Panel Guidelines

Guidelines for the Silicon Valley Small Theater Awards

Goals of Process

To recognize standout productions from small (under 300 seat performance venues) theatre organizations in the Silicon Valley. To represent and provide exposure for a variety of groups, over a geographically diverse area.

The panel for the last number of years has been anonymous to the public and must remain so to protect the integrity of the process. The panel members do not request comp tickets. Panel members pay for their own tickets. Artsopolis and/or the Wave does not subsidize or defray this cost in any way. The Panel does not identify themselves as members of the panel at the time of attendence.

The initial list of shows that are generated as being eligible to be honored (several hundred each year) are gathered from the database of shows on Artsopolis.com which covers all of Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and Southern Alameda County.

ALL PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE AUTOMATICALLY NOMINATED:

Nominations:

• Organization must be housed within the Silicon Valley geographic area as defined by the cities Artsopolis currently covers
• Production must have been performed within the Silicon Valley Geographic area that Artsopolis covers
• Performances are from July of the previous year to beginning of July of the present year.
• Performance space must be 300 seats or less to qualify as small venue, sub 300 average attendence does NOT change eligability.
• Productions may be nominated for more than one category
• No one show may win more than 2 categories
• No one organization may be recognized for more than 3 shows total
• No one organization can be selected twice in the same category

Panel Requirements:

• A member of the panel should not be affiliated with only a single organization that is nominated. (Though active with MANY groups is acceptable)
• A member should be able to provide first hand knowledge, not hearsay, on shows nominated
• No panel member may provide input on a show they were directly involved with 

Category Definitions for Possible Recognition:

Standout Overall Productions - Productions in any category that excel beyond expectation in all aspects of the production. Solid technical design, casting, direction, script, and overall complete package productions.

Standout Musical Productions - Production exhibiting high musical standards from actors, orchestra, dance, and interpretation of the book. This can be an adult, youth and family, or multi-generational production.

Standout Classic Productions – Productions exhibiting high production value of straight play scripts written prior to 1960. Attention to acting, authenticity and interpretation along with such things as accents, consistency of period representations from a technical standpoint are taken into consideration.

Standout Contemporary Adult Productions – Productions exhibiting high production value intended for adult audiences specifically, with non-musical scripts written after 1960. This can either comedy or dramatic in theme.

Standout Comedy Productions – Productions exhibiting high production value for non-musical plays, classic or contemporary and whose primary vehicle of entertainment is the promise of laughter through comic timing, wit of dialogue, and chemistry of cast. Productions in this category can be from any era and can be an adult, Youth and Family or Multi-generational production.

Standout Drama Productions- Productions exhibiting high production value for non-musical plays, classic or contemporary and whose primary vehicle of entertainment is serious and cathartic in nature. Productions in this category can be from any era and can be an adult, Youth and Family or Multi-generational production.

Standout Family & Youth Productions – Productions exhibiting high production value performed by youth or performed FOR youth and are not only appropriate for families of all ages but specifically targeted for youth and family audiences.

Standout New Works Productions- Productions exhibiting high production value that are, West Coast Premieres, World Premieres, or staged readings of previously un-produced plays. These can be comic or dramatic, and can be adult, youth and family, or Multi-generational as well as musical or non-musical scripts.

Standout Free Production Companies- Companies that consistently present excellent high quality small theatre experiences for free to the Silicon Valley.

Standout Costumes – A production whose overall theatrical experience is enhanced through creative, detailed, time/theme specific, functional and or aesthetic costume design.

Standout Set Design - A production whose overall theatrical experience is enhanced through creative, detailed, time/theme specific, functional, and or aesthetic set design.

Standout Technical Design (Sound/Lights/Props) - Production whose overall theatrical experience is enhanced through creative, detailed, time/theme specific, functional and/or aesthetic sound and/or lighting design.

Local Actors and Actresses to watch for Next season – A volunteered number of male and female actors BASED in the Silicon Valley, as recommended by the panel, whose excellent efforts in the last season make them stand out.

All guide lines, definitions and categories subject to revision upon discussion by active panel members and under review on an individual baisis. Awards for ALL categories not required should there not be a production the panel feels is truly worthy or enough that qualify.