Masquerade
Welcome to the Norwescon Masquerade! This is the highlight of Saturday night at Norwescon.
New this year! We will offer a photo op at half-time for those of you who want to photograph the contestants without leaving your chairs behind! At half-time don’t go away but hang out to see the Beyond Reality Costume Guild parade of hall costumes followed by a photo op of the competitive costumes right before the judges return to announce the awards.
We would like to invite you to participate in the Norwescon 36 masquerade. It is open to all convention members of all costuming skill levels and is held on Saturday night of the convention. Please familiarize yourself with the International Costumer’s Guild guidelines for rules and skill levels.
Norwescon Masquerade Rules
Please review these rules carefully. Violation of any rule will disqualify an entry. Please help us make the masquerade safe and enjoyable.
Never surprise the Masquerade Director. No jumping off or throwing things off the stage.
Backstage space is limited, so the overall size of costumes and number of helpers is also limited. Costumes can be no longer than twelve feet, no taller than ten feet, and no wider than six feet.
Attendance at one of the two pre-masquerade meetings during the convention is mandatory. One is usually Friday night, the other, Saturday morning.
Attendance at the Saturday afternoon rehearsal is mandatory. Come to your rehearsal prepared. There will only be time during your rehearsal to set lighting and sound cues. Do not expect stage time for development of choreography or blocking.
No live microphones are provided for contestants.
See Sound Notes below.
No live firearms, no live explosions or fire, and all weapons must be peace-bonded, except as needed for stage presentation.
The masquerade is PG-13. Lack of costume is not a costume.
No messy substances — wet, dry, or oily — that might ruin another contestant’s costume or make the stage dangerous are permitted.
Each entry will be limited to a maximum of 60 seconds of presentation time. The Masquerade Director may grant an exception for groups of five or more people on a case-by-case basis. Time-limit exceptions must be requested prior to rehearsal.
Purchased or rented costumes may not be entered in competition. Credit must be given for all makeup and costume construction.
No flash photography is permitted while contestants are on stage, or in the backstage area. A designated photo area will be provided for contestant photos during or after the masquerade.
Last but not least, the Masquerade Director has the final say.
Sound Notes
Audio CDs, CD-Rs, or USB Drives must be completed and submitted prior to the morning of the Masquerade. Bring two copies of your sound accompaniment to the meeting of your choice (see Rule #3). Contact the Sound Manager (via the Masquerade Director) if you have any sound questions.
Please read the following suggestions regarding your presentation music. Note that some items contradict the “conventional wisdom.”
We highly recommend music for every presentation! We can use Audio CD, Audio CD-R, Data CD-R and USB Drives (as the preferred method), subject to the conditions below.
If you are copying from a CD, please bring the original CD to the con as well (in addition to your CD-R); we may want to use it instead. Please write the track number legibly on the original CD.
We will have limited capability to make custom recordings or conversions on-site. We can only cue an Audio CD to the beginning of a particular track (there is not enough time during the Masquerade to cue within a track). If you need to have a specific cue point associated with your presentation, please convert it to an .MP3 file and put it on a USB Drive.
For presentations on .MP3 or other Compressed Music Formats: Please make sure that the file is encoded as 128Kbps or higher (256Kbps Recommended).
For Audio CD presentations on CD-Rs: If you record your material on to a CD-R, please make sure it is a standard audio CD.
For Data CD presentations on CD-R: Please make sure that the CD is WINDOWS compatible and that your MP3 or other Compressed Audio file is located in the ROOT Directory (not buried in Folders).
Performance Planning
An overhead plan of the stage is available here (40KB .pdf). In this plan, the audience seating is at the top of the diagram. The stage performance area is 18 feet wide by 16 feet deep.
Norwescon Masquerade Skill Divisions
Anyone may choose to compete in a higher skill division. Group presentations will be judged based on the highest skill division of the individual members.
Rising Star is for any contestant 13 years of age or younger who is not part of an adult group. Rising Star costumes must be made by the entrant with no more than a minimum amount of supervisory help. An adult-made costume may not be entered in this category and should instead be entered in the appropriate skill division of the adult.
Novice is for any contestant who has not previously won an award for a costume in any masquerade, or who has won a maximum of two awards in the Novice division for different costumes at a world-class convention masquerade such as World Con or Costume Con, or at a regional convention masquerade such as Norwescon or Westercon.
Journeyman is for any contestant who has won a maximum of three awards for different costumes in the Journeyman division at a world-class or regional convention masquerade.
Master is for any contestant who has won four or more awards for different costumes in the Journeyman or Master division, or who has won one or more Best in Show awards, at a regional or world-class convention masquerade. Professional costumers must enter the Master division.
Children’s Masquerade
Have a padawan learner in the family? Or a Crusader knight? A fairy princess who wants to show off her wings? Bring them to the Norwescon Children’s Masquerade! The children’s masquerade allows children who are too young to compete as Rising Stars (self made costumes by children 13 years and under) to show off their costumes. To accommodate early bedtimes and short attention spans, the children’s masquerade is the first part of the Masquerade. But should you wish to see the rest of the amazing costumes, seats will be saved for you and your child.
Since entrants will go on stage shortly after 8:00 p.m., all children wishing to enter must meet with the Children’s Masquerade head prior to the Masquerade. We will have forms and all necessary info available for you, then. Bring your Star Trek ensigns, aspiring Quidditch players and Narnian queens to Norwescon’s masquerade in April!
- Children’s Group Registration Forms (42KB .pdf)
Masquerade Judging
Presentation judging is mandatory. It consists of your presentation on stage. It judges everything from your costume’s appearance from stage, to how you act and move, to your music and voiceovers, etc. The Judges will give awards divided by skill levels and excellence of performance within those different skill levels.
Workmanship judging is optional. It takes place in the masquerade backstage area before the show begins. It allows the workmanship judges to consider exceptional accomplishment in crafting costumes, props, and accessories. This is the place where exquisite attention to detail may be recognized. Re-creation costumes (a costume whose design is copied from a film, television show, theatrical presentation, book illustration, comic, work of art, or other medium) must provide a color picture of the original for the workmanship judges. Let your Den Mom know if you want your costume and/or props and accessories judged for workmanship.
Awards will be given in each skill division for Workmanship, Presentation, and Best in Class. We will also be awarding Best in Show, and again this year, Director’s Choice–Best Use of Theme!
- Masquerade Entry Form (29KB .pdf)
Volunteers
The Masquerade is looking for two types of Volunteers: assistants and performers.
The assistants help enable the show to go off without a problem. There is a need for Stage Ninjas (must be 16+ yrs.), Den Parents, Ushers, Door Guards, etc. If you would like to help, please contact Volunteers through our contact page and they will pass your information along to the Masquerade.
The performers are up on stage showing off the costumes that make up the meat of our show. If you have a costume you would like to present, one that will impress the audience and judges, this is the option for you. No experience required and there is time to ask questions and practice in advance of the event.
Come one, come all! Let us make this one of the best Masquerades ever!
Questions or comments? Please contact Special Events through our contact page.
