cators’ evaluat · 10/16/2018 · basic orchestral etiquette (i.e. not talking during scenes or using cell phones, exhibiting professional behavior when entering the auditorium

ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies As of 10.16.2018

Evaluation Goal: The purpose of the evaluation process is to provide each participating school with helpful feedback in

the hopes of commending the notable achievements of each production and offering solutions to the aspects where

productions could improve. This is intended to be an educational tool, not strictly a review or critique. Each school will

receive an aggregate of the adjudicators’ evaluations to share with students, administrators, and others at their discretion.

Adjudication Standards & Evaluation Rubrics - Introduction:

When assessing an element of performance, think “Which of these boxes comes closest to describing what has been

seen or heard?” If most of the criteria has been met, it is possible to use that level of achievement. Usually a performance

at the Proficient level demonstrates an attempt at basic mechanics, whereas a Mastery level performance is highly

polished. Between those two levels are a myriad of achievements. When reading across a set of criteria, there is a build

from “Proficient” to “Mastery” through additions or enhancements. The explanations are detailed but basically meant to

establish a positive place to begin and a polished place to aim. The terminology used in the standards and rubrics has

been gathered from professionals across the adjudicated areas (acting, technical theatre, music and dance). If you need

further definition of a term, phrase or concept, please ask for clarification.

The following categories are outlined by specific criteria:

GROUP PERFORMANCE

Chorus/Ensemble (pg. 3)

Student Orchestra (pg. 5)

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE

Principal Role (pg. 3)

Featured Dancer (pg. 4)

TECHNICAL/CREATIVE

Direction (pg. 6)

Musical Direction (pg. 7)

Choreography (pg. 8)

Scenic Design (pg. 9)

Lighting Design (pg. 10)

Costume Design (pg. 11)

ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies As of 10.16.2018

With the belief that positive education produces effective story, the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards has

developed the following set of values to guide the program. The following values are listed in alphabetical order.

Balance of Healthy Process and Polished Product

A mindful rehearsal schedule will adequately prepare a cast and crew to feel confident of their ability to deliver a polished

product. This implies enough time to learn, clear instruction, and built-in repetition of tasks. And the schedule must be

combined with earnest support from directors as well as fellow cast members. This is not always evident in the final

product but should be a goal. IHSMTA will reinforce this value in producing the Awards Showcase.

Genuine Representation of Culture

As the national conversation about diversity continues and widens our sensitivity to cultural differences, two questions

have emerged: Whose story is it? Who should tell it? The answers have yet to be completely determined; however, we

are aware it is not enough to simply imitate an accent, wear a wig or alter skin tone to genuinely represent a people other

than our own.

Growth Through Adjudication

The adjudication process provides a set of goals for directors, designers, technicians, musicians, actors, etc. and also

gives an indication of growth over several seasons. While awards and recognitions are also determined through this

process, IHSMTA seeks to place the focus on the rubrics to guide both the production process and the evaluation

process.

Invitation to Inclusion

To enrich the artistic experience, educational theater can make room on the stage, around the production team table,

behind the scenes and by seeking outside advice by extending an invitation to community members who represent those

with different backgrounds, sexual orientation, cultures and those with atypical thinking or varying physical capabilities.

Maximizing Resources is as Valuable as Maximum Resources

A comparison of theaters participating in our program will unearth a wide variety of budgets, available lighting and sound

equipment, sizes of performance spaces and other tangible measurements of resources. Although resources may

minimally affect a company’s choice of show, it need never impact the ability to tell a compelling story.

Originality Over Replication

It could be argued all art is derivative; however, a direct copy of another’s interpretation of a story is not as powerful as an

original approach. While it’s true Jerome Robbins’ choreography must be replicated for Fiddler on the Roof and the

nursery for Peter Pan has a required set of levels in the nursery to accommodate the flying, those examples are not the

norm. Every production should reflect the unique imagination of its designers, actors and directors who demonstrate

creative use of resources and available talent.

Success of the Ensemble

Whereas a musical does feature its leads, the world of the play must be fully realized. All performers should be equally

engaged, invest equal energy and demonstrate a universal understanding of the story’s thematic structure.

Validation and Celebration of Designers, Crew and Technicians

“Offstage” and “backstage” are terms that may imply the efforts of those not visibly present are somehow lesser. IHSMTA

seeks not only to award these vital contributions to story-telling, but shine a spotlight on them.

ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 3

Mechanics

Memorization

Focus/ActiveListening

Projection/Diction

Pacing

Character Development

Vocal

Physical

Internal EmotionalLife

Attempted to memorize

Gave focus by facing theprominent moments of thestory

Used a voice appropriatefor everyday interaction

Created a character with asimple set of vocal and physical features other than the actor’s own

Still needs furtherexposure to methods ofbuilding a character

Memorized lines

Gave focus by listening andvisibly responding

Picked up cues to create agood pace

Exhibited basic training inprojection and diction

Presented character throughdistinct and consistent vocaland physical choices

Communicated a basicunderstanding of thecharacterization with somemotivated action

Delivered lines naturally

Was dynamically engaged in the worldof the play, providing interestingphysical and emotional responses

Knew when to give and take focus

Supplied brisk cue pick up to enliventhe story

Spoke clearly in a full stage voice

Added a sense of an internal life(thinking before speaking, usinggesture to accent ideas, reacting to achanging environment)

Demonstrated motivated actionsthroughout

Began to show ways in which thecharacter evolves

Technique was evident, but sowell executed that it appearedto be second nature

Created strong partnerships onstage by empatheticallylistening

Created a comprehensible arcin which a fully developed character changed or evolved because of his/her choices.

Uplifted the story to a newlevel

Phrasing and Storytelling

Tone Quality and Projection

Diction

Melodic and Rhythmic Accuracy

Intonation

Followed music directionbut has yet to addpersonal interpretation

Is learning how to sustainnotes and project thevoice with properbreathing

Shared general idea oflyrics

Still needs assistance withprecise attack onindividual words

Is comfortable with simplemelodies and rhythms

Sought to stay in tune

Is beginning to add personalinterpretation through phrasingat a competent level

Capable of fully sustained andsupported notes

Tone is accurate, but withouttexture

Lyrics were typically clear

Attempted to match theappropriate style with the lyric

Strove to meet the moredifficult challenges of melodyand rhythm

Was mostly in tune

Discovered a personal style ofinterpretation in line with thecharacter’s life choices

Had a strong voice consistently wellsupported with proper use of breath

Tone was rich and resonant

Had crisp diction with attention to allvowels and consonants

Integrated the style of the song withthe lyric

Could execute simple and complexmelodies and rhythms

Was consistently in tune

Made the connection betweentechnique and interpretationthat integrally weaves songsinto the story

Used a strong, resonant voiceeffortlessly reaching all cornersof the theater

Achieved flawless diction witha unified sense of style thatgave the lyric clarity andpizzazz

Displayed precise accuracywith simple and complexrhythms and melodies

Was unerringly in tune

Choreographic Precision

Storytelling

Endeavored to meet themovement and dancerequirements

Employed more energytowards completing thesteps than telling the story

Could both move and dance tothe beat

Executed steps while appearingto be spontaneous and natural

Moved and danced with accuracy, butmoreover accomplished each stepwith flair

In addition to ease of performance,enhanced the mood of the piece byadding character

Surpassed technicality topresent dance and movementthat arose from the forwardmovement of the story or theemotion of the moment

Intrinsically wove charactertraits within movement and/ordance until the two were nolonger separate

Poise

Persevered throughnervousness

Was mostly free of unconsciousnervous habits (adjustingcostume, hair, etc.)

Was at home on stage and exhibitedthe confidence of being well prepared

Was relaxed and able tocommunicate the joy ofperforming


Understood thebasic requirementsof the choreographyand endeavored tomeet the challenge

Executed thechoreography withease

Moved with precision

Imbued the sequence withanimation and thecharacter’s intentions

Flawlessly executedthe sequence

Used character’s age,social status andmotivations withsophistication

Perseveredthroughnervousness

Appeared focused andaware of surroundings

Generally comfortable

In addition to being at easeon stage, performedexpressively with, ratherthan to, the music

Gestures andmovement naturallyflowed as a responseto character and thesituation

Dancer was mergedwith the music

Had good postureand bodyawareness

Exhibited strength,flexibility and control

Presented evidence ofdance vocabulary (e.g.specificity of steps,turn-out, etc.)

In addition to strength,flexibility and control,dancer could freely addstyle to suit the type ofmusic

Exceeded all technicalrequirements to dancewith personalinterpretation


Instruments were intune with fewexceptions

Instruments were intune within sectionsand across theorchestra

As well as being intune, the instrumentsplayed with a cleartone and blended wellwith one another

Orchestra operatedas a cohesive groupproducing a soundthat was both rich andunified

Orchestrademonstrated a basicunderstanding of theimportance ofsupporting stageperformers withoutoverpowering them

Orchestra wasgenerally successfulin pulling back tosupport stageperformers andproducing a fullersound whenappropriate

Orchestra supportedboth mature andbudding voices

Orchestra adjusted tofit the capabilities ofeach stage performerwhile maintaining afull and varied sound

Orchestra showed afundamental grasp ofmelodic and rhythmicaccuracy

Melodic andrhythmic accuracywas achieved mostof the time

Orchestra made aneffort to produce theappropriate musicalstyle

Melodic and rhythmicaccuracy were bothcrisp

Orchestrasuccessfullyincorporated themusical style

Beyond accuracy andadherence to themusical style, theorchestra found agroove that gave themusic wings

Musicians wereappropriately dressedand demonstratedbasic orchestraletiquette (i.e. not talkingduring scenes or usingcell phones, exhibitingprofessional behaviorwhen entering theauditorium duringintermission)

In addition to havinga uniformappearance andbehaving withdecorum, themusicians gave theconductor strongfocus

Orchestra usedproper etiquette

Exhibited strongpartnership with theconductor

Orchestra adjusted tosmall changeswrought by mistakeson stage

Orchestra lookedsharp and projected aprofessional image

Seamlessly followedthe conductor

Alert to changesduring theperformance andwithout exception


Presented story so theevents logically transpiredbut without impacting thecharacters

Produced a story withoutgenuine representation ofculture (See ValuesStatement)

Created a layered storyso the main eventsplainly changed thecharacters

Central themes began toemerge

In addition to clearlyshowing how charactersgenuinely changed, thestory was given a freshlook through a distinctiveconcept or by advancingnuanced themes

Shaped a story so detailedand fresh that as thecharacters changed andevolved, the audience felta change withinthemselves

The approach was bothmeaningful and memorable

Characters weredistinguishable from oneanother through physicaldifferences, but moreinternal work could be done

Ensemble membersprovided a sense of timeand place but need morework to supply energy andengagement

Actors showed evidenceof internal character work(e.g. thinking beforespeaking, being fullyphysically and mentallyengaged, creating abackstory, etc.)

Ensemble members usedpurposeful focus toengage in the story

Characters werecomplete, believable andthere were strongpartnerships betweenvarious individuals onstage

Characters stayedconsistent through songand dance as well

Ensemble membersactively listened to oneanother, focused, andcontributed equal energy

In addition to strong acting,the singing and dancingnaturally sprung fromcharacter motivation andrising action in the story

Whereas each individualcharacter was fully drawn,it would be impossible toimagine the story withoutthe interaction of the wholecast

The scenes moved at areasonable pace

Transitions slowed theaction

The show had effective,intentional pace

Transitions from scene toscene were efficient

The show set a strongpace at the outset andnever let up

The transitions wereseamless

There was bold pacingthroughout that supportedthe action

The scene shifts not onlymoved well but helped totell the story

Good traffic flow with littleupstaging

Students evinced astraightforwardunderstanding of theblocking

In addition to efficientblocking, the stagepictures were varied,rarely static, and madeuse of all levels

The captivating stagepictures were furtherenhanced with business(i.e. use of props) thatilluminated character traits

Wherever an audiencemember looked, there wasa textured picture that wasreached through astuteblocking and cleverbusiness, all executed withpanache

All technical elementsserved the basicrequirements outlined in thescript

An attempt was made topresent a unified conceptwith input from alltechnical components

A clear vision of theconcept for the productionwas carried out withcreative contributions fromeach technical area

Technical elements werefully integrated into theconcept such that eachvisual image within theproduction was gratifying


Leads/Chorus

Musicians/Singers

Sound Production

Strong balance allows the audience

to hear all elements. A strong blend

implies a pleasing mix of those

elements.

An effort was made tobalance the soundcreated by the leads andchorus but sometimesone overpowered theother

Musicians and singerscould usually both beheard but further effortcould be made to createbalance

Chorus and lead singersblended well most of thetime

Lead voices were usuallyin the foreground whenappropriate

Orchestra endeavored tosupport rather thanoverpower the singers

Transition from leadingvoices to chorus wereseamless and all voicesblended to produce a rich,pleasing sound

Orchestra adapted tosupport each singer at theirability level

Underscoring was at anappropriate and dynamiclevel

A full and satisfying soundwas achieved by deftlybalancing each of theelements

The music resonated, filledthe room and uplifted thestory

The music directionsubliminally directed attentionto the important action of thestory

Diction

Rhythm

Pitch

Harmony

Cue Pick-Up

Diction is achieved when individual

words are clear. Singers with a strong

sense of rhythm can keep up with

and hold a steady beat. Good pitch

means staying in tune. Harmony is

when one or more voices blend while

singing different notes. Cue pick-up is

the ability to follow musical entrances,

tempo changes, and cut-offs from the

pit conductor.

Singers exhibited skills inbasic diction, rhythm andpitch

Simple harmonies wereattempted

Musical cues werelargely picked up fromthe stage without laboredfocus on the conductor

Lyrics were intelligible

Cast could navigatesimple or more demandingrhythms with little trouble

Singers and musiciansproduced sound that wasrarely sharp or flat

Cast was comfortable withbasic harmonies

Singers and musicianswere familiar enough withthe music to confidentlyattack entrances and cut-offs

Cast reliably executed thenecessary diction, rhythmand pitch requirements

Singers were adept atproducing simple andcomplex harmonies

Singers and musiciansfollowed a strong conductorwithout hesitation

The accuracy of the music aswritten was so effortlesslyaccomplished, the contentand message of each songwas clear.

Tempo

Phrasing

Dynamics

Tempo is the speed with which a

musical passage is played. Phrasing

is variable and dependent upon

breaths taken, groupings of words

and word emphasis to enhance

meaning or create character

nuances. Dynamics are the

manipulation of volume and pacing to

create emotional content.

Tempo choices wereappropriate for the style ofthe music (e.g. brisk forrock-n-roll, luxurious forjazz, regimented formarches, etc.)

Tempo choices wereappropriate andconfidently executed

Basic phrasing varianceswere introduced to addmeaning to the content ofthe songs

Basic dynamics—acompelling use of volumeand pacing—were alsoused to amplify or placefocus on special momentsin the story

Tempo choices addedintensity and enhanceddramatic moments andadded to the pacing of theshow

Phrasing heightened thedevelopment of character

Dynamics were varied toconvey emotional contentand give a sense of a songas a unique way to tell astory

Since tempi were dynamic,cue pick-ups were expert andphrasing gave new meaningto characters, theinterpretation of the story wasintrinsically enhanced byvibrant musical expression

Performers’ musicianshipdemonstrated a completeunderstanding of what theywere singing about and how itconnected to their characters’development

The music inspired emotionalcontent from singers toelevate both the story andadd depth to the characters


Basic choreographedsequences were tailored tothe ability of the performers

Performers all moved withdetermined energy

Performers demonstratedsome dance vocabulary(turn-out, carriage, bodypositioning, extensions,flexes, etc.)

Intermediatechoreographedsequences weresuccessfully performed

In addition to being wellversed, individuals’special abilities wereshowcased

The cast was precisewhen in unison

The sequences werechallenging but withinperformers’ range

Performers surpassed thetechnical requirements ofthe choreography toproject a sense ofconfidence and freedom

Choreography ranged overmost areas of the playingspace

Placement of performersand flow of dancesegments showed astrong sense of spatialawareness in the creationof stage pictures

Advanced use of levels,creative entrances andexits, as well as uniqueformations elevated thepower of the stagepictures

There was a sophisticateduse of space as theperformers cleverlyexploited all areas of thestage

Performers movedeffortlessly from numberto number

Attention was focused onteaching proper executionof steps rather thanintegrating thechoreography into the story

Choreographyincorporated somecharacter traits

Dances began to evolvefrom growing tensionwithin scenes

All choreography wasintrinsically imbued withcharacter traits andfeelings

The dances were ignitedby the story’s rising action

Audience gained a depthof understanding aboutcharacters or groups ofpeople through thechoreography

The story’s themes wereclarified throughchoreography

An attempt was made tointroduce choreographybased on the story’s time,place and culture

The dance style dictated bythe music was basicallyrealized

Choreographedsequences were largelyauthentic to the story’stime, place and culture

Dances closely matchedthe style of music

Choreography wasaccurately reflective of thestory’s time, place andculture throughout

Dances precisely met thedemands of the style ofmusic

The choreographersuccessfully captured thestory’s time, place andculture with superiorattention to detail

Dances were not onlystylistically accurate butelevated the form


Scenery established thedifferent places in thestory

The scenery was well builtand sturdy

The furniture and other setpieces were practical andsturdy

The set gave theperformers adequateplaying space and levelsto vary the picture

In addition to completefunctionality, the set wasproportional to the spaceand did not impedenatural movement (i.e.actors did not have toedge sideways aroundfurniture or crowd into atoo small area)

Although some audiencemembers may have seeninto the wings, everyonecould see pertinentplaying spaces

Above and beyondcomplete functionality andclear sightlines, thedesigner transformed thespace by creating multiplechoices for staging alongwith dynamic entrancesand exits

Shifts from scene to scenewere accomplished butsometimes slowed theforward motion of the story

Smooth and brieftransitions were madebetween scenes withminimum visibledistractions

Transitions were wellorganized, nicelychoreographed and in linewith the pacing of thescene work

Scene shifts wereorganic—integrated intothe overall look and feel ofthe show

The shifts helped to tell thestory

An effort was made toestablish the story in aconsistent time and placewhether real or imaginary

The play’s time and placewere accuratelyrepresented in softsurfaces (backdrops,wallpaper, curtains, etc.)and hard surfaces (walls,architectural elements,staircases, etc.)

If realistic, set dressings—furniture and props—werehistorically accurate

If imaginary, furniture andprops accurately echoedthe design concept

If realistic, the designincluded the historicalelements required by thestory and reflected thepersonality of those whoinhabited the environment

If imaginary, the designboldly supported thedirector’s concept

Painting

Storytelling

Set surfaces were painted,but could strengthenconnection between thestory and the set design

Set surfaces were paintedwith textures and colors inharmony with the show’sentire palette (costumes,props, lighting)

Set accurately establishedthe world of the play

In addition to appropriatecolors and texture, detailssuch as trim anddecorative painting wereused to further enhancethe picture

Set provided a mood

In every corner of the set,there was visual interestand aesthetically pleasingbalance

Scenery contributed to andhelped define themeswithin the story


Set and performers weremostly visible with fewunintentionally shadowyplaces

Stage and performerswere well lit with a uniformwash

Minimal spill onto non-essential spaces (i.e.proscenium, curtains,house)

Lights illuminated clearlydefined playing spaceswith no spill

Entrances and exits werehighlighted

Practical light sources onstage (lamps, fires,sconces, etc.) operatedsuccessfully and were atthe right intensity, if used

The functionality itself wasinvisible and fullysupported the world beingcreated

Cues were generally welltimed

Light cues were built withsensitivity to timing (e.g.quick “lights up” on light-hearted scenes, longerfades on dramaticmoments, etc.)

Minimal delays in cues forspotlights

All cues were well timedand included crossfades,light changes within songsto intensify mood or keychanges, and other subtleelements

Light cues were built andexecuted to creativelymove the story along at apace reflective of thegeneral tempo of the show

Lights conveyed the basictime of day

The intensity of the lightchanged if the sceneswere indoors or outdoors

In addition tocommunicating time ofday and environment, thelighting accuratelyunderscored the mood ofthe scene

Lighting was so wellintegrated into the settingas to be an extension of it

Lights were more toilluminate the stage than toilluminate the story

To further the look, thedesign includedappropriate use of color,gobos and other texturalelements

Additionally, specials andspecial effects wereadded to highlightdramatic intensity andotherwise contribute to thestorytelling

Transitions from one lookto another were seamless

With lighting, the designersubliminally directed theaudience’s attention to theimportant action, set amood and moved the storyforward seamlessly andcohesively


Entire cast wascostumed

Costumes were mostlycomplete—few missingpieces (e.g. belts,appropriate footwear,etc.)

Cast was costumed witha finished look (e.g. hemscompleted, appropriatelyaccessorized, etc.)

Fit allowed for freedom ofmovement throughoutscene work and dances

Costumes were cleanedand pressed

In addition to being neatlyfinished, with allowance forrequired movement andchoreography, costumes weregenerously accessorized andtailored to fit individualperformers

Look of costumes stayed intactthroughout the show (e.g. shirtstucked in, hats remained on,seams held, etc.)

Beyond functionality,the well-fitted costumesenhanced thechoreographic elementsof the production andadded tocharacterization and thestory as a whole

Design provided a basiclook for everyone towhich small additionswere made toaccommodate needs ofdifferent scenes

An effort was made toprovide differentcostumes to signify a newday or change ofcharacter

In addition to providing a varietyof looks, shifts from one costumeor set of costumes to another didnot delay the show

The variety of costumesand well-organizedtransitions helped thedramatic build of thestory

For realistic settings,costumes suggestedthe world of the play byattempting tohistorically reflect thetime and place

If the play was in animaginary or abstractsetting, costumeshelped to illuminatethat world

For realistic settings,costumes defined theworld of the play byaccurately reflecting thehistorical time and placeof the play

To complete a satisfyingimaginary world,costumer clearlycollaborated with setdesigner to make aunified visual

For realistic settings, costumeswere not only historicallyaccurate, but actors werecoached in how to properly wearthe clothing from the period (e.g.hats on top of heads, pants wornat correct waistline, good postureto carry elegant clothing, or evenmaking sure costumes thatlooked alike were worn alike,etc.)

In the imaginary world of theplay, actors were given costumeflourishes (piping, gloves, fringe,hats, etc.) to further enhance thevisual picture

For realistic settings,design not only includedthe historical elementsrequired by the scriptbut reflected thepersonalities of thecharacters

For imaginary settings,design boldly supportedthe director’s conceptand reflected thepersonalities of thecharacters

Color was used to helpdistinguish betweencharacters

The color palette of thecostumes wascoordinated with the otherdesign elements (set,lighting, props)

Costumes stood outagainst the backdrop ofscenery

The total look of each characterwas fully realized betweencostuming, hair and makeup

Design gave insight intocharacters’ status,personality andrelationships


In addition to the Adjudication Standards and Evaluation Rubrics, adjudicators will also be asked to provide comments on a production’s sound design, prop

design and hair and makeup. Below are the response prompts for each of these areas, which further outlines what adjudicators will be assessing.

Sound is pleasing if it is distinct, balanced and tonally rich. Can the audience hear? How is the balance between the pit or recorded music and the singers?

Balance between the chorus and leads? Within the orchestra? And do those elements blend well with one another?

Sound design may also include sound effects. Sound effects may be specifically demanded by a script (doorbell, offstage crash) or created to provide ambient

background (wind blowing, traffic noise). The question is: Does the effect support the story?

Props are hand-held elements that give detail to the visual world of the play. Props can be purchased or built, but in either case their value is determined by

asking if they can hold up under the physical demands of the show and can easily be seen from the audience. Props should be historically accurate or in keeping

with the abstract nature of the play. Props should also fit the color palette of the show.

Hair and makeup should complement costuming choices. Hair and makeup should be historically accurate or reflective of the play’s concept, should hold up under

the physical demands of the show, and at its best can aid in communicating character.

Documents

cators’ evaluat · 10/16/2018 · basic orchestral etiquette (i.e. not talking during scenes or using cell phones, exhibiting professional behavior when entering the auditorium