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CITY OF PARRAMATTA EISTEDDFOD SOCIETY INC.

RULES FOR PARTICIPATION IN SPEECH AND DRAMA SECTIONS

(Current for 2024)

Adjudicator’s reports will be furnished at the close of each section and must be collected from the entrance door monitor. Those requiring a report to be mailed must furnish a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the convenor OR coordinator on duty together with information on which date the section/session was held. This must be done within one week of the last date of the Eisteddfod performances.

Adjudicator's decision is final. No discussion will be entered into, with the exception of an official protest as outlined in rule 3.

Protest accompanied by a deposit of $10.00 must be lodged within 30 minutes of Adjudicator's decision; deposit forfeited if protest not upheld.

The committee reserves the right to amend, combine or cancel sections. IF LESS THAN 4 ENTRIES received in any section, (see Rule 18 re Scholarship section) the section MAY BE CANCELLED and entry fees returned or SECTIONS COMBINED. This does NOT APPLY to the ‘SPECIAL NEEDS” SECTION (Section 350)

Competitors who have been coached, taught or advised by the Adjudicator during the 12 months preceding 1 April in that year are ineligible to compete. Competitors who are related to the adjudicator are also ineligible to compete. Committee Members, members of this Society or Employees of this Eisteddfod are ineligible to compete.

This Eisteddfod is not open to professionals. A professional is defined as a person who earns the major part of his/her income from the practice of the art or who uses that art as a primary means of livelihood.

AGE FOR ENTRIES WILL BE TAKEN AS AT 1^st APRIL OF EACH YEAR.

SCHOOL GRADE for improvisation group sections will be taken as at 1^st April of each year.

PLEASE NOTE: Competitors in individual (solo) sections must compete in sections for which they are eligible by age. Example 1: if 10 years old as at 1 April, a competitor is eligible for and can only compete in sections with age groups of 9-10 yrs and 10–11 yrs and the 9 -10yrs Championship;

This means that no competitor can compete in older or younger individual sections than their age range.

Re: Duo in Costume, group mime. Section age ranges span 2 years Example: 13-14 years. Competitors must be of the specific ages, as at 1 April, for the section entered.

Re: Dramatic Scene 3-6 players, Readers Theatre, Unison reading. Age range spans 3 years.

E.g. 8-10 yrs. Competitors must be of the specific ages, as at 1 April, for the section entered.

Example: Dramatic scene: 8-10 yrs. Competitors must be age 8 yrs or 9 yrs or 10 yrs as at 1 April.

Re: Impromptu phone conversation, Poem for 3-6 speakers, Poem for Two, Age range described as “age and under” (e.g. 12/U), the section entered must reflect the age of the eldest competitor. Example an entry with a 12 yr old, a 10 yr old and a 9 yr old competitor must enter the 12/U section.

Re: Improvisation for 2-6 players. Age range is determined by school grades 5-6; 7-8; 9-10; 11-12. School Grade will be as at 1^st April of each year. All competitors in a group must be in either of the two grades stipulated for the school grade range for the section entered. Example: 3 students in year 7 and 1 student in year 8 performing together would enter the section for School Grade 7-8 regardless of their ages.

RESTRICTED SECTIONS are open to competitors who have NOT won a FIRST PLACE in that age range section at the CITY OF PARRAMATTA Eisteddfod.

SPECIAL RESTRICTED SECTIONS are open to competitors who have NOT won a FIRST PLACE in ANY Eisteddfod, AT ANY TIME.

OWN CHOICE SECTIONS:

The onus of choosing the right type of selection in Own Choice Sections rests solely with the competitor. NO COMPETITOR WILL BE ALLOWED TO RENDER THE SAME ITEM IN MORE THAN ONE SECTION, either individually or in conjunction with any partner, at the current Eisteddfod. No competitor may perform as an ‘Own Choice’ item a selection which has been set for any section at the current Eisteddfod.

Re Competitors who have won a first prize in any ‘Own Choice’ section: the same ‘own choice’ item cannot be repeated until TWO City of Parramatta Eisteddfods have elapsed.

In compliance with copyright laws any copies of materials (i.e. poems, literary or dramatic extracts) provided to the society, unless clearly marked “not subject to copyright” must be retained and destroyed by the Committee after use.

COMPETITORS ARE REMINDED THAT INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS AN OFFENCE. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SELECTIONS CAREFULLY.

In "Own Choice" sections: All copies MUST BE HANDED IN TO THE STAGE MANAGER before the commencement of the section. Adjudicators have the option of penalties in marking if such a copy is not handed in or the copy is illegible.

Plagiarism – Public Speaking. Public Speaking content must be substantially the original work of the competitor. PLAGIERISM IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND IF DETECTED, THE COMPETITOR WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. (Refer Rule 29) Short quotes are acceptable and should be attributed to the source.

Competitors MUST compete in the section where his/her name appears and at the time the section is scheduled. Specific requests for changes to the programming will not be taken into account, for any reason. No negotiations will be entered into about changing a performance date as set out in the program. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GRANTED TO THIS RULE.

NO PERSON WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THE ADJUDICATOR or approach the Adjudicator's table except Committee Members. Parents or teachers are not allowed on stage during any performance.

Prompting or assistance of any kind can ONLY BE GIVEN BY THE ADJUDICATOR. If a competitor of any age receives a prompt, that competitor cannot be eligible to receive First Place in that section, but can receive second, third, etc. Further prompting in the same section will make a competitor ineligible for any placing in that section.

TIME LIMITS: Where a time limit is set, any competitor going over time may be penalised.

CHAMPIONSHIP & SCHOLARSHIP: All competitors MUST have registered TWO ADJUDICATOR'S REMARK SHEETS with the Stage Manager as proof of performance in at least TWO MEMORISED sections to compete in the CHAMPIONSHIP and SCHOLARSHIP Sections. (Refer Rule 10 re selection of material.) PLEASE NOTE: READING SECTIONS, PUBLIC SPEAKING, MIME AND IMPROVISATION SECTIONS DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THE SCHOLARSHIP OR CHAMPIONSHIP SECTIONS.

***Please Note: A MINIMUM OF 8 ENTRIES ARE NEEDED TO HOLD THE SCHOLARSHIP.***

Competitors must be 15 years by the 1st April and under 26 years as at 1st April to enter the Speech & Drama Scholarship. Dress Code applies. (see Rule 20)

The dress code for Scholarship and Championship Sections is to be observed. Smart casual attire, no shorts or thongs for any competitor. ‘Drama blacks’ are acceptable. Presentation of the competitor will be taken into account in awarding of points by the Adjudicator

WINNERS of the SPEECH & DRAMA SCHOLARSHIP are INELIGIBLE to enter in the Scholarship again.

WINNERS of the 9-10 years, 11-12 years, 13-14 years CHAMPIONSHIPS are ineligible to enter the same age range Championship the following year.

Competitors may not appear in sections other than those for which they have entered. No person may substitute for the competitor originally submitted via Stardom. NO COMPETITOR MAY APPEAR MORE THAN ONCE IN ANY SECTION.

The names of ALL competitors must be submitted online (via Stardom) for Duologue, Group Prepared Mime, Unison Reading, Readers’ Theatre, Dramatic Scene for 3-6 Players, Poem for 3 - 6, Poem for Two, Impromptu Telephone Conversation for Two; and Improvisation for 2-6 players. IN DUOLOGUE sections neither competitor may portray more than one character.

The choice of suitable material rests with the competitor. Foul language or explicit sexual references are prohibited, and offenders will be DISQUALIFIED. This rule pertains to all age ranges.

The Committee shall have the power to divide/reduce prizes in all sections, or if a satisfactory standard is not obtained, to withdraw the prize. Should the committee or Adjudicator decide not to give a prize in any section such a decision shall be final. THIS INCLUDES THE SCHOLARSHIP and CHAMPIONSHIP SECTIONS.

The Committee reserves the right to appoint a substitute Adjudicator should it become necessary.

No entries will be accepted unless accompanied by full fees (payable online via Stardom). Accepted entry fees will not be refunded unless section is cancelled by the committee. Check the syllabus for correct entry fees.

PARRAMATTA EISTEDDFOD PHOTOGRAPHY RULES MUST BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO. NO VIDEO RECORDING ALLOWED due to copyright laws. Photography rules will be on display at the venue

Any competitor found to be deliberately infringing the rules of the Society will be banned from further participation in the Eisteddfod at the absolute discretion of the Committee.

The Committee shall decide on any matter not covered by these rules. Its decision in any question or dispute is final.

IMPORTANT - ACTUALLY, VERY IMPORTANT

Register two qualifying adjudication reports with the stage manager to be ELIGIBILE TO COMPETE in the SCHOLARSHIP and CHAMPIONSHIPS (Please read Rule 18)

Competitors who have entered the Scholarship or Championships

MUST register with the stage manager the relevant Adjudicator’s Reports for TWO MEMORISED SECTIONS. Please do this straight after the qualifying sections to avoid panic when arriving at the Championships or Scholarship.. You may bring your reports with you to the Scholarship or Championship but verifying the sections causes delays to the running of the Championships and Scholarship. Important: A qualifying poem cannot be repeated in the Scholarship. (Rule 10(a))

IMPORTANT NOTES

NO RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ACCIDENTS, INJURY TO OR

LOST PROPERTY OF ANY PERSON/S AT THIS EISTEDDFOD.

ALL COMPETITORS PERFORM AT THEIR OWN RISK.

SUBMISSION OF AN ENTRY FORM CONFIRMS THAT COMPETITORS WILL PERFORM AT THEIR OWN RISK AND THAT COMPETITORS WILL ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THIS EISTEDDFOD AS SET OUT IN THIS SYLLABUS.

Please refer to the City of Parramatta Eisteddfod website for more information.