Wharfedale Festival
of Theatre
Dress to Impress Awards Evening
26th July 2025
Yeadon Town Hall
Countdown To Awards
The aim of the Festival is to unite and celebrate the societies' and groups' achievements with an annual Awards Evening.
No need for any extra performances or moving away from your home venue because we come to you.
The Assessors Panel consists of people who are active in amateur theatre with a wealth of experience and a diverse background.
We encourage members of all our participating schools, societies and groups to support each other and promote forthcoming productions.
Yeadon Town Hall
High Street
Yeadon
LS19 7PP
How to find us
(click map to enlarge)
How it Works
The Assessors Panel for this competition is comprised of individuals with a deep and practical understanding of amateur theatre. Each member brings to the table either extensive experience performing, directing, or working behind the scenes in amateur productions, or a significant background in drama through their involvement in education. This ensures that the assessments are made by those who truly appreciate the dedication, creativity and challenges inherent in bringing theatre to life at this level. Their collective expertise guarantees a fair and informed evaluation of all participating productions.
It is important for participants to be aware of the age eligibility criteria for certain categories. Specifically, anyone aged 25 years or older is not permitted to compete in any production entered into the Schools & Youth categories. This rule is in place to ensure that these categories remain focused on fostering the development and showcasing the talents of younger performers and theatre practitioners.
Please ensure all cast and crew members adhere to this age restriction when entering productions in these specific sections.
A written assessment offers a detailed and insightful perspective on your production, but it is important to understand its specific nature. This document represents the considered opinion of a single member of the Assessors Panel, providing a focused commentary on particular elements of your performance. While this individual feedback is designed to be constructive and illuminating, it is crucial to recognize that its content should not be taken as an indication of potential awards.
The ultimate decisions regarding award allocations are the result of a collective evaluation, derived from the combined scores of all assessors who observed your production. Notably, the assessor responsible for providing this written feedback does not participate in the overall scoring process. This separation ensures that their commentary remains independent and solely dedicated to offering constructive insights, rather than influencing the final award decisions.
Sections and Awards
There are four sections:
MUSICALS (Adults)
MUSICALS (Schools & Youth)
PANTOMIMES
DRAMA
The organization maintains a vital avenue for recognizing outstanding contributions through discretionary awards. These special recognitions, exemplified by the prestigious Chairman's Special Awards, offer a flexible and responsive mechanism to acknowledge exceptional efforts and achievements that may transcend the boundaries of pre-established award categories.
By maintaining this fluid framework, the organization ensures that individuals or teams whose contributions, while exceptional, may not fit neatly into predefined award categories, can still receive the recognition they deserve.
This strategic elasticity allows for a more nuanced and responsive recognition system. It moves beyond a rigid, one-size-fits-all model to embrace the reality that impactful contributions can manifest in diverse and unexpected ways.
Whether it's a team that went above and beyond to navigate a sudden market disruption or an individual who demonstrated extraordinary initiative in a non-standard project, these discretionary awards provide a vital mechanism to celebrate and reward excellence.
Meet The Festival Committee
The role of the Committee is to administer the Festival on behalf of the societies, schools and groups who enter.
This involves:
(a) Liaising with Schools, Societies and Groups in the general Wharfedale area to facilitate and progress entries to the Festival.
(b) Maintaining correspondence with Societies and Groups to ascertain the details of entries and ensuring everyone is clear about entry conditions.
(c) Making all the arrangements for the Awards Evening.
(d) Individual Assessors provide marks for productions in those Festival competition groups in which, they have no conflict of interest.
To truly capture the breadth and depth of the Wharfedale theatrical scene, the Wharfedale Festival of Theatre seeks active participation from all corners of the region.
We extend an open invitation to dramatic and operatic societies, as well as youth and school drama groups operating within the general Wharfedale area, to contribute directly to the festival's success.
By nominating a dedicated member to serve on the Festival Committee, your organization can ensure its voice is heard in shaping the event's direction, content and overall representation of the vibrant theatrical landscape we share.
This is a valuable opportunity to contribute to a festival that truly reflects the community and its diverse talents.
KEN STOTT (Chairman)
BRYAN CRAVEN (Secretary)
CAROLYN CRAVEN (Trophies & Publicity)
MIKE ELLISON
DAVE ROBBINS
ALLAN HOLLINGS (Vice-Chairman)
MARIE ISBISTER (Treasurer)
DEBBIE ELLISON
CHRIS ROBBINS
TOM BOOTH
KIM GRILLO
MANNY GRILLO
The Festival's commitment to inclusivity is evident in its organizational structure, designed to bring together a wide array of voices and backgrounds.
This deliberate approach cultivates a collaborative environment, where diverse perspectives and lived experiences actively contribute to shaping the Festival's overall direction and programming.
By valuing input, the Festival ensures its relevance and appeal to a broad audience. Furthermore, recognizing that specific expertise is often crucial for success, the Committee retains the flexibility to co-opt individuals who possess unique skills or relevant experience.
This strategic addition of talent ensures a well-rounded and effective leadership team, capable of navigating challenges
and maximizing opportunities for the Festival's
ongoing growth and impact.
Contact us
Bryan Craven email address: wharfedalefestival@yahoo.com Mr Bryan Craven, 20 Churchgate, Gildersome, Leeds, LS27 7HA.