Yorick Scale of student expectations

The Yorick Scale was developed to give parents and students a better understanding of what to expect while working on a show before they even sign up to audition or join a production team.

1 Yorick

This show is pretty chill. It will not be demanding or high-pressure. Everyone will have fun and the end result will be loose and informal. This rating is what a class or workshop would get. In sports this would be like: playing ball with your friends after school.

2 Yoricks

This is still a chill show but with a little more substance and focus. This is what we expect at a theatre bootcamp. Fun but also a chance to learn some skills. In sports this would be like: being on a Rec Department team.

3 Yoricks

There will be higher expectations from the directors – but nothing you can’t handle if you pay attention. The end result will be something you’ll want to show off to close friends and family. In sports this would be like: being a starter on your JV high school team.

4 Yoricks

Expectations are higher for this one. Staying focused on the goal is critical. The end result will be high-quality theatre you’ll want to invite everyone you know. In sports this would be like: being a starter on your Varsity high school team.

5 Yoricks

This level is for students who take theatre seriously and are committed to working hard. You will learn new things, you’ll be stretched and you will grow in your skills. The end result will be as close to professional theatre as we can get. In sports this would be like: being part of an elite travel club because you’re working toward a sports scholarship.

How do we determine the ratings of a play?

Good question. The rating is different for actors, light designers, set builders and others. These are the categories that we use to determine the final Yorick rating for each group:

Actors

Themes: More serious themes will receive higher ratings.
Memorization: How many lines are there? Is the language difficult? A Shakespeare production would earn a higher rating.
Expectations of directing staff: Some Directors require a higher level of maturity from our students than others. If you are looking to develop your craft as an actor and performer look for a show with a higher Yorick rating.
Responsibility to ensemble: Plays that lean heavily into ensemble work, where each actor is important to the scene and relies on the other actors, receive a higher rating.
Outside work: Time spent outside of rehearsal to research character and work on development.

Production Teams

Time frame: Most of our shows have an 8 week time frame but there are some exceptions and sometimes, we just don’t know how we will get it all done in 8 weeks.
Style: Realism will have a higher rating. A cartoon or story book style is much more forgiving then having to make things that look realistic.
Amount of work: More work means a higher rating. Some shows have very few props, some have tons. Some shows come with all the sound cues already in a file, some need all their sound cues created.

“Alas, poor Yorick!”
Hamlet