
ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence
We're Hiring!
As part of our strategic planning process, the ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence Board of Directors is hiring a program administrator. The person in this role will provide organizational and communication support the ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence Board of Directors, provide project management support to board committees developed as the organization expands its service roles within the community; and researches , supports board in applying for grants and sponsorships to support the programs of the organization. See full job description here.
What a great celebration!
Thank you to all who helped make the 2022 ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence event something Special A huge note of appreciation to Stage Left Productions for being your event sponsor this year. Thank you also to Queen Creek Performing Arts Center for joining us as a Silver level sponsor.
Thank you to Scottsdale Arts for hosting the event again this year at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (SCPA). Thank you to the SCPA staff for their coordination of the event.
Thank you to all the adjudicators, nominees, recipients, celebration performers, and member theaters for the incredible work you do all year around. We are honored to be able to celebrate that great work each year.
Thank you to photographer Tiffany Martinez for once again supporting our event with your wonderful work. Photos from the event may be found on Tiffany's website.
And last, but definitely not least, thank you to our accountant, Marissa Graves for all the work she does each year compiling the scores and developing the nominee and recipient lists.
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How are winners chosen?




Debate about the results of the ariZoni Awards each year are as common as frustration with the referees in soccer. It has become a normal part of the event. Since the inception of the event, the board has worked tirelessly to do whatever they can to assure fair adjudication. Over the past five years alone, training has been re-structured, rubrics reviewed, new adjudicators recruited...anything to help ensure a fair and partial process.
Here's how adjudication works:
Five adjudicators are assigned randomly to EACH production. Each theater determines the cast members and creative individuals for each of their shows that they want to have adjudicated in the various categories and submits a ballot with those individuals names to our ONLINE adjudication site, which is overseen by the international company, Award Force.
Adjudicators are given DETAILED rubrics to follow as they adjudicate. Once adjudication is complete, the accountant (no board members have any access to scores submitted for the awards) processes the results. The highest and lowest scores of each person are thrown out and the three mid scores are averaged. On a usual year there are nearly 250 productions adjudicated with acting categories often having as many as 4 people nominated in each category for each show. That's 1000 actors being adjudicated for ONE category, and we nominate 10 (1%) and award 2 (.2%). With more than 30 theaters participating that is a LOT of adjudicating and calculating.
While no system is perfect; we do all we can to make this one impartial and fair. One of the best ways to learn more about the adjudication process is to become an adjudicator yourself. Adjudicator applications are due in April every year (though you can always apply early). So why not apply and come see what it is all about?
ariZoni Awards
We promote the visibility, cooperation and growth of theatre in the Valley and are dedicated to recognizing excellence in theatrical performances, as well as individuals who produce exceptional work in all aspects of theatre.
UPCOMING EVENTS/DEADLINES
May 21,
2022
9-11:30AM for NEW Adjudicators
10-11:30AM - RETURNING Adjudicators
EXCITING NEWS!
We are excited to be returning to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts for our 2022 Celebration of the ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence.
May 22,
2022
4-6:30PM for NEW Adjudicators
5-6:30PM - RETURNING Adjudicators
June 11, 2022
10AM-NOON
All-Participating Theatres
Annual Meeting
Proud home of the
ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence
for 2022 presentation.