The 2007 – 2008 Prelude Awards
Submission Guidelines

Overview Schedule Entry Forms Submission Guildlines: Collaboration Creative Writing Dance Instumental Music Theater Video and Film Visual Arts Vocal Music

Theater

General Requirements
Contestants will perform a two-character scene (with a partner) and a monologue. Selections should be from two different published plays, allowing the contestant to demonstrate a full range of abilities. There should be no overt attempts at costuming and no dialects. You will be provided with a total maximum of six minutes to perform your monologue and your scene. At the end of six minutes, there will be a 15-second grace period, after which the contestant will be stopped. Only basic lighting is permitted and will be provided for the performance. Two chairs and one table will be provided for the contestants’ use. Contestants should not prepare selections that require the use of more than these basic set pieces. Participants may use simple hand props that they provide. Although full costuming is not allowed, a costume accessory is permitted. Along with a written application form, contestants must submit the titles and publishers’ name(s) of the plays/works from which their scenes/monologues will be taken. Contestants must take responsibility to obtain copyright clearance for their play selections. Among the major and most frequently used publishing companies are: Dramatic Publishing, (800) 448-7469; Baker’s Play, (617) 745-0805; and Anchorage Press, (504) 283-8868. The depiction of sex, violence, alcohol consumption and any use of inappropriate language is prohibited.

Criteria
Performances will be judged on overall artistic excellence as demonstrated in the following areas:

Selection: Did the contestant choose material appropriate for him/her in this situation? Are the selections contrasting in theme, language, mood or style?

Vocal Awareness: Can the contestant be easily heard and understood? Can he/she interpret the material performed with an awareness of the nuances of pitch, volume, tone, rhythm and timbre? Is there evidence of straining or effort vocally?

Physical Awareness: Does the contestant’s performance show evidence of rehearsal and attention to the physical aspects of the character’s development? Does the actor seem comfortable physically interpreting two separate characters? Do we see the difference physically?

Communication: Does the contestant understand the material presented? Can he/she effectively communicate the character’s intentions to his/her partner and to an audience?

Judging
The preliminary round of judging will be Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, at Butler University, Jordan College of Fine Arts. In the event that you are selected as one of the finalists, the final round of judging will be held Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008, at The Children’s Museum. More specific information, including your performance time, will be sent to you upon receipt of your application.

The panel of theater judges will be chosen from a list of working artists, critics, university professors and arts administrators from Indiana and surrounding states. In several instances, former Prelude Awards participants have served as judges in their fields.

Judges assess each contestant based solely on his/her performance, using the criteria described on this sheet. The preliminary judging will be blind: contestants will be identified only by number rather than by name. Judges will not know what school they are from and will not have biographical information. They will be instructed to not ask contestants to talk about themselves or their performances.

It is rare for one contestant to perform at a level so far above all the other competitors that he/she is a clear winner and every judge’s first choice. It is more common for the judges to identify several contestants with comparable skills. When this happens, the judges’ personal philosophies and preferences, as well as group dynamics, are bound to come into play in the process of selecting a winner. For instance, if three equally talented actors enter three separate competitions, each with a separate set of judges, it is unlikely that the same actor will be judged the winner every time. It is extremely important for contestants to understand and accept that this element of subjectivity in the judging process is natural and inevitable.

Winning the Prelude Awards does not guarantee a successful career in the arts; nor does losing the competition mean that a successful career in the arts is out of the question. Successful working artists agree that self-discipline, hard work, determination, and one’s ability to deal positively with criticism are the best indicators for success in the arts. Many brilliant high school performers have gone on to lead very traditional lives. Many people whose talents went completely unrecognized in high school have gone on to have brilliant careers in the arts.

This year’s Prelude Awards will provide just one of many occasions in which a young artist’s creative efforts will be judged. A realistic picture of how a competition works and a healthy attitude about winning and losing will help keep stress to a minimum and allow contestants to keep the competition in good perspective so that it can be a useful learning

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For additional information on the Prelude Awards at The Children’s Museum contact Ruby Ellison, Community Programs Coordinator at (317) 334-4119.