Post this timeline in a central location where the festival staff can track their progress and see how it all fits together. This is meant to be a guide. Write in actual dates. Modify it as needed.
1 year before festival
Meet with the NHETG Board members
Meet with your administration for permission & heads-up
Enlist the Production Staff
Distribute Hosting Guidelines to the Production Staff
Hold brainstorming sessions with the Production Staff
April - 1 year before festival
Attend State Drama Festival with some of your Prod Staff.
Schedule a summer meeting with NHETG and other hosts usually held at your school.
May - 11 months before festival
Hold additional brainstorming sessions with the Production Staff (monthly).
Determine Festival Theme.
Establish preliminary building use.
Hold the Summer NHETG Festival Planning Meeting (at the state festival host site) __/__/__
Be prepared to ask questions regarding this document.
Meet with your administration to keep them up to date.
October - 6 months before festival
Hold Regular Production Staff meetings at least monthly
Cast the festival - Production Staff appoints its assistants & staff members (students & adults)
January - 3 months before festival
Hold the January NHETG Board meeting __/__/__
Board distributes registered shows to Regionals.
Board & Hosts assemble packets.
Workshops for adjudicators & consultants.
Lunch.
Building tours for Directors, Board & Hosts,
Meet with your administration to keep them up to date.
Determine preliminary schedule proof by NHETG Board.
February - 2 months before festival
Send a Festival Alert Memo to your office staff.
Include a tentative schedule & building use.
Give them any other information that might help them handle phones, faxes, mail & email.
Send a Festival Alert Memo to your faculty.
Inform them of the wide spread use of the building.
Pre-registration Packets mailed 2 weeks prior to earliest regional festival.
Friday - 27 days before Festival __/__/__
Program Layout complete except for school/show pages.
Make Name Tags for NHETG Board & Life Members and others you know of in advance.
Monday - 17 days before Festival __/__/__
Program pages gathered from Regional Festival finalists the day after each festival.
Finish program layout of all schools to date.
Get complete program from remaining regional festivals.
Lay out Show Tickets & Meal Tickets.
Tuesday - 16 days before Festival __/__/__
Initial Program Proofing round.
Saturday - 12 days before Festival __/__/__
The last day for regional festivals.
Sunday - 11 days before Festival __/__/__
Program pages gathered from the last regional finalists.
Monday - 10 days before Festival __/__/__
Finalize festival schedule proofed by President & TD.
Assign schools to Home Rooms.
Assign students to forum groups randomly.
Make name tags.
Customize school/show specific decorations & posters.
Add the last individual show pages to the program layout.
Finish all signs.
Tuesday - 9 days before Festival __/__/__
Send a memo to the office staff including the final schedule.
Final Program Proofing round.
Wednesday - 8 days before Festival __/__/__
Send a memo to all Faculty reminding them of festival.
Tell them to secure their rooms.
Thursday - 7 days before Festival __/__/__
Program goes to press or photocopier.
Monday - 3 days before Festival __/__/__
Registration packets printed 4 days before festival.
Name tags complete.
School/show decorations, poster & banners complete.
Hang & focus lights.
Tuesday - 2 days before Festival __/__/__
Create Adjudicator Comment Sheet files.
Print Order Of Preference Charts.
Create Participation Award files.
Catch up.
Wednesday - 1 day before Festival __/__/__
Registration packets assembled.
Rehearse tours of the building.
Rehearse Host MC speeches to the audience.
Empty wings & backstage areas of non festival essentials.
Rehearse the tech crew.
Thursday Festival Begins __/__/__
Prepare the green room.
Prepare the set storage areas.
Tech shows of nearby school if possible.
Put signs up throughout building.
Decorate Home Base Rooms.