High School Musical Awards Program Seeks Evaluators

The Spirit of Broadway Theater is seeking qualified evaluators for its 2011 CT High School Musical Theater Awards (CHSMTA) program which honors excellence in the production of high school musical theatre.

Positions are seasonal from March to June 2011 and evaluators are needed from all across the state of Connecticut.

This program sends a panel of three evaluators to review each of the 20 registered high school musical productions throughout the state. Evaluators submit nomination recommendations in 19 performance and production categories (i.e. Outstanding Performance by an Actor/Actress in a Leading Role, Outstanding Scenic Achievement, Outstanding Achievement by a Chorus, etc...). Nominations are announced in early May and followed by a Tony Awards style, black-tie gala on Monday, June 6 at The Palace Theater in Waterbury.

The corps of evaluators will be comprised of theatre educators as well as representatives from CT professional and community theatres, presenting halls and arts education organizations. All evaluators should hold a minimum of a BFA or BA degree in theatre, music, dance or a related area, and should ideally have experience in directing or mounting high school musicals. Interested persons without a degree, but with comparable work experience, may apply and will be considered on an individual basis.

An ideal candidate, according to a press release, would be an active or retired middle or high school musical theatre teacher/director whose school is not participating in the awards program as an entrant. Candidates other than teachers should have extensive work experience in one of the arts disciplines on a professional basis, and have a strong sense of objectivity. They must be able to effectively evaluate student performances and production values. All candidates must be outstanding writers with the ability to effectively communicate their impressions in a constructive manner. Also, a candidate must already be an avid theatre-goer and should possess a wide knowledge of the canon of American Musical Theatre.

All evaluators must be fluent in Microsoft Word and must have an email address to receive communications and submit performance reports as attachments. Only applicants with computer literacy and internet access will be considered. In addition, evaluators must attend an orientation and adjudication training workshop at 10 am Saturday, March 5 at The Spirit of Broadway Theater, Norwich. All candidates must be available and willing to commit to attending at least two high school musicals on the weekends during the course of the competition between March and the end of May 2011. Lastly, applicants should be available to attend the final evaluator meeting 10 am, Saturday, May 7 at Spirit of Broadway Theater.

CHSMTA Adjudicators will receive complimentary tickets to participating schools musicals. Tickets to the awards ceremony will be offered to adjudicators at the school rate of $10. per ticket. Limit 4 per adjudicator. Adjudicators will also be offered the opportunity to present an award.

Interested individuals should email Brett A. Bernardini, producer, at BroadwaySpirit@aol.com, or apply by mail to The Spirit of Broadway Theater, 24 Chestnut Street, Norwich, CT 06360 or fax to 860.859.2672.