Cappies Email 4/30
Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: Important Cappies Updates
Sent to: All Critics, All Mentors, All Directors, All Advisors
Good afternoon!
It's that time - the Gala is almost upon us and our year is wrapping up! We have a number of Cappies events on the horizon. More information will be coming throughout the upcoming days, but check out this message for a quick overview.
ACTION ITEMS (read email for details)
CRITICS: Register to Vote by May 7 @ 11:59p
DIRECTORS: Provide publication info by May 3
DIRECTORS: Talk to your school admin about students possibly needing to be excused early for the Gala on June 2 (if performing)
COMING UP (read email for details)
Seat Reservation Form (opens next week, closes May 16)
Voting (May 11 and 12)
Performing Director's Meeting (May 14)
GT auditions (opening next week), Commendee submissions (opening after nominations are released), and Spotlight submissions (opening after nominations are released) close on May 15
Gala Technician Applications close May 17
Cappies Gala June 2
End of Year Feedback Meeting June 9
Voting
There will be three opportunities to vote this year:
Sunday, May 11 at Herndon HS (700 Bennett St, Herndon, VA 20170), with slots available from 10am-3pm
Monday, May 12 at Independence HS (23115 Learning Cir, Ashburn, VA 20148), with slots available from 5pm-7pm
Monday, May 12 Virtual Voting, 7-8pm
Critics are only permitted to attend virtual voting with prior approval, and for qualifying extenuating circumstances. To request this approval, please email AdminNCA@cappies.org with your reason for the request. We will get back to you prior to the form closing.
Critics must have successfully submitted 5 reviews in order to vote. At least 3 Critics from each team must attend voting to maintain eligibility. Critics must register to vote using this form no later than May 7 at 11:59pm. Additional information can be found in the form.
Performance Rights
We need EVERY school to take a moment to fill out this form with publisher info for your Cappies show. This helps us be ready to request materials and performance rights should your show be nominated! Please fill this out no later than Friday, May 3.
Directors, mark your calendars! The meeting for directors of shows nominated for the Play and Musical categories will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at 7pm at Langley High School (6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101). The director MUST attend this meeting in order for the group to perform at the Gala. If the director is unable to attend, they must make prior arrangements to send a responsible designee.
Nominee Information
Nominations will be released after voting (see info above). Nominated performers will be asked to attend a Nominee Photoshoot at Langley High School on either Friday, May 16 (slots available from 5p-8p) or Saturday, May 17 (slots available from 12p-3p).
Gala
Date: Monday, June 2
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Once again this year, our Gala falls on a Monday, which will likely be a school day for students. Please note that students performing in scenes/songs for nominated Plays and Musicals are REQUIRED to report to the Kennedy Center at 11am. We are subject to the Kennedy Center's availability, and understand that it is not ideal to ask students to miss school, especially so close to the end of the school year. We have, however, had great luck when Directors start the conversation about this possibility with their school administrators early; please let us if there is any help we can provide in this matter.
This year the number of students that each school nominated for Play or Musical can bring to perform/work tech for their performance is limited to 30. This is a firm limit. Please start thinking ahead, especially if the song selected for your school's Song Critics Choice featured more than 30 performers.
Gala Opportunities for Students
Students have two more opportunities to get involved with the Gala. Technician applications to work backstage at the Gala are open now through May 17. The GT audition form will open next week. GT auditions, Commendee submissions, and Spotlight submissions will all close on Thursday, May 15.
Directors, we will once again be inviting a Spotlight Performer from each school to perform in the opening number of the Gala. This should be a student who is otherwise not being recognized at the Gala (NO nominees, please!), is proficient in singing, a good mover, and is available for ALL rehearsals (more info to come). These performers should not be seniors as rehearsals often conflict with graduation and other senior obligations and due to the tight turnaround for preparing for the performance there is a zero-tolerance policy for rehearsal conflicts. Forms will go out after nominations, but be thinking about which student you might select to represent your school!
Seat Reservations
Seat reservation requests for the Gala will open next week, and will remain open through Friday, May 16. Ticket counts will be confirmed by May 20. Ticket pickups will take place at Willow Oaks Corporate Center (8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr.) in the FCPS lobby on May 28 and May 29 from 3:30pm-5:30pm. Please see the calendar on our website for the most up to date information about these events.
End of Year Feedback Meeting
Mark your calendars! We will be holding our FIRST End of Year Program Feedback Meeting on Monday, June 9 from 6p-8p at Herndon High School. This meeting will be open to all Cappies participants (Advisors, Directors, Mentors, parent volunteers, administrators, Critics, participating students). This meeting will assist us in making important revisions and updates to our programming as we welcome the 25-26 school year! We hope to see you there. More information to come.
Tara Taylor, Program Chair
Maeve Nash, Program Director
Cappies NCA