How Judging Works
Judging begins during a production’s opening weekend. Opening Weekend judges attend independently and evaluate eligible elements of the production using the Suzi Bass Awards Judges’ Scoring Rubric. Each judge also votes whether the production should become Suzi Recommended. A judge may recommend a production based on the strength of the production as a whole or because a single eligible element merits further consideration.
Only Suzi Recommended productions proceed to full-panel judging. Judges on the appropriate Play or Musical panel attend additional performances and independently evaluate eligible elements throughout the season. Suzi Recommended productions eligible for World Premiere, Theatre for Young Audiences, or Social Justice recognition may also be considered by those specialized panels under their applicable criteria.
At the end of the season, each panel meets to determine the nominees. Cumulative scores provide a starting point for discussion, but nominations are not determined solely by mathematical ranking. Judges consider the scores, their individual evaluations, and the panel discussion before determining the nominees in each category.
Nominees advance to the Final Ballot. Judges who have seen at least 80 percent of the nominees in a category may vote in that category, and the Final Ballot determines the Suzi Bass Award recipients.
Throughout the process, judges make their own independent artistic evaluations. Individual scores, panel deliberations, and ballots are confidential.