwork is turned in before leaving the premises.

Registration Team Tables will be in the Commons, to the left State Board members will be able to assist you signing in and when you arrive. As your category completes, Judges are asked to return to the Judge’s Tally Room to turn in completed judge packets. We thank you for your cooperation in this process

YOU MAKE THE DAY!! While in the room: Maintains crowd control Communicates category rules to audience Keeps and records contestant times Compiles student evaluations for distribution Manages traffic in and out of competition site Maintains crowd and noise control

Judges ~ THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! We cannot thank you enough for spending your weekend with us. We are truly fortunate to have people like you who are willing to come in and shape the future of theatre.

Social Media and more! If you would like to look over the score sheets, rubrics, and rules, please visit our website at You can also look us up on Facebook at NJ Thespians