Parker Arts Shakespeare Festival Packet The Parker Arts Shakespeare Festival is a theatrical competition for Parker middle schools (grades 6-8) and high schools in Douglas County. Students will perform a scene or portion of a scene from a Shakespeare play of their choosing and will be evaluated by expert judges. The highest scoring performances will perform on the PACE Center Main Stage and will win the Bard s Prize trophy for their school! This packet of materials is designed to help School Coordinators and students organize student performances for the Shakespeare Festival on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at the PACE Center. Please review and share the entire packet with students, and complete the Entry Form by the deadline indicated below. Forms may be emailed to PACEedu@parkeronline.org or delivered to PACE Center c/o Shakespeare Festival, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker, CO, 80138. The Entry Form and Busker Audition Form may also be completed online at www.parkerarts.org/shakespeare. For festival questions, please contact Festival Coordinator Carmella Gates at PACEedu@parkeronline.org or 720.272.5317. Important Dates December 15, 2018: Entry Form deadline. January 7, 2019: Audition schedule sent to schools. January and February, 2019: Auditions held in schools. For auditions, please make 2 copies of the Performance Evaluation Form, with the participation information completed, and one copy of the Shakespeare script for each group/soliloquy auditioning. January 30, 2019: Busker Audition Forms deadline. February 28, 2019: Participant registration deadline. Registration is available online only at www.parkerarts.org/shakespeare and also includes a T-Shirt order and Subway sandwich lunch order. February 19, 2019: Busker auditions at 6:00 p.m. at The Schoolhouse. March 1, 2019: Festival performance schedule sent to schools. March 27, 2019: Parker Arts Shakespeare Festival from 8:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m. at the PACE Center.
Table of Contents Important Dates.. Cover Table of Contents.. 2 Rules and Procedures. 3 5 Schedule of Festival Events. 6 Entry Form.. 7 Performance Evaluation Form.. 8 Busker Audition Form 9 Frequently Asked Questions 10 School Audition Poster.. 11
RULES Student participants must attend a Douglas County middle school or high school, or be homeschooled for middle or high school in Douglas County. Student groups/soliloquies will perform a scene or part of a scene from one of William Shakespeare s plays. Group scenes should be between two to five minutes. The number of actors in a group is determined by the number of roles in the scene being performed. Soliloquies (monologues) should be one to two minutes. A student performing soliloquies must include two contrasting Shakespeare monologues (one comic; one tragic). Up to ten groups/soliloquies may audition at each school. Two to four groups/soliloquies auditioning will be selected to perform at the festival. Groups/soliloquies will perform the same scene twice on two different stages. Each performance will be judged. Shakespeare s exact written words must be used. No paraphrasing or adaptations are allowed. Cuts or condensed formats are permitted, as long as the language is maintained. (Example: combine two sets of lines for an actor by eliminating a character s lines that are not necessary in order to fit the time line.) Please do not attempt English accents. Students must arrive in costume. Costumes will be judged. Costumes may be period, similar to those of Shakespeare s time, or other historical time period, or conceptual, as long as they are cohesive, appropriate and enhance performance. Costumes should be simple and should not be rented or expensive. All student props should fit within a 12 gallon tub (22 x15 x12 ). Creative interpretations are allowed, i.e. Romeo and Juliet set in the 1950 s or Macbeth in Star Wars garb, as long as the concept is consistent, cohesive, and enhances the performance. Procedures School Coordinator The School Coordinator oversees the selection of groups, scenes to be performed, rehearsals, and costuming. These activities should be student-directed as much as possible, depending on student experience and skill level. The School Coordinator is responsible for coordinating an audition date, time and location for their school groups, as well as in-school communication, parent
communication and permission forms, and overall supervision and coordination of the school s participating groups at the Festival. Additional chaperones are encouraged. Parker Arts is not responsible for participant and spectator supervision will not be held liable for their actions. Auditions Each school may have up to ten groups audition (including soliloquies). Two to five groups will be selected to perform at the Festival. All group auditions will be conducted by Parker Arts judges at your school on the same day determined by the School Coordinator and Festival Coordinator. Each group must provide two Performance Evaluation Forms with participant information completed and one copy of the excerpt from Shakespeare s play to the judge(s). Group scenes should be between two to five minutes. Soliloquy scenes should be one to two minutes and include one comic and one tragic soliloquy. Students should be in costume, but pictures or sketches of costumes are allowed at auditions. Judges will take page one of the Evaluation Form and the scoring rubric will be returned to the School Coordinator at auditions. Group/Soliloquy Selection Notification Performance schedules listing performance times and stage locations for selected group/soliloquy will be sent to School Coordinators by March 1, 2019. Student Registration Students selected to perform at the Shakespeare Festival are required to register online at www.parkerarts.org/shakespeare. Registration is $7. Online registration also includes the option to purchase a Shakespeare T-Shirt and Subway sandwich and chips. Students must be registered by Feb. 28. Transportation Schools are responsible for transportation arrangements and costs. If using Extended Day Buses, they must get students to the Festival by 8:30 a.m. and pick up at 2:15 pm. Parking is available at the PACE Center. Festival Arrival and Attendance School groups should arrive in costume at the PACE Center by 8:30 a.m. and proceed to the Event Room to drop belongings and line up for fanfare and opening ceremony. Schools will receive a packet of maps and schedules. Students and spectators are encouraged to attend the entirety of the festival in order to take advantage of the festival activities including: watching other school performances and Buskers (street performers), utilizing the selfie-station, building a Lego model of the Globe Theatre, and buying snacks at concessions. PACE Center Stages Performances will take place at pre-scheduled intervals on various stages throughout the PACE Center. Stages will be approximately 15 x10. Stage equipment will include: 1 table and four chairs.
Performance Performance schedules listing performance times and stage locations will be provided in advance to School Coordinators and will be available onsite. Groups and soliloquies will perform twice during the festival. Groups will be provided 10 minutes to set up, perform and strike. Scenes should be between two to five minutes. Soliloquies will be provided 7 minutes to set up, perform and strike. Scene, one comic, one tragic, should be between one to two minutes. Each performance will be evaluated and scored by Parker Arts team of judges. Top Performances and Closing Ceremony Top performance results will be announced at 12:45 p.m. The two highest scoring middle school groups, two highest scoring high school groups, and two highest scoring soliloquies will perform on the PACE Center main stage and receive Bard s Prize trophies, starting at 1:15 p.m. These top performances will be followed by a Shakespeare scene performed by Denver Center for Performing Arts Shakespeare Teaching Artists, and awards ceremony. The festival will conclude at 2:15 p.m. Lunch Students should stay on campus for lunch. Students may bring a sack lunch or preorder a Subway sandwich with chips and pick up onsite. Subway sandwich options will be listed as available purchase options during the registration process. Snacks, and drinks are available for purchase from PACE Center Concessions throughout the day. Judges Parker Arts Shakespeare Festival judges are comprised of several local theater actors and directors, trained theater professionals, performing arts teachers and professors, and community members with an extensive background in theater and/or Shakespeare. Questions Direct all questions to Festival Coordinator Carmella Gates at 720.272.5317 or PACEedu@parkeronline.org.
Festival Schedule of Events By 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Arrival and Fanfare in the Event Room Receive a packet of map and schedule, and proceed to the Event Room to drop off belongings. Schools will be announced and receive fanfare as they exit the Event Room and enter the Theater for the Opening Ceremony. 8:45 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. Opening Ceremony in the Theater Welcome and receive overview of Festival day. 9:10 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. Proceed to Performance Areas Seven performance areas are designated on the map and schedule you received. Please use these materials to determine the time and place of your two performances. Burbage s Theatre Workshops Event Room 9:20am-9:50am Physicality of Theater 10:00am-10:30am Speaking Shakespeare 10:40am-11:10am Stage Combat 11:20am-11:50am Physicality of Theater 9:20 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. 12:00pm-12:30pm Performances Speaking Shakespeare Groups and soliloquies will perform their scene twice on two different performance stages. Each performance will be evaluated by expert judges and tallied for a total score. While not performing, groups are encouraged to view other school performances, attend workshops, and enjoy festival activities. 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch and Evaluation Break While scores are being tallied, participants may enjoy Buskers or games on the patio, eat lunch, visit friends, etc. If you did not order a Subway lunch online, please bring a sack lunch. 12:45 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Top Performer Announcement Announcement of top-scoring performers who will perform on the PACE Center main stage via lobby speakers and School Coordinators. Performers must proceed to backstage entry and wait to be greeted by Parker Arts staff. 1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Closing Ceremony and Awards Six top performer scenes held on the PACE Center main stage: two middle school, two high school, and two soliloquies. A Shakespeare scene performed by DCPA will immediately follow the top performances. The ceremony will conclude with awarding the Bard s Prize trophies and drawings for an in-school workshop, Parker Arts enrichment scholarship, and various Metro-area theater tickets. 2:15 p.m. Bus Departure
Entry Form Due Date: Dec. 15, 2019 Complete this form to confirm participation in the 2019 Parker Arts Shakespeare Festival and submit requested audition dates for your school. Forms must be submitted by December 15, 2018 via email at PACEedu@parkeronline.org or online at www.parkerarts.org/shakespeare or mail to Parker Arts, c/o Shakespeare Festival, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker, CO, 80138. School Information School Name: School Address: City, State, Zip: County: School Coordinator: Email: Phone: Expected # of Groups Auditioning Audition Date Request Please list possible audition dates and times from January 8, to February 15, 2019. Each group will audition for two to five minutes (soliloquies one to two minutes) at your school consecutively on the same day. Please list dates in order of preference. You will be contacted to confirm the date and time by January 7, 2019. 1. Date: Time: 2. Date: Time: 3. Date: Time: Please direct questions to Carmella Gates, Shakespeare Festival Coordinator, at 720-272-5317 or email at PACEedu@parkeronline.org.
Performance Evaluation Form Please complete the participant information on the top half of this page for each group/soliloquy performing. Make four copies and give two copies to the judges at each stage, along with one copy of the Shakespeare script being performed at each stages. School: School Coordinator: Shakespeare Play: Act: Scene: Performance Time: Stage Name: Run Time: Group: Soliloquy: SCORE: /70 Names of Student Performers: 1. 5. 2. 6. 3. 7. 4. 8. Judges Comments Judge s Comments: Judge s Name:
Performance Evaluation Rubric Exceeds Expectations 10-8 points Meets Expectations 7-5 points Partially Proficient 4-1 points Total Points Shakespearean English (Shakespeare s Exact written words) Costumes Character Development and Relationships Voice/Diction Projection Blocking/Staging Stage Presence/ Energy Overall Presentation -Follows script exactly -Excellent understanding of text -Natural, conversational text delivery -Appropriate, cohesive and enhance performance -Appropriate to character concept and time period -Stays in character throughout entire scene -Strong depth of character and believability -Clearly defined relationships and interactions -Voices clear, articulate, and loud enough to fill the room -Vocal variety: pitch, inflection, volume, tempo, pauses, phrases, are creative and show characters thoughts and emotions -Interesting blocking and movement about the stage, motivated by text, and enhance performance -Actors open to audience throughout -Create interesting, exciting stage pictures using blocking, facial expressions, gestures and timing -Honest and strong level of character emotions -High level of energy throughout, even in stillness -Exceptional acting and understanding of scene -Creatively orchestrated performance from beginning to end -Few script errors -Proficient understanding of text -Mostly natural text delivery -Long pauses or lost lines -Mostly appropriate and cohesive -Mostly fit concept and/or time period -Stays in character for most of scene -Portrayal of characters sustains believability -Relationships and interactions mostly defined -Voices mostly clear, articulate and loud enough to fill the room -Vocal variety somewhat enhance character portrayal -Movement/blocking is natural and appropriate to the performance -Mostly open to audience -Creates some interesting stage pictures -Somewhat honest and appropriate level of character emotions -High level of energy throughout -Effective acting, understanding of text, and purpose of the scene -Well-orchestrated throughout -Several script errors -Some understanding of text -Text delivery awkward and not convincing -Loosely fit concept of scene -Inconsistent concept across characters -Minimal or no costume -Inconsistently stays in character, mostly when speaking -Some believable character moments -Relationships and interactions may be forced and not conversational -Somewhat clear, sometimes hard to hear or understand -Minimal variation which effects interest and understanding -Some movement about stage, but minimally enhances performance -Inconsistently open to audience -Creates some stage pictures -Some level of character emotions -Energy evident only when speaking -Demonstrates some understanding of text, if not purpose of scene -May flow unevenly from beginning to end TOTAL POINTS:
Busker Audition Form Busker: someone who entertains by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place. Have you ever wanted to be a street performer? Well, here s your chance! Parker Arts is auditioning voluntary Buskers to perform at the Parker Arts Shakespeare Festival on March 27, 2019. Buskers will perform at various locations throughout the PACE Center throughout the morning. Students may not perform in a Shakespeare Festival group and be a Busker. Some Buskers will be in a stationary location, and others will move throughout the festival. Busker Audition Form must be submitted by January 30, 2019 to PACEedu@parkeronline.org or online at www.parkerarts.org/shakespeare. Busker Auditions will be held on Feb. 16, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the PACE Center. Please prepare a 30 second to one minute sample of your talent for the audition. You will be responsible for your own costume, equipment, props, and instruments. Performances may be of Elizabethan or other historical periods, but they should not include modern music. Some of the talents might include, but are not limited to the following: -jugglers -stilt walkers -balladeers -mimes -small groups of singers -musicians -acrobats/tumblers -clowns -animal tricks -simple magic tricks -shell/pea game -fortune tellers -puppeteers -caricature or profile artist -storytellers Buskers will be cast and notified by February 20, 2019 via email provided below. Direct questions to Shakespeare Festival Coordinator Carmella Gates at 720.272.5317. Busker Audition Registration Name: Age: Phone: Email: School Name: School Coordinator: Busker Performance: Props: Parent Signature:
Frequently Asked Questions If you cannot locate the answer to your questions within the Shakespeare Festival Packet, you may find the answers below or additional FAQs listed at www.parkerarts.org/shakespeare. You may also contact Festival Coordinator Carmella Gates with specific questions at PACEedu@parkeronline.org or 720.272.5317. FAQs Where can I obtain copies of Shakespeare s plays? All of Shakespeare s works are in public domain, meaning they are not under copyright and can be used and copied at no cost. The complete collection of plays can be found online at shakespeare.mit.edu or http://www.folger.edu/shakespeares-works. How should groups be chosen? Due to the mission of the Shakespeare Festival, Parker Arts prefers all interested students be given the opportunity to audition. Therefore, school coordinators should encourage and accept any student entry. How school coordinators assist students in choosing play excerpts, schedule rehearsals, and prepare costumes is up to the individual coordinator. The Shakespeare Festival is intended to be student driven with minimal support from school coordinators. However, coordinators may consider studying a Shakespeare play in its entirety, and have groups perform scenes to enhance understanding, or allowing auditions to be a factor in student grades, etc. What is meant by Shakespearean English? Shakespearean English means Shakespeare s exact written words, with no adaptations or paraphrasing. Shakespeare s original scripts must be used, not adaptations such as No Fear Shakespeare or other interpretations of his works. How knowledgeable do students need to be about Shakespeare and his works? Students in middle and high school may have a limited knowledge of Shakespeare and his plays. We highly suggest teaching a short unit on Shakespeare, or coordinate with a Language Arts teacher to do so. Even though students are only performing one scene from the play, it is important that they read the play in its entirety to understand how their scene and role fit into the total story. Reading Minimized Shakespeare, Spark Notes or other online summary will suffice. Try to include reading aloud and/or act out parts of the plays. Shakespeare was meant to be performed and observed, and doing this makes it much easier to understand.
Should the actors use English accents? Please do not attempt English accents. Americans performing Shakespeare do not use English accents. Also, young people have difficulty maintaining accents throughout a performance, and mistakes might affect performance scores. Where can I obtain costumes? Performers must be in costume, but please do not rent costumes. Costumes do not need to be elaborate or expensive. Many schools have a costume room with appropriate items or ones that are easily adapted. Thrift stores or students and their families may also have useful items. For example, if the performance takes place in the Shakespearean period, a simple long gown or skirt might be appropriate, or leggings and a large pullover with a belt. Creative costuming that fits the time period and/or concept is all that is required. How much should the students do in planning performances? Performances should be as student-directed as possible. Obviously student involvement will vary from school to school, depending on student experience and skills. Middle school students may need more assistance with choosing scenes, rehearsing, costuming, etc., while high school students involved in theatre and literature courses may be able to do all of the planning and coordination with minimal assistance from the School Coordinator. It is up to the School Coordinator to determine what is needed, involving students in these activities as much as possible. However, the School Coordinator must schedule auditions complete and return forms and arrange transportation. Is it appropriate for students to see the evaluation rubric? Absolutely! Definitely review the rubric with the students. It is important they know how and on what they will be evaluated. May a student perform in more than one group? No, due to limited space and time, students may only perform in one soliloquy or group Will groups/soliloquies perform the same scene twice at the festival? Yes. Groups/soliloquies will perform the same scene twice during the festival. Each performance will be evaluated and tallied for a total score. Who is invited to attend the festival? Parents, friends, school representatives, or anyone interested in Shakespeare or theater should attend. All guests may be audience members to any of the stages or festival events at no cost. Will there be a place to store belongings (lunches, jackets, props, etc.)? No. The PACE Center cannot accommodate safe storage of personal belongings. Student performers must carry belongings. All group props must fit within a 12 gallon tub.