Introduction To Adjudication
May 19 to May 23, 2010
London

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Introduction To Adjudication is a course for emerging and potential adjudicators. Participants will receive training in the principles of adjudication, attend performances of the 2010 Theatre Ontario Festival, practice adjudicating presentation skills in a private setting, and conduct a private mock awards ceremony. After the course, participants will also have the opportunity to perform a practice adjudication, at their discretion.

Course InstructorRon Cameron-Lewis

Ron Cameron-Lewis is well known to community groups across the province, as a teacher, workshop leader and adjudicator. He has adjudicated well over 2,000 productions throughout Ontario for community and educational theatre festivals, as well as in the USA at state, regional and national levels. This year, he will be adjudicating an international theatre festival with AACT in Florida next June involving fourteen shows representing five continents. Ron has directed nearly 100 plays and musicals, and worked as dramaturge for the past four years with the Playwrights of Spring Festival in Aurora. He has also served as vocal coach for CTV photojournalists, and last year he was text coach for CBC TV/radio’s Gemini-Award-winning production of Othello. In December 2009, he retired from 37 years teaching and directing for Music Theatre Performance at Sheridan Institute and their joint program in Theatre and Drama Studies with UTM. He currently works as communications consultant for the Leadership Development Initiative with the Institution of Palliative Medicine in San Diego, where he is working with 30 medical specialists from 20 countries around the world. His book, Acting Skills for Life, is in its third edition with Dundurn Press. Ron was the recipient of the Maggie Bassett Award in 2004.

 

Course Schedule

PHASE ONE – Training Course (May 19 to May 23, 2010)
A 5-day course is being organized to coincide with the 2010 Theatre Ontario Festival. Participants will view all four plays in the festival, and gather nightly immediately after each show to practice “public” adjudication. Afternoon sessions will cover general principals of public adjudication, private/detailed adjudication, written adjudication, evaluation schemes and assessment, choosing award winners, etc. As much as possible, the course will be geared to the specific needs of participants.

  • Students will not attend any public or private adjudications, but there may be time to attend the Award Ceremony
  • Students will not engage the Theatre Ontario Festival Adjudicators or participants in discussion about their plays
  • Students will not reveal the results of their mock Awards Ceremony
  • All course discussions will be private
  • The final line-up of plays will be known by April 10, 2010; participants are responsible for reading the plays in advance of the course; you are not required to purchase scripts from Theatre Ontario but we will facilitate distribution of scripts that are difficult to find
  • Seats have been reserved for course participants in the back row of the theatre to avoid distracting the audience; bring your own notebooks, coloured pens, flashlights, etc.

PHASE TWO – Trial Adjudication (Fall 2010)
During the fall of 2010, each “graduate” of the course will have an opportunity to adjudicate a play produced by a Community Theatre within their region. This adjudication will enable to participants to hone their skills and allow others to observe their work. Every effort will be made to mentor future adjudication work by course graduates.

Course Location

The 2010 Theatre Ontario Festival takes place in London, Ontario, May 19 to 23.  Read more information about Festival 2010.

Classes will be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Downtown London.  Course participants are encouraged to stay at this hotel (or at another location) rather than the Festival Hotel (the Delta Armouries.)  Information on how to book a room will be sent when participants are accepted.

To Apply

Theatre Ontario reserves the right to select the most promising candidates for this training program. Class size will be smaller than other Theatre Ontario courses in order to ensure maximum personal attention.

Applications should include two documents:

  • A resume or CV outlining the applicant’s theatre training, experience, and two references
  • A one-page statement of their present approach to adjudication (if applicable), including a discussion of this question: “What are the top three factors you admire in good adjudication work?” In addition, please indicate any items you particularly hope will be covered in the training course

Submit application to Cornelia Persich, Education Coordinator, at info@theatreontario.org.

The deadline for applications is March 31, 2010 at 5:00pm. Update on April 1: One space is still available

Participants must also be an individual member of Theatre Ontario. Current members must be paid-up through June 1, 2010. Membership is due upon acceptance into the course. If you wish to access other membership benefits immediately, you must send a separate membership payment. (Read more about membership)

Course Fee

$450 plus GST, which includes tuition, instructor and administration fees, and theatre tickets.

Participants are responsible for their own accommodation, meals and transportation.

Contact Cornelia Persich, Education Coordinator, at 416.408.4556 x.10 to arrange payment. Cheques or credit card payments will not be cashed/process until your participation in the course is confirmed. Theatre Ontario reserves the right to cancel any course with insufficient registration.

Cancellation Policy

Payments are non-refundable after March 31, 2010.  Any cancellation must be in writing.  Theatre Ontario assumes no responsibility for personal injury, however incurred, nor for the loss of personal effects during attendance at the courses.  You must inform Theatre Ontario of any medical conditions which may affect your participation and of which your instructor should be aware.  Theatre Ontario reserves the right to withdraw any course with full course refund.

For More Information

For more information about the Introduction To Adjudication course, contact Dennis Johnson, Community Theatre Coordinator, at dennis@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.13.

Discuss the Introduction To Adjudication course on the Theatre Ontario Blog