CONvergence Masquerade Rules

The following are the Rules, Guidelines and Information for the CONvergence Masquerade. Click on each header to read that section of the text. You MUST read this information to register for the CONvergence Masquerade.

1. ALL PERSONS WHO PLAN TO GO ON-STAGE, VISIBLE TO THE AUDIENCE OR NOT, MUST SIGN THE LIABILITY RELEASE ON THE ENTRY FORM. This form requires an original signature.
2. NO DANGEROUS or potentially dangerous props will be allowed. This includes anything which represents a possibility of damage to the health, well being, or costumes of the other contestants, or the audience.
3. NO PYROTECHNICS, FIRE OR FLAME on stage.
4. The Masquerade Director MUST clear ALL weapons or weapon replicas.
5. ALL routines or entries which contain fights or other weapon drills must be passed by the Masquerade Director.
6. NO PROJECTILE WEAPONS OF ANY KIND. Unstrung bows may be carried, but arrows must be tied into quivers or otherwise secured.
7. NO CAP GUNS or guns with blanks.
8. LOW LEVEL LASERS ONLY - However under stage lighting they may not show up.
9. ALL WEAPONS OR WEAPON REPLICAS MUST CONFORM TO CONVERGENCE REGULATIONS FOR PEACE BONDING.
10. NO SMOKING in any part of the Masquerade, Halls or the Green Room. This includes smoke effects. If you need a smoking break, let your Costume Assistant know you are leaving and where you are going. You may not leave once the masquerade has started.
11. NO MESSY SUBSTANCES, wet, dry, or oily that might ruin the costume of any other contestant will be allowed in the Green Room or on stage. No item may be dropped on stage that can not be easily picked up or swept up by the stagehand before the next contestant goes on.
12. LARGE PROPS must be cleared by the Masquerade Director for safety reasons.
13. This Masquerade is rated PG-13. Please, NO nudity. Remember: No Costume is NO COSTUME.
14. The Masquerade Producer has full authority to eliminate anyone from the competition on the basis of taste, danger to the audience or contestants, violation of the above rules, or any other reason deemed sufficient. We've never had to eliminate anyone yet, but this protects you and the sponsors of this event from real 'LOONS'. There will be NO appeal.

CONvergence Masquerade Registration

Masquerade registration will be available during the following Hours:
Thursday 3pm - 6pm
Friday 10am - 1pm, 2pm - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 10am

NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 10am ON SATURDAY.

Orientation will be held in the Great Hall on Saturday from 11am to Noon. This is your chance to meet the Techs, make any of your needs known, find out where you need to be, what you need to do, and answer any questions you may have. This is also our best chance to tell you if there have been any last minute changes. Attendance is mandatory for all participants, no exceptions.

If you are using pre-recorded music(CD) for your presentation it must be turned in with your Masquerade Registration form. Make sure the CD and its box are labeled with your name, the entry's name and the selection to be played.

If you have chosen to do a Re-Creation, please remember to bring some documentation for the judges. It's hard for them to judge re-creation if they don't know how it's supposed to look. Don't assume that they will know.

The following are the Skill Divisions that we will be judging:

Young Fan: An individual 13 years or younger, and has not won three awards as a Young Fan.

Novice: An individual who is over 13 and has never entered a Masquerade or won a major prize at a previous CONvergence, regional convention, or Worldcon.

Journeyman: An individual who has won 1 or more major prizes at previous CONvergence Masquerades, regional conventions, or as won a major prize at a Worldcon.

Master/Professional: An individual who has won 4 times as a Journeyman. An individual who has professional qualification as a costumer. You have won a Best of Show at CONvergence or any other major convention.

Young Fan: An individual 13 years or younger, and has not won three awards as a Young Fan.

Any participant may compete in a Skill Division higher than the one for which they qualify. For group entries the group's primary designer determines the Skill Division. If you are unsure which Skill Division you should enter please ask the Masquerade Director or staff.

There will be no separate category for Re-Creation costumes. Re-Creation costumes will compete in the same manner as originals, using the proper Skill Division.

In addition to the performance judging, contestants may choose to compete for a Workmanship Award. These will be given for exceptional craftsmanship. Judging for these awards will be done in the Green Room prior to the Masquerade. Workmanship judging is optional, but strongly encouraged.

CONvergence Masquerade Presentations

Presentations are limited to 1 ½ minutes for entries with up to 3 persons, and 15 seconds more for each additional person in an entry up to a total of 3 minutes. Any entry that needs more than 3 minutes must have special permission from the Masquerade Director. You are strongly encouraged to limit your performance to less than a minute. In most cases it will be more beneficial for smaller entries.

TIME LIMITS WILL BE RIGIDLY ENFORCED, so if you have not timed your presentation please ask for help to do so during rehearsal.

If you have some difficulty with mobility whether in your costume or not, PLEASE INFORM US PRIOR TO REHEARSAL.

Please let us know on your entry form or when you register if you want any of the following:

• Two-Sided Entry
• Special Lighting
• Blackout
• Special Sound Cues
• Unusual Effects
• Unusual Assistance On Or Off Stage

You may surprise the audience, but DON'T SURPRISE THE CREW!!!

Good General Advice:

Please be kind to yourself before the competition. Get some sleep the night before. Register early and turn in all your Masquerade materials properly labeled. Let the Masquerade Director know what you'll need for your presentation to run smoothly.

Don't forget to eat and drink something in the late afternoon. We will have some snacks, but they are not a substitute for a good dinner.

Check in on time. Let your Costume Assistant take care of you. If you are in need of a sudden repair ask at the repair table and we'll try to take care of you. If you have a problem, tell your Costume Assistant or the Back Stage Manager.

Let the crew help you on and off the stage. We don't want anyone to fall. Let your Costume Assistant take care of your excess belongings while you are on stage. The stagehand will retrieve anything that you leave behind on the stage and will get it back to you.

Remember to remove any anachronism that you don't want to be seen with your costume, i.e. Watches, Con Badges, Street Shoes, etc. Unless of course they are supposed to be there.

Most of all remember to have a good time. Enjoy yourself! You're all going to do a great job, and besides - you look marvelous.

Terms for Masquerade Personnel:

Masquerade Producer: Individual in charge of the overall look and the logistics of the event.

Masquerade Director: Individual who directs the show.

Green Room Manager: Individual who oversees all Green Room access, event flow management, and go to person for participants while backstage.

Tech Crew: Individuals responsible for lighting, sound, and other technical aspects of the Masquerade production.

Weapons Mistress: Individual who oversees any weapons or weapon recreations used the Masquerade.

Costume Assistant: Individuals assigned to entrants and groups of entrants to see that their needs are seen to and that they are where and when they need to be during the run of the show.

Back Stage Manager: Individual responsible for assisting participants on and off stage. Manages setting and striking of props and scenery.

Stagehand: Individuals dressed in black who move things (and people) on and off stage and prevent Masquerade entrants from falling off the front of the stage.