CAMBRIDGE DRAMA FESTIVAL 2011
28th March to 2nd April – the Mumford Theatre, East Road, Cambridge
in association with the All-England Theatre Festival
RULES AND GENERAL INFORMATION
AWARDS
* First Trophy
* Second Trophy
* Third Trophy
* Best Actor Cup
* Best Actress Miriam Rundle Memorial Cup
* Best Cameo Performance Marjorie Ticehurst Memorial Salver
* Best Junior Group Trophy (Age limit - 18 years or under on day of performance)
* Best actor 18 or under Angela Lewsey Award
* Best actress 18 or under Stagefright Award
* Adjudicator’s Award Trophy
* Backstage Award Cadbury Schweppes Trophy (Awarded by the Festival’s technical team)
* Best Stage Presentation Pye & Phillips Trophy
* Best Original Play Cup (See notes below)
* Lighting Roland Carter Award
* Costume Mary Penson Memorial Trophy
* Sound Radio Cambridgeshire Cup
* Audience Appreciation Award Rodney Salver
Please read the following information carefully, paying particular attention to your obligations regarding COPYRIGHT.
PRIZES
All trophies won at the 2008 festival must be returned to Rosemary Eason, 22, Trinity Close, Balsham, Cambridge, CB21 6DW (01223 893859) or Wendy Walford
The cups and trophies awarded in the various categories shown above will be presented at a ceremony following the final adjudication on Saturday night, 2nd April. All competing teams must arrange for one of their number to attend this ceremony or to nominate a representative who will be present at that time.
ENTRIES
1 Each company taking part must consist of members of a bona fide amateur group and all performers must be amateurs i.e. must act (without payment) only in their leisure time.
2 Cambridge Drama Festival is a Preliminary Festival of the All-England Theatre Festival. Copies of the AETF rules are available on request.
3 Technical and Programme details should be sent to the appropriate committee member by Monday, 15th March. - more details later. However, if you are entering Cambridge for the first time, and would like to see the theatre before this date, our technical team will be happy to arrange this for you.
THE PERFORMANCE
1 The work offered by a competing company must be either (a) a one-act play,
(b) an extract from a longer play, or (c) some other form of theatrical performance.
It must also have a minimum of two speaking parts; monologues are not acceptable
2 Companies offering a new play should note that the New Play Award will be given to the author of the best play performed at the festival that, on the closing date of entry, (a) is unpublished, (b) has not been performed professionally and (c) has not won a New Play Award in any competition.
3 Each entry must be at least 20 minutes in length but must not exceed the time limit of 55 minutes. It is important that companies should accurately describe the length of their play when submitting their entries so that we can organise the programme apporpriately.
4 10 minutes will be allowed for setting and 5 minutes for striking the setting for each entry. It is the custom at the Cambridge Festival to play a fanfare before the beginning of each play. The starting time for teams will be 5 seconds after the end of the fanfare. The Festival Stage Director will check that teams are ready before the fanfare is played.
5 The penalties for not keeping within the allotted times are:
Up to 1 minute over or under time 1 mark
Up to 2 minutes over or under time 3 marks
Up to 3 minutes over or under time 6 marks
Up to 4 minutes over or under time 10 marks
Up to 5 minutes over or under time 15 marks
5 minutes over or under time Disqualification
6 Companies should note that RULE 5 will be strictly enforced by an official time-keeper. The Festival Stage Manager’s decision on this and all other backstage matters will be final.
7 COPYRIGHT If an entry is copyright, it is the responsibility of the company to see that the author’s permission is obtained for the performance and that any royalty fees have been paid in advance. It is also the responsibility of the company to obtain appropriate permission for the use of music and effects in the performance. Documentary evidence of the payment of the appropriate permission, royalties or fees MUST be presented to the Stage Manager prior to the performance.
8 Seating in the auditorium - Two free tickets will given to teams on their performance nights for use by their supporters. Members of the back-stage crews will be given passes for seats in the auditorium (subject to availability). For general supporters, tickets are available at £5 per ticket for groups of ten and over.
PRESENTATION
1 Our Technical Director will be in control of the switchboard and lighting equipment under the direction of each competing company.
2 Our Technical Director must be informed of the music and sound effects to be used, and any sound reproduction equipment which a competing company may wish to use must have the Technical Director’s approval.
3 Stage effects which present a fire hazard will not be allowed. Effects such as smoking or the firing of guns may, in certain circumstances be allowed, provided permission has been sought and obtained from the Fire Officer. David McRobb, CDF’s Technical Director, will be happy to discuss effects with teams at the time of submitting technical details.
4 The Technical Director must be informed if live animals are to be used as the theatre is required to obtain a licence.
5 Neither the festival performance nor the adjudication may be recorded on sound or video tape, filmed or photographed.
FINANCE
1 A non-returnable Entrance Fee of £30.00 must be forwarded with each entry but every company will be allocated 2 free tickets for the night of their performance.
2 An additional fee of £30.00 is payable by all companies wishing to receive a written adjudication. This is the fee requested by the Adjudicator.
3 An additional fee of £5.00 is payable by all entrants wishing to be considered for selection to the next round of the All England Theatre Festival.
ADJUDICATION
1 The adjudicator will deliver a public adjudication of each entry at the end of each evening and will decide on the winners of the trophies at the end of the festival.
2 The adjudicator will use the following system of marking: Acting 40 marks, Production 35 marks, Stage Presentation 15 marks, Endeavour, Originality and Attainment 10 marks.
3 The adjudicator’s decision is final.
4 The adjudicator will identify one company to proceed to the next round of the All-England competition by selecting the highest-marked eligible entry.
GENERAL
1 INSURANCE Neither the Festival Committee nor Anglia Ruskin University (The Mumford Theatre) hold themselves responsible for any liability for injury to persons or for loss or damage to property. Companies are advised to take out their own Third Party cover.
2 On all matters relating to the Cambridge Drama Festival, the decision of the committee is final.
Entry forms, together with fees and a copy of the play, must be forwarded to:- Wendy Walford, Secretary, Cambridge Drama Festival Committee, 12 Stukeley Close, Cambridge, CB3 9LT
Email: raw1000@cam.ac.uk
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