AUDIENCE MEMBERS

The Cincinnati Directors Competition is a theatrical competition that pits stage directors against one another in a display of their best work. Each contestant will present a 30-minute piece in hopes of being chosen Best In Show for a $500 grand prize.

Over the course of one weekend you will see nine directors showcase nine different short pieces. These directors will be judged on the execution of the material. Who will be judging them? You will.

Beginning Thursday night, March 6, the audience and a judging panel of professional directors will vote for their favorite show, every night, for three consecutive evenings. On Sunday, the 3 winners from each previous night will go head to head in final showdown to determine which contestant walks away with the $500 grand prize!

How do I judge a director?

Consider the following points when evaluating a director's work:

Functional/Creative Use of the Space
How did things look on stage? Were the stage "pictures" the director created interesting?

Effective Casting and Actor Direction
Did you agree with the casting choices?   Did the actors perform in a way that supported the piece?

Effective Use of Technical Support
Did the director make effective use of lighting and sound, or the absence of lighting and sound?

Viability/Strength of Directorial Concept  
Was there an overall theme running through the piece?   If so, did that theme choice compliment important elements in the script? Did the choice make sense and communicate the text effectively?

(What's a "directorial concept"? Example: A director sets a play by Shakespeare in Nazi Germany during World War II, drawing comparisons between the characters in the play and actual figures from history.)

©2008 Cincinnati Directors Competion