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Important Information for Performing Societies

17TH INTERNATIONAL GILBERT AND SULLIVAN FESTIVAL

RULES AND CONDITIONS

Any performing society will be eligible to apply to participate in the competition providing their application is received in writing.
All applications for individual or group participation must be completed on the official registration form and returned to the Festival Secretary.
The full programme of the Festival will be determined by the Organisers. Confirmation of acceptance of the applications to perform in the Festival will be forwarded as soon as possible.
Each performing society should forward to the Festival Organisers final details of their programme, their cast lists and full details of their production for inclusion in the Souvenir Festival Programme, no later than 5 weeks before the opening night.
All performing societies will be responsible to provide their own costumes, make-up and properties.
The Festival organisers will provide sets for participating societies, however, where the society wishes to bring their own set, they will be at liberty to do so at their own expense.
Selected societies may have their own Musical Director/Conductor, who will be responsible for their production. Performing groups may also bring their own orchestra.
A festival orchestra comprising a maximum of 25 players will be available to each performing society for both their performance and an afternoon rehearsal, which will commence at 2.30pm on the day of the performance. The Festival Organisers will also be prepared to subsidise societies wishing to bring their own musicians. This again will be subject to discussions between the Festival Musical Director and the individual society.
The organisers can contract additional players on behalf of the society requiring more than 25 players. The cost will be £90.00 per play per day.
A conductor's score, musical score and band parts should be forwarded by each performing society to the Festival Organiser to arrive at least two weeks prior to the opening of the Festival. If you prefer to bring these with you, please advise the organisers as soon as possible.

Competing societies will have access to the theatre from 0900 hours on the day of their performance. Each society must provide a minimum of 4 crew to work with the resident technicians for: the get in, the fit-up; focussing the lights; where necessary the running of the rehearsal and how; and finally the get-out directly after the adjudication.

The schedule for the day will be as follows:-

0900-1255 hours	Get in, fit-up, lighting and any other technical work.

1255-1300 hours	Vacate stage, auditorium and orchestra pit areas.

1300-1400 hours	Stage, orchestra pit and auditorium areas closed during lunch break, however dressing rooms will remain open.

1400 hours	Stage, orchestra pit and auditorium re-open.

1430-1730 hours	Band call with 15 minute tea break.

1930 hours	Public performance followed by adjudication.

Before 2300 hours	Get-out to start directly after the adjudication. Get out must take no longer than 2 hours. Dressing rooms should be vacated within half an hour of the end of the adjudication.

The society must provide a Stage Manager to “call the show, a Lighting Designer and where sound reinforcement is being used a Sound Operator.

Please note that there is a standard lighting rig for the festival (the theatre will supply a plan), and extra rigging or deviation from the standard will need to be done during the morning session and returned back to standard during the get-out. Please note that there is no standard focus, so please allow sufficient time – at least an hour – for the overhead lighting rig during the morning session for focussing.

The festival organisers have appointed a “Company Manager” who will be responsible for ensuring the schedule is strictly enforced. Societies incurring overtime as a result of failing to adhere to the above schedule will be responsible for paying extra costs to the festival, which in turn will reimburse the theatre.

The Theatre Technical Manager and technical crew will be on duty to assist and advise with setting of lighting, scenery and where applicable, sound equipment.
Any Royalties or Hire Fees shall be paid by the competing societies/performing groups.
The full programme of the Festival will be announced to all registered participants no later than the end of February. Registered participants will enjoy the privilege of priority reservation of seats providing the bookings are received in Halifax prior to the end of February.
Competing societies are expected to advise the Festival Organisers in advance of their performance whether their production includes any professional actors or actresses. For the purpose of the Festival, a professional is classified as someone who earns his or her livelihood from the theatre. Professionals will be excluded from consideration for individual awards and societies who are predominantly professional will be excluded from the competition, but may still participate in the Festival.
The adjudicator will give a verbal adjudication immediately following each performance and written reports will be forwarded to every competing society within 29 days of the closure of the Festival. The adjudicators' decisions shall be deemed final.
In all other matters relating to the Festival, the decision of the Organising Committee shall be deemed final.
INSURANCE – It is the responsibility of visiting societies and performers to ensure that they have adequate insurance for their own liability and also for their own property.
Any application form received by the Organising Committee shall be considered to constitute a complete acceptance of these rules by the applicant.