1 General
1.1 The HAMBURG PLAYERS FEATS 2015 Organising Committee ("Organising Committee") has appointed a Festival Stage Manager whose decisions on backstage matters, including timing, are final and binding on all Participants. Authorised personnel from the Theatre are entitled to intervene at any time, for whatever reason, in the interest of the physical safety of all persons or Theatre infrastructure within the building.
1.2 Each participating group ("Participant") will present
- a complete play or
- an extract from a play, provided that this extract is intelligible to any member of the audience who may not have seen or read the full play (note that written and/or spoken synopses are not permitted), or
- some other form of theatrical performance approved by the Organising Committee.
1.3 The language of the production must be English.
1.4 No group is permitted to submit more than one competing entry to the same FEATS.
1.5 No member of a participating group may be paid for taking part in FEATS.
1.6 Under no circumstances is any Participant permitted to communicate with the adjudicator before or during the Festival. Any attempt to influence the adjudicator or to communicate with the adjudicator will result in disqualification.
1.7 The filming, video or tape-recording of any performance, even for personal use, is expressly forbidden during the public performance.
1.8 Failure to comply with any of these rules of competition could lead to disqualification from part or all of the competition.
2 Participation and Play Selection
2.1 It is the sole responsibility of the Participant to obtain formal, written permission for use of all copyright material, of whatever nature, and to pay any royalties which may be due. Similarly, if any copyright material is altered in any way it is the sole responsibility of the Participant to supply evidence that the owner of the copyright has granted permission for the alteration(s). Performance licence(s) and any such evidence of permission to perform and/or use and/or photocopy material must be uploaded to the “Copyright Tab” online or emailed to the Festival Stage Manager by April 27th 2015. Failure to do so may result in removal from the Festival and forfeiture of the full performance bond.
2.2 Each Participant must deliver to the Festival Chairman, by February 28th 2015, two (2) formal copies of the entry script as it will be performed, one (1) for use by the Adjudicator and one (1) for the Organising Committee.
If two or more participants submit the same play or a play which was performed at FEATS 2014, or if the Organising Committee considers a submitted play to be unsuitable for FEATS 2015 for whatever reason, the Participant(s) will be advised by the Organising Committee in writing (email) and invited to reconsider their choice of material. If a Participant insists on its original choice, the Organising Committee reserves the right to take whatever decision it considers to be in the best interest of the Festival. This may include replacing the Participant(s) concerned by reserve(s). In this situation the Organising Committee would return any performance bond(s) paid.
2.4 An original script is defined as one being used in an original production, which has had its first public performance within the previous two years or at the current FEATS. It must have the same director, set and interpretation that it had when first performed in public, although individual cast members may have changed since that first performance.
2.5 Acceptance of the invitation to participate in FEATS and payment of the performance bond is considered full agreement by any Participant, without exception, to perform in whichever slot on whichever evening is allocated by the Organising Committee. No preferential slots may be requested by the Participant or conditions placed on the FEATS 2015 Organising Committee for participation.
2.6 Each Participant is responsible for insuring its personnel, scenery, costumes, properties and transport.
3 Timing and Penalties
3.1 Each entry must be at least twenty-five (25) minutes in length and must not exceed fifty (50) minutes. This time includes all scene changes during performance but excludes the time spent in setting and striking the set as specified in rule 3.3 (below). Failure to adhere to these time restrictions will result in the following penalties.
A performance of less than twenty-five (25) minutes or exceeding (50) fifty minutes. Penalty points are given for failing to adhere to these limits:
- Up to 1 minute 1 penalty point
- Up to 2 minutes 2 penalty points
- Up to 3 minutes 5 penalty points
- Up to 4 minutes 10 penalty points
- Up to 5 minutes 15 penalty points
- More than 5 minutes leads to disqualification from 1st, 2nd and 3rd best play awards
3.2 The Participant shall start the performance within one (1) minute of receiving the cue from the Festival Stage Manager to do so. Timing of the performance starts with the first cue given by the Participant stage manager and ends with the last cue, e.g., “close curtains”. If the first cue is not given within the one minute, timing will automatically start at one second thereafter.
3.3 The time allowed for setting the opening scene is ten (10) minutes and for striking the set at the end of the performance is five (5) minutes. The time allowed to start the performance from the cue given by the Festival Stage Manager is one (1) minute. Failure to adhere to these time restrictions will result in the following penalties:
- Up to 1 minute 1 penalty point
- Up to 2 minutes 2 penalty points
- Up to 3 minutes 5 penalty points
- Up to 4 minutes 10 penalty points
- Up to 5 minutes 15 penalty points
- More than 5 minutes leads to disqualification from Stage Management award
- More than 10 minutes leads to disqualification from Stage Management award as well as disqualification from 1st, 2nd and 3rd best play awards.
3.4 For the performance the Participant shall designate a maximum of five (5) persons as its crew-of-five (Crew) to set and strike the scenery and properties. The Crew can include members of the cast or other support staff.
3.5 Each Participant will be allowed a two (2) hour rehearsal period, at a time to be determined by the Festival Stage Management Team. The rehearsal period may be used by the Participant in any way it deems fit. Only the crew-of-five will be permitted backstage to set and strike the scenery.
3.6 No member of any other group will be present during the rehearsal period and all Participants must avoid the backstage/auditorium area during the rehearsal period of any other group. Backstage is defined as the acting area, the wings, rear stage area behind the proscenium arch and the passages (stage right) leading to the auditorium doors.
3.7 There are no restrictions as to the number of pre-registered Participant support staff who may assist during the rehearsal period, as long as they have tasks to do and are wearing official crew ID badges. The Participant must indicate in their online Festival Entry if any children or young people (under the age of 18) are involved in the production, either on stage or as part of its crew or support personnel, and shall comply with all Child Protection Policy and Procedures which may be advised by the Organising Committee.
3.8 In addition to the crew, lighting and sound staff are permitted to enter the backstage area during setting and striking if their duties so require. All other support staff shall remain in the dressing room during setting and striking.
3.9 All crew members, i.e. everyone assisting during loading/unloading of set, must wear flat, slip-resistant, enclosed footwear throughout the two-hour rehearsal period and during the performance.
4 Presentation
4.1 For FEATS 2015, the Organising Committee will provide a theatre with the basic equipment of a well-run professional theatre. The Organising Committee is not obliged to undertake provision of properties, and/or equipment over and above those identified in this TDP and on www.feats-hamburg.de.
4.2 The use of all property and equipment, including but not limited to scenery, furnishings, lighting and sound equipment brought by the Participant, is subject to the approval of the Festival Stage Management Team at all times and must comply with all necessary fire and safety regulations.
4.3 Participants are entitled to bring such scenery and properties as they consider essential to their production. Box sets will be permitted but cannot be flown. On the day designated to a Participant for performance, its scenery will be stored in the area assigned by the Festival Stage Manager. Participants must indicate in their online Festival Entry by March 30, 2015 if they propose to use any additional lighting and/or sound equipment the Participant.
4.4 Each Participant is responsible for ensuring that the lights for their performance are correctly set, that the curtain is opened and closed at the required times, that the scenery is correctly set and struck within the time allocated, and that clear and concise cues are given to relevant Festival staff and/or Theatre staff. The sound and lighting boards will be operated by the participating group under supervision of Festival Stage Management Team and Theatre staff.
4.5 Each participant is responsible for informing the Festival Stage Management Team if they intend to use any specialist equipment which needs to be set up by individuals not in the FEATS 2015 participant’s crew. If the Festival Stage Management considers it necessary to place limits on the proposed effects, the Participant will be advised in due time.
5 Interpretation of the Rules
5.1 Decisions of the FEATS 2015 Organising Committee, including the Festival Stage Management Team, concerning interpretation of these rules and on all matters relating to the running of the Festival will be final and binding on all Participants.
5.2 The HAMBURG PLAYERS is the sole body legally and financially responsible for FEATS 2015. In any dispute arising between a Participant and the Organising Committee, the decision of the Organising Committee shall be final.
5.3 As regards permission to use copyright film, television or video materials during the performance, please see rule 2.1. As regards the technical implications of such use, prior permission of the Festival Stage Management is required.
5.4 In case of infringement of the FEATS rules, it is possible that 100% of the performance bond will be retained by the Organising Committee.