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v4-6 |
It is our hope that the hosting of the Festival will be a joint venture of the staff, students, parents of students and the community. Our collective task is to make our guests feel as welcome as we possibly can. We should be helpful and courteous at all times, answer their questions, allay their fears and treat them as honored guests. These rather obvious statements are made because there have been festivals where this positive attitude was not present, where the hosts (both students and adults) acted as though they were doing everyone a favor by hosting the festival and where we felt as though we were some sort of bother or annoyance to them. We sincerely hope that this festival will be one that participants will long remember for the friendly and helpful atmosphere that all the hosts demonstrated.
It is impossible to anticipate every situation that could arise during the festival and accordingly, these guideline pages should be seen as an overview and a guide to Festival operations. Staff, adults and students should be aware that if a situation arises which is outside the confines of your information, it is best to refer the problem to the festival staff or Council.
Some students will have time periods during which they will not be assigned to specific duties. If this occurs during a play session, you should simply become part of the audience and enjoy the performances. If you are not assigned during technical rehearsals or at other times, you should “mingle” with our guests inside, outside or anyplace students are gathering. Remember: even if you are not “on duty”, our hosting responsibilities do not go away; you should try to help in any way you can. No one is to leave the school grounds, even if unassigned, without specific permission from the host.
If viewing in Word, on the View Menu select Document Map to quickly navigate this document.
The Table of Contents and Index are at the end of the document and there are links at the top of every page.
To Print this document, download the Word .doc file or the .pdf file from www.nedrama.org rather than printing directly from your browser.
Know that the NEDC considers this document to be a guideline only. The methods suggested here are not absolute. In some cases more than one approach is presented. Each festival will and should be unique due to theme, physical plant and the various expertise of the individuals staffing it. For example, though signs and posters are listed here under Publicity, you may find it better to let someone from the Art department handle these while some one from English, Journalism or a parent handles the press releases. That is fine and to be expected.
Make copies of this complete document to share with the key people on you staff. Have them read the whole thing so that they will better understand how everything and everyone interacts and comes together. Copy sections or individual pages to give to others. A school host may only need the page that pertains to School Hosts but a technical crew member should probably be aware of the responsibilities of everyone else on the technical crew. The Overview/Philosophy explained above should be copied to the back of the tentative schedule and given to everyone.
This document was created in Microsoft Word and is available in electronic form at www.nedrama.org. It will be helpful to extract some of the tables or charts and modify them for your festival rather than starting from scratch. Maintaining this document in electronic form also means that it is dynamic. Please feel free to mark up a copy with red ink to show suggested changes, corrections, additions or deletions. Return it to the Council for the benefit of future hosts.
The Host Festival Coordinator oversees all the preparations for the festival and its actual operation. The number one goal is to delegate the various responsibilities outlined in this document. The second priority is to make sure your delegates are accomplishing their tasks whether they are students or adults. Determine your Production Staff (key coordinators) early and meet with them often. Some key positions can be combined, particularly one with primary responsibility before the festival with one during the festival. If you recruit people from outside the world of the theater, they may not fully comprehend the true meaning of a deadline or that the show must go on. The Festival Coordinator can wear some of the other hats listed below but should be careful not to take on so much as to lose sight of the overall festival. Some delegates may abdicate their responsibilities, forcing the Festival Coordinator to step in and take up the slack. If all goes well, at festival time, the Festival Coordinator should be able to sit back and enjoy the well oiled machine in action. Don’t hold your breath. Read these guidelines and then sit down with your NEDC State Representatives and ask lots of questions. Keep your State Rep in the loop with all your ideas and choices. They often have the experience of many festivals to bring to the table.
Good luck and have fun.
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v4-6 |
Fill in target dates and post this timeline in a central location where the festival staff can track their progress and see how it all fits together. The provided dates are meant to be a guide. Modify as needed.
|
1
to 2 years before festival __/__/__ Meet with your State Representatives to NEDC. Meet with your administration for permission & heads-up. Recruit the Production Staff. Distribute Hosting Guidelines to the Production Staff. Hold brainstorming sessions with the Production Staff. April
- 1 year before festival __/__/__ Attend NE Drama Festival with some of your Prod Staff. Present tech info and general plan to Council. Schedule summer meeting with NEDC Executive Board & your State Representatives at your place. Schedule October full NEDC Meeting at your place. May
- 11 months before festival __/__/__ Hold additional brainstorming sessions with the Production Staff (monthly). Determine Festival Theme. Establish preliminary building needs. Hold the Summer NEDC Executive Board Festival Planning Meeting (at your place) __/__/__. Be prepared to ask questions. Meet with your administration to keep them up to date. September
- 7 months before festival __/__/__ Hold Regular Production Staff meetings at least monthly. Cast the festival - Production Staff appoints its assistants & staff members (students & adults). October
- 6 months before festival__/__/__ Hold the October NEDC meeting __/__/__ Starts at 10 or 11am on a Saturday. NEDC Business meeting, Lunch, Tour of Facility. Festival Planning, Get state festival dates & State Rep Liaison names. Collect workshop fees from State Reps. Meet with your administration to keep them up to date. Determine tentative schedule. Proof by NEDC. February
- 2 months before festival __/__/__ Send a Festival Alert Memo to your office staff. Include a tentative schedule & building needs. Give them any other information that might help them handle phones, faxes and mail. Send a Festival Alert Memo to your faculty. Inform them of the wide spread use of the building. Pre-registration Packets mailed 2 weeks prior to earliest state festival. Program pages gathered from state finalists the day after each festival. Friday
- 27 days before Festival __/__/__ Program Layout complete except for school/show pages. Make Nametags for NEDC Members & Life Members and others you know of in advance. Make decorations & posters without show specific items. Make banners leaving out show specific information. |
Monday
- 17 days before Festival __/__/__ Finish program layout of all schools to date. Get complete program from remaining state festivals. Lay out Show Tickets & Meal Tickets. Tuesday
- 16 days before Festival __/__/__ Initial program Proofing round. Saturday
- 12 days before Festival __/__/__ The last day for states to hold their festivals. Sunday
- 11 days before Festival __/__/__ Program pages gathered from the last states finalists. Monday
- 10 days before Festival __/__/__ Finalize festival schedule proofed by State Rep & TD. Assign schools to Home Base Rooms. Make nametags. Schedule meal shifts if needed. Customize school/show specific decorations & posters. Customize school/show specific Banners. Add the last individual show pages to the program layout. Finish all signs. Tuesday
- 9 days before Festival __/__/__ Send a memo to the office staff including the final schedule. Send final schedule to all participating schools & council. Final Program Proofing round. Wednesday
- 8 days before Festival __/__/__ Send a memo to all Faculty reminding them of festival. Tell them to secure their rooms. Thursday
- 7 days before Festival __/__/__ Program goes to press. Monday
- 3 days before Festival __/__/__ Welcome Packets printed/assembled 4 days before festival. Nametags complete. School/show decorations, posters& Banners complete. Empty wings & backstage areas of non festival essentials. Prepare the green room. Prepare the set storage areas. Tuesday
- 2 days before Festival __/__/__ Decorate Home Base Rooms. Put signs up throughout building. Wednesday
- 1 day before Festival __/__/__ Welcome Packets assembled. Rehearse tours of the building. Rehearse Host MC speeches to the audience. Rehearse the tech crew. Rehearse Opening & Closing Ceremonies. Thursday Festival Begins __/__/__ |
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v4-6 |
|
First Day 1. Host Staff Meeting a.
Attendance b.
Disseminate last minute updates, changes,
reminders c.
Pep talk 2. School Hosts greet arriving schools at
the bus. 3. Company Photos are taken. 4. Schools register & get packets of nametags
& programs. 5. School Hosts give tours. 7. Lunch a.
Welcome b.
Present NEDC Life Member award if recipient is
present c.
Entertainment d.
Banners e.
Dismiss forum
groups to follow their facilitators to forum rooms f.
Dismiss directors to meet with the council 9. Introductory Forum 10. Introductory
Director, Council, Host meeting a.
Provide 13 copies of all Content
Notifications for discussion. b.
Explain School
Written Commendation procedure 11. MC Introduces performance block a.
At first block explain School Written Commendation Procedure b.
If not the first performance block, welcome the
company of the previous show back into the theatre. c.
Make any announcements ie: headlights. d.
Review festival audience expectations. e.
Introduce the next show. 12. MC Introduces subsequent shows in the block a.
Welcome previous company back. b.
Make any announcements ie: headlights. c.
Introduce the next show. 13. Student Forums / Directors' Forum / Adults' Forum / Council Forum a.
Award Publisher
collects School Written
Commendations 14. Meals 15. Workshops 17. Repeat as
needed starting with 11. 18. Possible entertainment at end of day |
Second Day 1. Host Staff Meeting a.
Attendance b.
Disseminate last minute updates, changes,
reminders c.
Pep talk 2. Breakfast 5. MC Introduces performance block a.
Welcome previous company back. b.
Make any announcements ie: headlights on. c.
Review festival audience expectations. d.
Introduce the next show. 6. MC Introduces subsequent shows in the block a.
Welcome previous company back. b.
Make any announcements ie: lost & found. c.
Introduce the next show. 7. Student Forums / Directors' Forum / Adults' Forum / Council Forum a.
Award Publisher
collects School Written
Commendations 8. Meals 9. Workshops 11. Repeat as
needed starting with 5. 12. Possible
entertainment at end of day Third Day 1. Host Staff Meeting a.
Attendance b.
Disseminate last minute updates, changes,
reminders c.
Pep talk 2. Breakfast 4. NEDC / Directors' Open Meeting 6. MC Introduces performance block
7. MC Introduces subsequent shows in the block
2. Student Forums / Directors' Forum / Adults' Forum / Council Forum a.
Award Publisher
collects School Written
Commendations 8. Banquet
|
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|
Position |
Staffing |
|
During
Festival |
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
1-2 Students |
|
X |
|
|
12-24 Students |
|
X |
|
|
1-2 |
|
X |
|
|
1-3 |
|
X |
|
|
4-10 (2/door) |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
? Student |
|
X |
|
|
? Adult |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
10-12 |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
|
|
|
1-2 |
X |
|
|
|
1-2 |
X |
|
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
Adults & students |
X |
X |
|
|
2-4 |
X |
X |
|
|
2-4 |
|
X |
|
|
(school hosts) |
X |
|
|
|
2-4 |
X |
|
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
1-2 |
X |
X |
|
|
1-2 |
|
X |
|
|
Student Entertainment (Dance) |
1-2 |
X |
X |
|
Director Entertainment (Reception) |
1-2 |
X |
X |
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
1-2 |
X |
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
1 |
X |
|
|
|
1 |
X |
|
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
2-4 |
|
X |
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
X |
|
|
2-4 Adult/Student |
|
X |
|
|
Adult |
X |
|
|
|
1-2 |
X |
|
|
|
1-2 |
X |
|
|
|
1-2 |
X |
|
|
|
1-4 |
X |
|
|
|
1 |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
v4-6 |
Many spaces will be needed for the festival to run smoothly. Identify these spaces early and show them to the Council members who are working with you for their approval & recommendations. Reserve these spaces with the building supervisor and staff early to avoid booking conflicts. Some activities may be able to share spaces depending on scheduling. Student Forums can probably be in the same spaces as the Home Bases or Workshops as well as the Student Congress Meeting.
|
Room Numbers / Names |
Festival Use |
|
|
Theatre |
|
|
|
|
|
Green Room / Dressing
Rooms |
|
|
12 Home Base rooms (Each guest school needs a room where they can meet and leave
their things.) |
|
|
10-12 (approx) Workshop rooms |
|
|
10-12 Student Forum Rooms (can be shared with Home Bases) |
|
|
1 Directors' Forum room Large enough for a round table discussion of 15-25 (snacks &
beverages) |
|
|
1 Other Adults' Forum room / Lounge (can be the cafeteria) Large enough for a round table discussion of 15-25 |
|
|
1 NEDC room Space for 16 ~4 Computers & printer for writing commendations |
|
|
Awards Writer room (can be NEDC room) Computer & printer |
|
|
Cafeteria for meals |
|
|
Snack Bar area |
|
|
T-shirt
sales/printing |
|
|
Company Photo sales
& other concessions |
|
|
|
|
|
Registration Office or Desk in a lobby Computer & printer (optional) |
|
|
|
|
|
Student Congress meeting room (Saturday morning only) Accommodate a discussion of 28 (can be a workshop room) |
|
|
Banquet room (Cafeteria or Gym or off site) large enough to seat the entire festival at once (350-600) |
|
|
Computers & Printers (These will be needed to create Participation Certificates and
Commendations.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
v4-6 |
Some states will send workshops while others will prefer to send money so that you can coordinate your own workshops. Most will provide money. Colleges, Universities, theater groups and other directors within your state are a good resource for workshops. Most of the work associated with coordinating workshops can be done well in advance of the festival. This is a job that can easily be given to someone not connected with your school, perhaps someone in your state organization.
Remember that about half of the folks attending the festival are technicians. Be sure to have an appropriate number of technical workshops in addition to those focused on acting.
Be prepared for a few workshop leaders to drop out at the last moment. You will either need to find someone who can help in a pinch or rethink your workshop scheduling. A good last minute resource can be Life Members of the NEDC in attendance at the festival, Council members from your state organization or directors of shows at the festival. The best way to avoid these last minute adjustments is to stay in contact with the workshop providers. Send them and email reminder or give them a call every few weeks and definitely a week or 2 prior to the festival.
Determine what workshop leaders require for equipment and space. The student Workshop Host should be provided with this information to help insure the workshops run smoothly. There may also be limits to workshop size or time constraints. If council members or directors are to run workshops they cannot be scheduled during meeting times or during their states' tech.
The method of registration that seems to be working best is to provide Workshop Tickets to each school for 2 out of three workshop sessions. This strikes a balance of workshops verses free time. Be sure to consider Technical rehearsals, preparation for technical rehearsals and preparation for performance when selecting which work shop session tickets to provide to a given school. A general rule of thumb is that if a school has a tech during the same break as a workshop or if they perform right after the break then that is the workshop they should skip. Once it has been determined which schools skip which workshop sessions then tickets can be distributed via the Welcome Packets at the registration desk.
Making all tickets for a given session the same color can make life easier for the guest directors and students. Each student should be afforded the opportunity to attend at least 2 of 3 workshops. Some way to facilitate a ticket swap would be nice such as a swap table or bulletin board in the lobby or near the home bases.
It is important to have medical personnel on hand at the
festival. Look to the parents of your students for qualified volunteers. Most
injuries will be simple cuts and scrapes. With around 500 people present for 3
days, it is not unlikely to run across allergic reactions, asthma, epilepsy,
and other issues. The Registration
Desk will receive Medical Release Forms for every student at the festival.
These should be filed by school and alphabetically by student name. You should
have access to these forms. There is also a Special Needs Form from each school
which you should review. The Nurse /
The consultant is appointed by the New England Drama
Council. This is often the Immediate Past President, a Life Member or other
member of the Council. The primary responsibility of the Consultant is to
facilitate the Directors' Forum. At the
initial forum, held before the first show of the festival, the Consultant
distributes 13 copies of all the Content Notifications collected by
Registration. These could be compiled into one document. Content needs to be
discussed by the directors so they can determine if any student needs to be
alerted or excused from a given performance. Students excused from a
performance must be accompanied by an adult. The Consultant also brings any
director concerns to the Council.
|
v4-6 |
Scheduling can be a tricky business. See the Sample Schedules at the end of this document. Use Council members’ experience, past festival schedules and past hosts experience for guidance. Develop your tentative schedule early and have these people review it.
o The earliest technical rehearsals should be scheduled for the closest schools or those planning to arrive the night before.
o Try not to schedule technical rehearsals during meetings or Forum sessions.
o Schedule Technical rehearsals for distant, late arriving schools between show blocks.
o Technical rehearsals will likely not be in the same order as performances. The tentative schedule should use numbers for shows & letters for techs.
o Make sure a show’s technical rehearsal comes before its performance.
o Be careful not to tech so many shows up front that there are not enough spike tape colors.
o A show should not be scheduled to perform immediately after its technical rehearsal because the company needs their time in the green room to get ready. Occasionally a school may request to perform immediately after its tech. If that is what they want then do it. This is easier for set movement.
o Allow time between show blocks for meals, forums and workshops.
o Try not to schedule similar shows during the same block.
o Ending a block or a day with a comedy can leave the audience with a good feeling or at least keep them awake.
o If there are 2 productions of the same show in the festival, place them as far apart in the performance schedule as possible.
o Keep performance blocks to 2 shows each. There is seldom a good reason to run a block of 3 shows in a 3 day festival.
o Pay particular attention to the length of each play and how long it will take to get the set on & off the stage. Remember that each state has its own rules or no rules regarding these issues.
o Schedule short shows at the ends of blocks otherwise the show in the greenroom will not have enough time to prepare.
o Once the performance, set & strike times are known the hourly start times of the tentative schedule should be adjusted to free up other times in the final schedule.
o Just because 2 shows are from the same state does not mean they have seen each other's performance.
o There is no predetermined sequence of shows by state. The host determines the sequence.
The first forum should be right after the Opening Ceremony. This gives everyone a chance to find the room and perhaps play a little name game. Subsequent, forums should follow each block of performances. Allow 10 minutes to discuss each show in the block. A 2 show block needs a 20 minute forum. Allow for about 5 minutes travel time to and from the forum rooms.
If your cafeteria is not large enough to seat the whole festival at once or you would like to avoid long lines at the serving area, stagger the meals by company. Some companies will have to eat the early shift because they need to get to the green room to prepare for a performance. Others will need to go late because they are just coming off the stage or they have a technical rehearsal. Try also to coordinate the meal schedule with schools that have tickets to a particular workshop session. Lunch on the first day and breakfasts probably don’t need to be staggered due to the nature of folks arriving at varying times.
Workshops can be scheduled concurrently with technical rehearsals and should be about an hour long. Keep in mind that schools in technical rehearsal, preparing for a technical rehearsal or preparing for a performance will not be able to attend workshops during those times. Hopefully everyone has the chance to attend at least 2 out of 3 workshop sessions.
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v4-6 |
Yes, in order to continue and evolve the New England Drama Festival we need to have some meetings.
This should be a short (15 minute) meeting of all the directors, the council, and the Host Festival Coordinator near the start of the festival. Though this could be before the Opening Ceremony, it may be best immediately follow the Opening Ceremony. That way everyone should be present, since they were all just in the theatre. This would be concurrent with the introductory student forums. This could be held in the Directors' Forum room or the Council room. This meeting is run by the NEDC President and the Host. This is a chance for the host to disseminate any last minute changes or information and welcome the directors and council. Once the basic introductions are done, the Council could leave the room to the Consultant and directors so they can establish the framework of their coming forums along with discussing Content Notifications.
At the end of each block of shows, the directors will all meet to discuss the shows they have just seen. The forum will be facilitated by the Consultant, appointed by the Council. This forum is concurrent with the Student Forums. At the initial forum, held before the first show of the festival, the Consultant distributes copies of all the Content Notifications collected by Registration. Content needs to be discussed by the directors. At subsequent forums the Consultant facilitates a discussion among the directors of the show just seen in the previous block. The Consultant also brings any director concerns to the Council.
At the end of each block of shows, other adults, including chaperones, will all meet to discuss the shows they have just seen.
On the second day of the festival
the NEDC will need to have a closed business meeting. This is usually a 2 hour
meeting beginning at
The Open NEDC Meeting is held on
the final day of the festival. It is expected that all directors will
attend. This meeting is to discuss how
we can improve festival for next year. The host usually drops in for a few minutes.
Once again, allow 2 hours typically beginning at
The Student Congress will meet at
the same time as the Open NEDC Meeting on the final day of the festival. Two students will represent each
participating school at this meeting.
There should also be 2 students from next year’s host in
attendance. It will be moderated by a
New England Drama Council Representative from next year’s host state. Start
with introductions and keep the comments constructively positive. The students from next year’s host school
will take notes and report back to the NEDC Meeting already in progress. The
current host does not need to send anyone to this meeting. This meeting should
start at the same time as the Open NEDC Meeting, usually at
|
v4-6 |
The Publishing Coordinator will see to the creation of a Stationary Design to be used in all publications including Registration Packets for Schools, Council, and Life Members. Other publications needed include Programs, Program Labels, Tickets, Nametags, (Meal Tickets, Workshop Tickets). Provide artwork to the Publicity Coordinator for Posters, Billboards & Signs.
Establish a stationary design and use it for all packets and letters. Try to incorporate the NEDC logo (found at www.nedrama.org) and the host festival logo in the design. These could be placed in the corners or shaded in the background of each document. Do not use shaded things behind forms because they will not fax or photocopy well. In the header or footer, include:
o
(year)
o Dates / days
o At (name of host facility or organization)
o Host Festival Coordinator
o Technical Director
o Home Phone & hours
o Work Phone & hours
o Fax numbers
o Email Address
A template for this packet is available from the NEDC or at www.nedrama.org. The Registration Packet is intended to provide information about the festival to attending schools before they arrive. This packet should be delivered to the state representatives at least 1 week before their state festivals. This way the State Representatives have a chance to review the packet and ask questions before presenting it to the schools going on from their state festivals. The packet should direct participants to www.nedrama.org where they can download registration forms. The forms should be completed and emailed to the host the day after each state's festival. The information will be more accurate and the host will get it more quickly. A computer file form that needs to be signed can be emailed first, then a printed, signed copy can be either FAXed or mailed. Contact your State Rep or the NEDC Webmaster to have any changes made to the on-line registration forms or to have host specific forms posted to the nedrama.org web site.
Format:
Every Page should contain vital information such as the festival name, dates, the document title, name, phone numbers and email address of the host & technical director and page number of total pages. There is no longer any need for hand written forms.
Contents:
The first page should be a welcoming and congratulatory cover letter which includes a list of enclosures (Table of Contents). This way the reader can tell if anything was inadvertently omitted.
|
Included
in this Packet
q Map of Area q Lighting Plots q Sound Board Layout q Plan Drawing of Theatre Wing |
Forms
to be downloaded from nedrama.org by guest & emailed to Host q Personnel / Nametag list Form q Registration Form q Content Notification Form q Special Needs Form q Publicity Form q Program Page Forms guest brings to
festival registration q Medical Consent Forms (download & print one for each student) q Photocopy of publisher permission to perform q Performance Approval Form |
|
v4-6 |
(Council, Consultant, Workshop Leaders & Life Members)
A template for this packet is available from the NEDC or at nedrama.org. These packets need to be mailed a few weeks in advance of the festival. Many of the items listed below can be identical to those in the Pre-Registration Packets for Schools. The packet should contain:
o A cover letter specific to each group which includes a list of enclosures (Table of Contents). This way the reader can tell if anything was inadvertently omitted. Suggest registering by Email;
o An explanation of expectations & responsibilities of the position, if any;
o Directions and map to festival site;
o Meal Plan including menu;
o Housing Information, usually an establishment other than those suggested for students;
o Registration Form, include a request for meal & contact information: Phone & Email.
The programs need to be completed (printed, collated, folded & stapled) by the end of the day, 2 days prior to the start of the festival. This leaves time the day before the festival to label and insert them into Welcome Packets.
It is recommended to see both the NEDC logo and the host Festival Logo incorporated into the program on every page somehow.
Strongly recommend that guests use the Program Page Template provided at www.nedrama.org and email it as an attachment to the host. This way the host needs only to cut and paste the program page into the program and do a little reformatting. The onus of getting the names spelled correctly is with the guest. There will still be errors but they will not be the fault of the host.
If the host does key in the program, please have 2 people proofread everything. People really like to see their names spelled properly in these things. In fact an adult outside of the program layout project should have the final proof. If this is a student project for credit and the proof reader finds errors, maybe it should affect the grade.
An asterisk beside a name means that person is an adult. This indicates to all that this was not student work.
The Schedule will probably not be final until Tuesday, the week (9 days) before festival. Reserve the centerfold pages for the schedule so it is easy to find. Layout the Tentative Schedule early and edit it as information arrives from various schools. Schools will be calling or better yet emailing with program changes. In fact some will come through the registration desk the day of performance, long after the programs have been printed. Continue to update the files so they can be used for gifts at the banquet or closing ceremony. Please keep these files where the Awards Publisher can find them during the festival for Certificates.
The program should have a formal & professional look to it. Getting to the New England Drama Festival is a big deal. Try to include everything a participant could possibly need in the program so no one needs to deal with additional handouts. There may also be some advertisements added at the front or back of the program. A template in MS Publisher format is available at www.nedrama.org. Following is a typical layout:
|
Page |
Content |
Page |
Content |
|
1 |
Cover |
11 |
Festival Schedule,
Dining Shift(center fold) |
|
2 |
NEDC Members, State
Reps, Life Members |
12 |
Show 7 |
|
3 |
Audience Notes(no
food, photos, etc), History of
NEDF |
13 |
Show 8 |
|
4 |
Show 1 |
14 |
Show 9 |
|
5 |
Show 2 |
15 |
Show 10 |
|
6 |
Show 3 |
16 |
Show 11 |
|
7 |
Show 4 |
17 |
Show 12 |
|
8 |
Show 5 |
18 |
Workshop Schedule,
Acknowledgments |
|
9 |
Show 6 |
19 |
Host Staff |
|
10 |
Festival
Schedule(center fold) |
20 |
|
|
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The Nametags need to be completed (printed, assembled) by the end of the day on Tuesday, 2 days prior to the festival so they can be inserted into Welcome Packets the day before festival by the folks running Registration.
Nametag List spreadsheet files, available on www.nedrama.org, should be filled out by participating schools and emailed to the host. By using these files the number of errors can be reduced. These files can be imported into a database and merged with a nametag template to produce Nametags or they can be hand written.
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Nametags at the
Festival serve multiple purposes: 1. The Nametag acts as a pass to allow participants in to see the shows. Members of the public buy tickets. 2. The Nametag should make it easy to identify a person’s first name for easier introductions. Therefore, the first name should be the biggest and boldest. 3. The Nametag makes it easy to recognize a person’s show and ideally position/role. Try to make these items big too. 4. Student Nametags will also have a small number, letter, decoration or sticker to indicate a Forum group. 5. Nametags may also be used as meal tickets with an indication at the bottom that can be hole punched at the serving line. |
The Nametag should
contain: 1. First Name (biggest) 2. Last Name (small) 3. Position / Role (big) 4. Name of play (big) 5. Name of school 6. Forum Identifier (Give stickers to directors for distribution & application) 7. Meal Plan Identifier (might be symbols at the bottom of the tag to be punched out at the serving line) |
The Nametag might also use the festival logo in a corner or in the background.
The Nametags need to be rugged enough to survive 3 days of technical rehearsals, plays, forums, workshops, fun & games and a couple of nights on the road. They also need to be large enough to hold all that information.
The total number of Nametags will be around 300-500 (don’t forget hosts, council, life members, workshop leaders & parent volunteers). This means we need an efficient means of creating and printing Nametags. Some company lists will come in early but some states will hold their festivals just 2 weeks prior to the New England Festival. Those names can not be expected until Tuesday the week before festival.
Many packages of Nametags (not just labels) come designed to go through printers. They even include instructions of how to setup popular word processors for Nametag printing. If pin-on plastic nametag holders are use, they should be taped shut. Otherwise the tags are likely to fall out and be lost by the second day.
An alternative, less expensive and perhaps better method is to print nametags on standard colored 8.5x11 paper. These pages can be laminated, cut on a paper cutter, punched with 2 holes and threaded with string, ribbon, or black tie line to be worn around the neck. To avoid a strangling hazard, do not tie the string to itself in a loop, instead, tie each end of the string to the nametag. Each school can have its own color tag which might be coordinated with their school colors. A sample nametag template is available at www.nedrama.org.
The registration desk should have the ability to create nametags on demand at the request of a director during the festival. This will likely be a hand operation. This is for corrections and additions. If students are allowed to request nametags without their director things may get a bit out of hand.
Program Labels need to be printed by the end of the day on Tuesday, 2 days prior to the festival so they can be neatly applied to the back of the programs before they get inserted into Welcome Packets the day before the festival by the folks running Registration. These labels can be easily created using the Nametag List spreadsheet files imported into a database and merged with a label template. This template may be available from www.nedrama.org. Another method would be for the registration folks to hand write the participant name and school on the back of the program.
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The Show Tickets need to be completed (printed & cut) by the end of the day on Wednesday, the day before the festival so they can be available for sale Thursday, the first day of festival, unless you plan to sell tickets in advance.
Tickets are not used for festival participants but are sold to members of the public and parents who come to see the shows. Nametags act as tickets for participants. Typically one may purchase a ticket for a block of shows, for a day of shows, or for the entire festival. The more shows paid for at one time, the better the deal. There are 2 basic approaches to festival tickets. The first is to make a different ticket for each block of shows. The other is to make a universal ticket which can be used for all blocks. How all this is handled is completely at the host’s discretion as is the pricing of tickets.
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The Block Ticket
Approach: A single block ticket for one price. A day’s worth of block tickets for another price. All block tickets for yet another price. Each Block Ticket is of a different color stock. The block date & start time is printed on the ticket. This block's show titles, school names, & states are printed on the ticket. Maybe include the logo (in the background). |
The Universal Ticket Approach: List all 6 show sessions on the ticket. Include all session start times and dates on the ticket. Maybe include the logo (in the background). At the time of sale, the box office folks can cross out or hole punch sessions for which the ticket is NOT valid. |
Ticket art work can be laid out on most word processors. This file can be sent to a print shop or locally photocopied onto colored paper and cut on a paper cutter.
At many festivals, the nametag doubles as the meal ticket which alleviates the need for meal tickets. If Meal Tickets are used, they need to be completed (printed & cut) by the end of the day on Tuesday, 2 days before the festival so they can be inserted into Welcome Packets by Registration.
Regardless of the method used, even if nametags are used as meal tickets, it is a good idea to make 10 to 30 extra tickets for each meal. A few parents may want to share a meal with their kids especially at the banquet. Discuss the details with the caterer so as not to sell more public ticket than the caterer is prepared to feed.
Make meal tickets a different size from show tickets to more easily identify one from the other.
Use the festival logo on the tickets or in the background.
Ticket art work can be laid out on most word processors, photocopied onto colored paper and cut on a paper cutter.
There are 2 basic approaches to meal tickets. The first is to make a different ticket for each meal. The other is to make a universal ticket which can be used for all meals. How all this is handled is completely at the host’s discretion.
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The Individual Meal
Ticket Approach: Each meal has a different color ticket. The date and name of the meal is on the ticket (Friday Lunch). Directors can distribute tickets for a meal just prior to that meal so folks have less chance of losing them. Tickets are collected or torn by the host staff at the serving line. |
The Universal Ticket Approach: List all Meals on the ticket. There are fewer little pieces of paper to deal with but a higher potential for loss. Tickets are marked or punched by the host staff at the serving line. |
These tickets should be made using a different color paper for each session but not for each individual workshop. These tickets should be a different size/shape than meal and show tickets for easy identification. Workshop tickets should include workshop name, time and if possible, location. Registration should distribute tickets fairly among participating schools according to the sessions they can attend (see Scheduling Workshops) the day before the festival. These tickets will be placed in the Welcome Packets. A template may be available at www.nedrama.org.
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Computers are used to create certificates and commendations. Templates for Council Written Commendations, School Written Commendations, Participation Certificates, and School Written Commendation Assignment Table are available at www.nedrama.org. The Awards Publisher should be knowledgeable in the computer systems being used at the festival and be available during the entire festival to assist.
Each school receives a Certificate of Participation at the Closing Ceremony. A template is available at www.nedrama.org. These files can be prepared before the festival begins. Print on plain white paper for proofing and alignment. Have the guest directors proof and sign off on the corrected proofing copies. The directors can most easily be found at the Directors' Forums after each block of shows. Check alignment of plain white paper copy before printing on the actual certificates. The NEDC Secretary has these certificates.
The students of each guest school will be asked to write a short, one page, commendation for the third show to perform after theirs. The last three companies to perform will write commendations for the first three shows of the festival. A template is available at www.nedrama.org. Just who writes for whom is determined by the chart described in the section below. The schools could be given access to computers to key these in but usually they are hand written or emailed from handheld devices. Be prepared to give them an email address to send to. The Awards Publisher keys any hand written commendations, formats them all using the template, and prints a proofing copy for approval by the writing school (if time allows). Then these are printed on nice parchment paper (possibly supplied by NEDC Secretary, ask). The school to write the commendation will send a student to the stage during the closing ceremony to read the commendation and present it to a student from the school that performed the show. This needs to be coordinated with whoever is organizing Closing Ceremony.
Each school will be asked to write a commendation for another school's show. This chart determines who will write for whom. A template is available at www.nedrama.org. Once the festival schedule is finalized, enter (or copy <ctrl-c> and paste<ctrl-v>) the names of the schools and shows into the downloaded spreadsheet. The third column will automatically fill in with the writing school's name. At the bottom of the spreadsheet enter an email address for those writing on portable devices. Each school should write for the third show following their own. Print and deliver this chart to the registration folks so copies can be included in the Welcome Packets for the participating schools and Council Members.
If the council is not given access to computers and a printer in the council room then their commendations will also need to be created by the Awards Publisher. A template is available at www.nedrama.org. The NEDC Secretary has stationary for these to be printed on. These are presented during closing ceremonies along with the Participation Certificates and Student Written Commendations though the Council Commendations are not read aloud..
The Scribe will help the NEDC by compiling information gleaned from discussions among the NEDC members after each block of shows and writing commendations for each show. The host should work with their State Representatives to determine if the Scribe will be provided by the host or the NEDC. This person might also be tasked with generating the Participation Awards and keying in the School Written Commendations. The Scribe needs to be comfortable with the use of a computer.
Framed director's gifts are usually presented at the end of the festival. These typically include an 8x10 photo of the company, the cover of the program and the corrected program page all neatly matted and framed. The Awards Publisher should be sure to have access to a copy of the program computer file. Once the program pages have been corrected from the directors' proofing sheets obtained from the Registration Desk or the Directors' Forum, they can be printed out and delivered to whom so ever is creating the gifts.
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The Amenities Coordinator is responsible for most everything
not directly relating to the performances and entertainment. This will range
from the theme of decorations to banners, meals, and banquet. There are a great
many things to be done but most can be done well in advance of the festival.
A theme adds a nice touch at a festival. It can also help tie together decorations, printed materials, ceremonies, and concessions. A theme is not, however, required. Many hosts have found that after choosing a theme everything else just falls into place. There is suddenly a direction for the Opening Ceremony, the Banquet, the Closing Ceremony, a logo, lobby and room decorations. Design the logo, T-shirt and banners based on the festival theme.
Decorations are not required but can add a nice welcoming touch to a festival. Areas to decorate might include the lobby, cafeteria, theater and guest home base rooms. Decorations can become expensive but donations in kind along with a little creativity can go a long way. Also look to the outside of the building for ideas. It sets a nice tone when guests see some thing from the bus as they arrive.
It is important that festival guests be able to easily identify festival hosts. A special color T-shirt is one way to accomplish this. The T-shirt can be printed with a festival design.
This can be handled by your staff or some other organization. Let your imagination run. Typical items might include T-shirts, 8x10 Company Photo, hats, buttons or mugs printed with the festival logo. Find out what is hot this year and be sure to have a good logo. Get suggestions & information from last year’s host. Try to track and summarize your sales for reference by future hosts. Be careful of upfront investment in inventory. If the items don’t sell you will be stuck with the bill. There are folks who will print T-shirts on the spot at the festival and give the host a cut of the proceeds. They may have specific space and power requirements. Ask past hosts for contact information. The host shirt design can be used on T-shirts for sale to guests but these shirts should be of a different color.
This can be a money maker. Ideas may include snack foods, pastries, fruits, sodas, juices, sandwiches, hot dogs, grill items. Avoid bags of candy and popcorn that are likely to wind up in the theatre creating a distraction and mess. Remember, not all kids want to eat “junk food” and you will serve a number of adults too. A parent organization or other group can take this over and make money either for that organization or for you. Get suggestions & information from last year’s host. Try to track and summarize your sales for reference by future hosts. Look to wholesale grocers as a resource or for donations. These are the folks who supply the restaurant and dining halls. Perhaps they have a damaged carton that they can’t sell but whose contents are fine. Also contact local bottling companies, grocery stores and fast food restaurants for donations in kind. It may be possible to get snacks through your cafeteria and return the unsold items.
A volunteer professional photographer or photo teacher can be very helpful here. Company photos can be sold to participants & parents and presented to directors as a gift. The company photo is usually taken as soon as the group gets off the bus or as part of the tour on the first day of the festival. It might be taken in front of the bus or perhaps the host facility sign or main entrance. A set of choral risers will help. Make an 8x10 print of each company for display at concessions and for the directors' gifts. Take orders on the first 2 days by getting the person's name, school and money. Print and deliver copies to each school on the last day.
The host may decide to give each director a gift at the banquet. These gifts are often indicative of the host state or local community. Frequently these gifts are donated by some local business or manufacturer. This is optional.
A nice added touch is to mat and frame some combination of a Company Photo, a corrected program page from the Awards Publisher or Publishing Coordinator and the program cover or festival logo. See the NEDC Secretary to use the NEDC Seal. These look very nice in the showcase back home. Be sure to use program pages after they have been corrected at the festival.
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It has become customary, though not required, to present each school with a banner at the closing ceremony. Lately banners have been printed on vinyl using large format printers and very classy designs. They are 3 feet wide and 5 feet tall. This would be a great tradition to continue. Try to find a printer willing to work with you on price or some other backer. The idea is that the participating school will hang this banner prominently in the theater back home. In the past banners have been silk screened, embroidered, tapestries, etc. Some have been hand made by host students & parents. Others have been made professionally with donated services and some with great expense. The choices made here can greatly affect your expenses. Usually the basic banner design can be made well in advance. The school and show names can be added during the last 2 weeks. The banners are often incorporated into the Opening Ceremony, on display in the theatre throughout the festival, and presented to the guests at the Closing Ceremony.
A set of 4 banners will be brought to the festival on the morning of the first day. These banners are 3 feet wide by 5 feet tall. They list every NEDF hosted since 1928 and its location including this festival. They should be hung side-by-side someplace in the lobby for the duration of the festival so that participants and attendees can see the scope of this event and perhaps reminisce a bit. Be sure the folks at the Registration & Information Desk of this.
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Meals may be provided by the school cafeteria staff, a caterer, a parent group, some other organization, or a combination of these. Regardless of who provides this service, do not assume that they know the best way to serve a festival meal. If there is not much time, the speed with which a meal can be served becomes critical. The number of serving lines can make the difference.
In a self serve situation try having lines on both sides of each serving table. Place plates at the beginning of the serving table and napkins, utensils, drinks & condiments at the end of the table or at another location entirely. This way folks are not trying to balance all these items while dishing food onto their plates. Another option is to have the food distributed ahead of time at the dining tables. This can work at breakfast sometimes or at a meal of pizza. Yet another option would be to preset the tables and have parents or some organization serve the meals to the tables. This can be done family style with large serving bowls & dishes.
Keep
meals simple and inexpensive. The host
should break-even on meals. This is not
the place to make your profits. People
have to eat. Remember, many teenagers
have big appetites. Try to offer variety
at each meal.
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The opening ceremony will set the tone for the entire festival. This is a time when you can showcase your students or provide some entertainment from the outside. Some choose to include some form of multimedia presentation. A brief introduction by a dignitary or administrator may also be in order. Please warn outside speakers that this is a festival and not a competition. Be careful to schedule the opening ceremony when all can attend. If it is immediately before the first production it can be difficult for that company to attend. It is also common practice to introduce each school and production and to involve the festival banners in some way. What ever you do here, rehearse it, keep it short, rehearse it, keep it moving, rehearse it, and do it well.
Some hosts present a video or slide show during the closing ceremony. This means someone needs to take pictures or video clips throughout the festival. The hard part is getting these pictures processed and edited into a meaningful and concise presentation in the time allotted, the end of the last show and the start of the Opening Ceremony. Do not underestimate the difficulty of this feat. Much can be done during the long night before the last day. Also be careful to give equal time to all companies. 5 shots for each of 12 shows displayed for 2.5 seconds is a two and a half minute show. Sending each school home with a copy is a nice touch.
A nice diversion is to have some kind of unsupervised recreation available, volley ball, Frisbee, hacky sack, etc. Don’t lose sleep over this one. With a place and a little equipment, students will find a way to have fun, often in the gym or outdoors.
Usually there is some form of student entertainment on either Thursday or Friday night or perhaps both. There are arguments on both sides for each night. Thursday is good because it breaks the ice early but bad because no one knows anyone yet and folks are tired from a long day of travel. Friday is good because folks have already met but bad because now festival is almost over. Thursday night can be a good time for something short that helps to break the ice within forum groups. The Friday night event is frequently a dance but not always. Be creative. Relate to the theme perhaps. Be sure to provide chaperones.
This can be a chance for directors and council to get together informally and stop worrying about the kids. It is scheduled to coincide with the student entertainment. This is usually a quiet comfortable setting with snacks and goodies. Keep it on the premises so directors do not face liability issues and can still jump out to check up on their students. The reception is often held in the library. Provide chaperones to the student entertainment so that directors and council members can enjoy the directors’ reception.
The
banquet is the beginning of the grand finale. This is a joint effort of the Amenities and Entertainment Coordinators. A large
space is needed. The entire festival should be seated at the same time in the
room. This may be a cafeteria, gym or off-site banquet hall. This can be a
formal affair if advertised in the Registration
Packet so that folks can bring appropriate clothing. A head table can seat
the council, life members and host(15 to 20). Work out numbers and format with
your State Rep and NEDC President. Often the presentation of life membership in
the council happens at the banquet if not present at the Opening Ceremony. The presentation of directors’ gifts happens at the banquet. That keeps the Closing Ceremony for students exclusively. A
microphone and PA system will be helpful for these presentations. Getting
people through the line fast here is paramount. The sooner we eat, the sooner
we get on with the closing ceremonies, and the sooner folks can begin their
long journeys home to the many corners of
There may be a bit of entertainment to kick off the ceremony but keep it short. Sometimes the ceremony begins or ends with a slideshow perhaps wrapped in a multimedia presentation. A student from each writing school reads their commendation and presents it to a representative from the performing school. It is best to have all presenters and receivers preset back stage to keep things moving. A copy of the slideshow, the Council Written Commendations and the Participation Certificates can be presented at the same time by that student of a council member or 2. There is no need to read the Council Written Commendations aloud. The banners are now presented to all the participating schools, usually by the School Hosts. Finally, the MC passes on the NEDC Host Site banner to next year’s host.
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See the Publishing Coordinator for artwork.
Publicity can serve several purposes. It can raise the awareness of your local community which will help you when trying to find volunteers and donations of goods, services or funds. It can help sell tickets. This is good theater and if you have the space, sell tickets. Often the public does not realize they are invited. Publicity can also be a feather in the host’s cap and help to bring validity to the hosts own program.
o Send press releases and public service announcements to:
o
Major newspapers throughout
o Local area newspapers & those of your guest schools
o Local TV
o Cable TV
o Local Radio
o Try to get onto any bulletin board, calendar, arts hot line, weather channel ticker that the above organizations may offer. Let the world know something big is happening and it is happening in your theater.
Inside Signs need to be completed (printed & organized for distribution) by the end of the day on Tuesday (2 days before festival), the week of the festival so they can be put up Wednesday (the day before festival). Why Inside Signs? We want folks to know how to get where they need to go. Do you remember your first day in this building? I’ll bet it was confusing. Realize that your guests have never been to your facility. Frequently there is little time to get from one place to another and not knowing where you are going to begin with doesn’t help.
Basically, there should be signs giving direction to everywhere from everywhere. That is to say, everywhere people are likely to need to go.