Introduction to Adjudication
"Introduction to Adjudication" will be held again in 2013. To receive information about future courses, please "Choose Your Conversation" with Theatre Ontario at our Communications Centre.
Our most recent course was held in 2011.
May 18 to May 22, 2011
Richmond Hill
"Introduction To Adjudication" is a course for emerging and potential adjudicators. Participants will receive training in the principles of adjudication, attend performances of the 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival of community theatre, and practice adjudicating presentation skills in a private setting. After the course, participants will also have the opportunity, at their discretion, to perform a practice adjudication at an Ontario community theatre.
"I loved the mix of theory, personal experience and practical
application. The course gave a clear indication of what adjudication is
and whether or not it's something I want to pursue."
Course Instructor
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 past June, he adjudicated an international theatre festival with AACT in Florida involving fourteen shows representing five continents. Ron has directed nearly one hundred plays and musicals, and worked as dramaturge for the past four years with the Playwrights of Spring Festival in Aurora. 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. He is now Professor Emeritus at Sheridan Institute where he taught and directed Music Theatre Performance for 37 years including their joint program in Theatre and Drama Studies with the University of Toronto at Mississauga. He has also been appointed to the Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice as an International Associate Faculty.
Course Schedule
Phase One – Training Course (May 18 to May 22, 2011)
A 5-day course is being organized to coincide with the 2011 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 engage the Theatre Ontario Festival Adjudicator or participants in discussion about their plays
- All course discussions will be private
- The final line-up of plays will be known by April 2011; 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 2011 / Spring 2012)
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 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 2011 Theatre Ontario Festival takes place in Richmond Hill, Ontario, May 18 to 22.
Classes will be held at the Holiday Inn Express at Highway 7 and Leslie in Richmond Hill. Course participants are encouraged to stay at this hotel (or nearby.)
Course Fee
- $450 plus HST ($508.50 in total), which includes tuition, instructor and administration fees, and theatre tickets.
- Participants are responsible for their own accommodation, meals and transportation.
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.
Application requires two steps:
1) Submit an online registration (course fees will not be processed until you are accepted into the course)
2) Email two documents to dennis@theatreontario.org:
- A resume or CV outlining the applicant’s theatre training, experience, and two references
- A one-page statement of their present approach to adjudication; or answer the 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
The deadline for applications is April 4, 2011 at 5:00pm.
Participants must also be an individual member of Theatre Ontario. Current members must be paid-up through June 1, 2011. Membership is due upon acceptance into the course. If you wish to access other membership benefits immediately, you must become a member.
Withdrawal Policy
Payments are non-refundable after April 4, 2011. Any cancellation must be in writing.
For More Information
For more information about the Introduction To Adjudication course, contact Anne Mooney, Community Theatre Coordinator, at anne@theatreontario.org or 416.408.4556 x.13.
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