HBTL DIVERSE VOICES PLAYWRITING CONTEST 2007
Official Rules
$20 ENTRY FEE. FOR EACH ADDITIONAL SCRIPT THERE IS AN EXTRA $10 FEE. MAXIMUM THREE (3) SCRIPTS PER PLAYWRIGHT. The entry period for The Diverse Voices Playwriting Contest (the "Contest"), sponsored by Hinton Battle Theatre Laboratory (the "Sponsor"), begins January 1st, 2007 and ends April 2nd, 2007 (the "Entry Period").The Contest is a stage play script writing contest. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or modify the Contest if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that there are not a sufficient number of eligible entries in the Contest.
The Contest is open to individuals at least eighteen (18) years of age
on the date of entry, a legal resident of the forty-eight (48)
contiguous United States (including Puerto Rico, United
States territories, possessions, and protectorates, and foreign based
United States military installations) or the District of Columbia.
Entrants may be required to present a valid, government-issued
identification and a Social Security number. Neither Sponsor nor
Sponsor Affiliates (as defined in Section 6 below) are eligible to
participate in the Contest and/or win the Prize (as defined in Section
5 below). Additionally, relatives of Sponsor Affiliates and persons
living in the same household as those relatives (whether related or
not) are not eligible to win. For the purposes of
this Contest, a "relative" is defined as spouse, domestic partner,
parent, in-laws, grandparent, brother, sister, children and
grandchildren.
2. SCRIPT REQUIREMENTS
Sponsor is looking for stage plays the subject matter of which
represents or addresses the cultural diversity of America or diversity
issues. An entry to the Contest will consist of two items: (i)
a typed or printed script (drama or comedy) on 8½ x 11 white paper
written by the entrant (one or more co-authors are acceptable as long
as each co-author meets the eligibility criteria described in Paragraph
1 above) which is wholly original to the entrant, is intended for an
adult audience (the Script); and (ii) an accompanying cover letter
written by the entrant which includes the following information: the
name of the Script's author(s), the mailing address of each author
(P.O. boxes not acceptable), the primary daytime telephone number (with
area code) of each author, the e-mail address of each author, the
mobile phone number (with area code) or alternate telephone number
(with area code) of each author, the birth date of each author, the
educational background of each author and the theatre background of
each author ("Cover Letter").
Scripts for musicals or musical comedies are NOT eligible. Scripts that have been produced are NOT eligible. Scripts
that have been licensed by the author(s) to a producer or production
entity for a production at some time in the future are NOT eligible.
All rights in and to the Script including, without limitation, the
copyright must be solely owned by the entrant or the entrant and
his/her coauthors. Scripts that are adaptations
of or based on pre-existing source material owned by one or more third
parties (e.g., a novel or a film) are acceptable provided that entrant
includes with the Cover Letter written proof that entrant has obtained
permission to adapt that source material from each copyright owner of
the source material.
3. HOW TO ENTER
The only way to enter the Contest is via the United States mail or
express delivery mail. Mail the Script and Cover Letter to The Hinton
Battle Theatre Laboratory, 520 8thnd Avenue, Ste. 315, New York, New York 10018. All entries must be postmarked by April 2nd, 2007. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late,
misdirected, damaged, illegible, incomplete, incorrect, misrouted or
postage due entries/mail. Only entries for which a self-addressed
postage prepaid envelope are provided will be returned to an entrant.
By entering this Contest, entrants (and any co-authors) are
representing and warranting that (i) entrant (and any co-authors) are
the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title and interest,
including, without limitation, copyright in and to the Script, (ii)
entrant (and any co-authors) have the legal right and authority to
grant to Sponsor all of the rights described in these Official Rules
and (iii) the Script will not violate the rights, common law or
otherwise, of any party or entity. Also, by entering, entrant (and any
co-authors) hereby agrees to grant a nonexclusive, royalty-free, paid
up, irrevocable license to Sponsor to produce one (1) public reading of
the Script in New York City on date to be determined by Sponsor and utilizing actors selected solely by Sponsor.
Sponsor reserves the right to void any entry if Sponsor determines, in
its sole judgment, that the Script submitted to Sponsor is
substantially similar to a script owned by someone other than the
entrant. Sponsor decisions regarding substantial similarity are final and cannot be appealed.
4. SELECTION OF CONTEST FINALISTS AND WINNERS
Sponsor will select Scripts from all eligible entries. Sponsor will use
the following criteria for selecting Scripts: (a) character
development; (b) originality; (c) creativity and (d) plot development.
Each
of the Scripts selected by Sponsor will be given a public reading in
New York City in May, 2007, utilizing actors selected solely by
Sponsor.
Sponsor will notify the author of each of the selected Scripts via
phone and/or e-mail that his/her Script is a finalist in the Contest on
or about April 15th, 2007. If Sponsor is unable to
reach, within a reasonable period of time as determined by Sponsor in
its sole discretion, one or more of the authors of the selected
Scripts, then Sponsor shall have the right to select an alternate from
all eligible entries received.
The author(s) of any selected Scripts must edit those Scripts so that
the Public Reading will not require more than forty-five (45) minutes
for any given Script. The edited version must be returned to Sponsor no later than May 7th, 2006.
All entrants whose Scripts are selected for a Public Reading must be
able to attend the Award Ceremony at their sole cost and expense (if a
Script has been co-authored, only one author will be required to attend
the Public Reading). Each entrant must arrive in
New York City the day before the scheduled Public Reading of that
entrant's Script. If any such entrant is unable to attend the Award Ceremony, then that Script will be disqualified.
The Scripts selected by Sponsor will then be judged by a panel of theatre professionals (the "Panel") selected by Sponsor. The
Panel will select one first place winner
from the Scripts that have been read at the Public Reading using the
following criteria: (a) character development;
(b) originality; (c) creativity; (d) plot development and (e) the
Panel's perception of the ability of the Script to reach an audience
that is ethnically or economically diverse or both.
Any Panel comments (written or otherwise) regarding any one or more of
the Scripts not selected as the first place winner shall not be publicly distributed or made available to any individual
or entity.
Sponsor will notify the first place winner no later
than thirty (30) days following the last Public Reading of a finalist's
Script.
If the potential first place winner (including any
and all co-authors) fails to return a completed affidavit of
eligibility, liability/publicity release, or other documents(s) as
required by Sponsor, fails to provide Sponsor with a copy of his/her
valid government issued photo identification or social security number,
or is found to be ineligible that winner will forfeit the applicable
Prize (as defined below).
By entering the Contest, the author(s) of each of the Scripts hereby
grants to Sponsor an exclusive right of first negotiation to develop
that author's Script for further production. That exclusive right of
first negotiation shall extend for that one-year period commencing June
1, 2007 In
the event Sponsor elects to exercise said right, Sponsor shall so
notify author(s) and the Sponsor and author(s) (or author's authorized
representative) shall, for a period of thirty (30) days enter into
negotiations to produce the Script. If, at the
end of such 30-day period, author and Sponsor have not been able to
reach agreement regarding a production of the Script, author shall have
the right to produce the Script, alone or in conjunction with one or
more third parties and neither Sponsor nor author shall have any
further obligation, financial or otherwise, to the other. In the event
Sponsor and author are not able to reach an agreement regarding the
production of the Script, and in the event author produces alone or in
conjunction with one or more third parties produces the Script, author
agrees to include or cause others to include in any program playbill a
credit noting that the play was first presented at The Hinton Battle
Theatre Laboratory in 2007.
5. WINNER/PRIZE:
The First Prize Winner will receive One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00).
LIMIT: One prize per person. If any prize winner consists of more than
one author, authors shall share the applicable prize.
Decisions made by Sponsor are final in all matters, including
interpretation of these Official Rules and awarding of the Prize, and
cannot be appealed. No substitutions of the Prize
are offered, except that Sponsor and the Sponsor Affiliates reserve the
right in their sole discretion to substitute the Prize or any portion
of the Prize for a prize of equal or greater value. No transfer of the Prize to a third party is permitted. Any
applicable state, federal and local taxes and other expenses not
specifically set forth herein are the sole responsibility of the Winner.
6. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER:
All entries must be completed in full in order to be eligible. Any
attempted form of entry other than as described herein is void. Entries
generated by a script, macro or other automated means will be
disqualified. No mechanical reproductions,
alterations, or forged entries allowed. Incomplete, illegible, and
corrupted entries are void. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole
discretion, to disqualify any individual, and his/her entry, who
tampers with the entry process.
Any person who supplies false information, enters by fraudulent means,
or is otherwise determined to be in violation of these Official Rules
in an attempt to obtain the Prize will forfeit any Prize won and may be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
Sponsor and employees of Sponsor, and all of their respective partners,
parent companies, divisions, subsidiaries, affiliates, trustees,
franchisees, licensees, distributors, advertising, promotion and public
relations agencies and their respective officers, directors, employees,
agents, independent contractors, representatives and agencies
(collectively, the "Sponsor Affiliates") are not responsible for lost,
late, incomplete, destroyed, forged, damaged, tampered with, mass
machine generated, unintelligible, incomprehensible, misdirected
entries, otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules or mail
related to or resulting from participation in the Contest. Sponsor
reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel or modify the
Contest if the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including,
without limitation, any fraud, technical failure or other cause beyond
its control which corrupts, threatens or adversely affects the
administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper operation of
the Contest.
As a condition of entry, each entrant agrees to be bound by these
Official Rules and the decisions of
Sponsor. Except
where prohibited by law, by entering this Contest, each entrant
consents to (i) the use of his/her name, voice, picture, likeness and
biographical data and/or any other information contained in his/her
entry in advertising, promotional and marketing materials by Sponsor
and the Sponsor Affiliates worldwide in all media now known or
hereafter discovered (including Sponsor's and Sponsor Affiliates web
sites) without additional compensation, notice, approval or review. By
entering this Contest, each entrant agrees to waive any right to claim
ambiguity with the Official Rules.
All Prize claims and documents provided by Contest winners must be verified by Sponsor.
Offer void where prohibited.
6. GOVERNING LAW
The Contest and these Official Rules will be governed by the laws of
the State of New York whose courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction in
the event that any dispute arises regarding the Contest or the Prize.
Claims,
judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs
incurred including costs associated with entering the Contest but in no
event attorney fees.
7. WINNERS LIST:
A Winners List can be viewed here commencing on or about June 1, 2007
SPONSOR: Hinton Battle Theatre Laboratory, Inc., 520 8th Avnue, Suite 315, New York, New York 10018.
2007 Hinton Battle Theatre Laboratory, Inc. All rights reserved.