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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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 4
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 5
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 6
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 7
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 8
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 9
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 10
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 11
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
ADJUDICATION STANDARDS AND EVALUATION RUBRICS – Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, presented by EMC Insurance Companies 12
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.