Eligible Productions

Any production produced within the city limits of London by a predominantly local cast and crew is eligible for a Brickenden Award with the exception of the touring and the favourite Grand production categories which are reserved for shows originating either outside the community or performed as professional theatre. The Grand's annual high school project falls into this category.

Play readings do not qualify for the awards.

The Categories are as follows:

• Best Production
  
• Best Director
  
• Best Original Script
  Award presented to a script by a London-based author which received its local premier during the calendar year
  
• Best Actor
  
• Best Actress
  
• Best Supporting Actor
  
• Best Supporting Actress
  
• Bravest Production
  Awarded to a local production that challenges or provokes its audience
  
• Best Comedy Production
  
• Best Musical Production
  
• Favourite Grand Production
  Limited to professionally-mounted production originated by the Grand Theatre on either its mainstage or the McManus Studio Theatre, nominees in this category are not eligible for other Brickenden Awards
  
• Best Touring Production
  Limited to productions originating from outside London, nominees in this category are not eligible for other Brickenden Awards
  
• Best Youth Production
  Limited to productions featuring a cast and crew of secondary school age of younger, nominees in this category are not eligible for other Brickenden Awards
  
• Best Ballyhoo
  For the production that exhibits the best promotion through poster and program design, media coverage and/or publicity stunts
  
• Best Lighting
  
• Best Set Design
  Category includes the design of props
  
• Best Sound
  
• Best Costumes
• Curtain Raiser
  Awarded to an individual or group who has fostered and nurtured local theatre. This award is presented at the discretion of the Brickenden Committee and is not open for public nominations or voting.

For the 2004 calendar year consists of Christopher Doty (chair), Patricia Black, Greg Hanbuch, Laurie Bursch and Kathy Navackas (representing the London Fringe Festival).

Voting (Nomination Stage)

Each member of the Brickenden's adjudication subcommittee (currently all the members of the Brickenden committee) are entitled to select up to five nominees in each of the 18 categories during the nomination stage of voting. A sixth vote will be compiled through a public voting process where the top five selections in each category are factored into the nomination tally. Public voting will be conducted through the internet during the last week of December.

It is not possible for a selection to be nominated unless it earns at least two votes from a combination of the adjudiation panel or the public vote. This rule stands regardless of the number of on-line ballots a selection receives from the public.

The nominee list that is created from this process (which is to be published no later than the first Monday in January, excluding New Year's Day) is made public and is the subject of a second, final vote lasting two weeks.

Voting (Final Selection Stage)

The selection of a winner in each category is decided in a similar fashion to the nomination stage, where each panel member picks one selection in each category. A second public vote is held where the nominee who receives the most votes in each category is deemed the sixth vote on the committee. The nominee with the most votes wins for that category. The winners are decided no later than the third Monday in January and announced at an awards ceremony held on the last Monday of the month.