LCHS Drama Production Contract: Rules & Regulations
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is a habit..." Aristotle
by Tom McLaughlin
September 10, 2006
LCHS
Department of Drama: Production Contract
Presented to the Cast of THIEVES by Herb
Gardner
1. Play well the part, for therein lies the glory. Give 100% of what is best about your talent, your leadership, your effort and your behavior during every rehearsal. We want you to do your best at every rehearsal. Challenge yourself to be a great team member and to contribute vocally and physically to every rehearsal and performance.
2. Do Your Homework. Your academic work should be your major focus. We also need you to meet the deadlines which have been established for the production. Failure to do so will not only let others down, it will the harm production. We will set aside a work area for students to work quietly in during rehearsals. During ALL CALLS and TECH DAYS there will be little to no-time for homework. We will work smart with our time, we need you to do that same. More than that, keep in mind that the IHSSAA's No Pass, No Play Rule is in effect. We value the other activity programs. Please make sure that you stay eligible to compete/participate next term.
3. We're Gonna FISH Every Day. We have a great cast and begun to build a nice ensemble. Let's get even more comfortable and knowledgeable of each other. Most of all let's make sure that we (1) Play; (2) Make Someone's Day; (3) Choose Our Attitude; and (4) Be Present.
4. Please be on Time for All Rehearsals.
Like in the professional world, early is on time. Please
consider photo shoots, vocal warm-ups, "tech days", costume
fittings, etc. Early is at least 5-10 minutes before the
rehearsal is scheduled to begin or your call time on performance
nights. If you should be late, enter the rehearsal or performance
space quietly and respectfully as we may be in the middle of our
opening talk or may be working. Please do try to be inconspicuous.
We will discuss your tardy later in the rehearsal.
5. Please be physically and mentally prepared to work when
rehearsal begins. Please arrive soon enough to give
yourself the needed amount of time to warm up mentally, vocally,
and physically. Occasionally, there will be impromptu
warm-ups as needed to extract an energetic performance.
6. Absence Policy.
A. Skip or No Show/No Call: missing a rehearsal
or technical day without informing Mr. McLaughlin ahead of
time will be counted as a SKIP. Please inform Mr. McLaughlin
or Marcy Hamsa in the Attendance Office by 7:40 of the morning of
the absence. Of course, everyone has emergencies and these
will be handled on a case by case basis.
One skip equals four hours of additional technical work; a
second skip will result in the the team member being replaced.
There will be three other types of absences: EXCUSED, UNEXCUSED
& EMERGENCY.
B. Unexcused Absences: include work (one--possibly
two--weeks after casting), non-school sponsored activities,
haircuts, shopping, tanning, school activities whose meetings were
scheduled after the production calendar is published. If
there is a problem between activities, please contact your one of
your directors who will be happy to visit with the other sponsor on
your behalf. One unexcused absence will result in a verbal
reminder of our policies and three hours additional technical work;
the second unexcused absence will result in being removed from a
production number or some element of the show and six hours of
additional technical work; the third unexcused absence will result
in the ensemble member being replaced. Three unexcused
tardies equals one unexcused absence. Any tardy longer than
20 minutes is equal to an unexcused absence. Once
again, emergencies will be handled in a reasonable manner.
Unexcused absences include being absent from school with
an illness, without
informing Mr. McLaughlin or a school secretary. Please call
us so we can alter our rehearsal plans. The reason
for this deals with our need to plan for each rehearsal. You
are important to our process. When you are absent, it affects
all of us. We want to use our time in the best way possible.
If key players are missing, we may benefit by altering our
rehearsal plan for the day.
C. Excused Absences: Are absences that appear on one's conflict sheet. Students who miss TECH DAYS on Saturdays and Tuesdays MUST make up their time prior to being allowed to perform. We believe that team members are accountable to each other and the entire group. Please help us with this process by reminding us. With 70+ students involved in our production and so many conflicts, we need your help with gentle and appropriate reminders. Unless a specific arrangement has been made with Mr. McLaughlin, all students are expected to attend all rehearsals during pre-production and production week. We cannot allow any absences during production week from anyone. If you are ill please communicate with this as soon as possible.
PERSONAL ATTENDANCE issues should be handled one-on-one and not in front of the entire group.
C. Emergency Absences: We all have unexpected
things happen in our lives. We know that tires, car problems,
accidents, deaths of people that we know and family emergencies
happen. Of course we are understanding about this. We believe
that family comes first. So, please be with your family in
any emergencies. Students do not need to make up
TECH DAY time for emergencies like this. If the
problem is serious enough or chronic, we might need to sit down and
visit. We want to make sure that your experience and the
experience of other students is valuable. Sometimes in life,
we need to "readjust" our priorities.
Parents, of course, have occasionally insisted on a student's
absence. If it is an emergency, we are very flexible. If not,
we must deal with those in accordance with our team rules. As you
know, we must be consistent in how we treat absences. We
need students at rehearsal for the sake of the entire team's
success. We will deal with these sorts of absences in
accordance to our team's rules.
7. Communication is Key. You are an ambassador
and a key communicator in our process. Here are some ways
that we communicate with you:
A. The Drama Callboard. Check the main
bulletin drama bulletin board in the Performing Arts Wing (between
the drama room and the band room) for changes in schedule, calls
for technical rehearsals, measurements, etc. at the beginning and
end of each day.
B. Email and Telephone Communication Methods. In case of emergency and/or occasion which you will be absent or late from rehearsal- call the main office or Mr. McLaughlin. Mr. McLaughlin will be the coordinating director during all productions and he will be responsible for coordinating all areas of the production, scheduling, production administration, attendance and discipline. If for some reason you are going to miss a rehearsal (and you know it) you need to communicate that to the director verbally (and with a written reminder on an absence sheet provided Mr. McLaughlin) by 7:30 a.m. on the morning of that day at the latest. This is done to allow rescheduling as needed. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT MR. McLAUGHLIN COORDINATES ABSENCES IN ORDER TO ADJUST REHEARSAL PLANS. Unless it is an emergency, we cannot allow students to take phone calls during rehearsal. This is a common practice in football, volleyball, etc.
C. Meetings with parents. We will be happy to schedule a meeting with parents at a convenient and appropriate time for both the parent(s) and Mr. McLaughlin. Unfortunately, we cannot take impromptu meetings during rehearsals.
Ways to communicate with Mr. McLaughlin & Others (our order of preference):
If you call one of these
numbers, please ask that an email be sent to Mr. McLaughlin with
the important information.
Receptionist & Main School Switchboard (Mrs. Mary Knavel)
--366.8222--;
Activities Director's Assistant-- 366-8245 (Ms. Cindy Brockman)
Principal's Assistant (Mrs. Donna Elliff) 366.8322;
Attendance Secretary (Mrs. Marcy Hamsa) 366.8249;
Activities Treasurer (Charlotte Butterbaugh) 366.8227
If you call one of these numbers, please leave a voice-mail
message.
Drama Department Phone--366.8283 (will not be answered during
school
hours)
Mr. McLaughlin's Cell Phone--712.236-8557
I do not always have the opportunity to check my voice mail
mail. My planning period is not until 5th hour
(12:40-1:40 PM.
EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS NUMBER: Home phone--322.6844 I will return
calls only until 9:30 p.m. If calling later is an option, you
should communicate that in your voice mail. I would prefer if
you used this number on weekends only or as a LAST RESORT.
If you choose to email,
choose the appropriate tool for the time of day.
School Email--mclaughlt@lewiscentral.k12.ia.us
Home Email--tvmclaughlin@cox.net
Campaign Email--tom@tomforisea.com
Lewis Central web site--
http://www.lewiscentral.org
LC Drama web site--
http://www.lewiscentral.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Fine%20Arts%7CDrama
LC Drama blog (our internal electronic communication tool)
http://www.lcdrama.blogspot.com
C. Daily Announcements: Announcements in the bulletin will be used to communicate to the company and the crew. Please check the bulletin and listen to the daily announcements. It is the best way that we have to communicate changes and modifications in our schedule to such a large group of students. If you can't hear the daily announcements, please read one of the many posted copies throughout our school. If your classroom is too noisy to hear announcements, please ask your teacher if you can listen in the hallway.
D. Best Ways and Times to Communicate in Our Process. If you have suggestions, ideas, or complaints, come see Mr. McLaughlin immediately. Of course, timeliness is very important in the expression of these feelings. Complaints should be discussed (as will any I have) in private. IDEAS and SUGGESTIONS are almost always worthy of discussion. Let's discuss these privately to honor everyone's time. Unless its an emergency, we would appreciate your patience as we work with other students who are equally important to us.
6. Bring Materials to Rehearsals on Time. Please bring paper and a pencil with you and wear clothing in which you feel comfortable/fits your character. Using suggestive costuming early on will help you get to know your character. There will be a required date to begin wearing character shoes, a date to bring rehearsal props and to wear suggestive costumes. These will be found in the master calendar.
7. Our Focus Belongs on Stage. Please be courteous to actors when not involved in a scene or work in progress. It's fine to have conversations but please have them in the hallways or in the commons and not in the wings of the stage. We will observe the "on-boards" rule. Please be ready to take stage when called. When not on stage (or in break) you should be working on homework, building team, relaxing quietly or on developing your character, lines, or other elements of the show.
8. Show Respect for the Rehearsal Space and Theatre. Please treat the rehearsal area with respect. No food or soft-drinks will be allowed in the Drama Room (new carpet--woo hoo!) and in the auditorium--students will leave all food & non-water drinks in the lobby. Only water bottles or cups of ice-water with lids will be allowed into the auditorium. Respect, of course, goes beyond just respect of the physical space. We have a beautiful facility and want to keep it in tip-top shape. We need you to have water during rehearsals. Keeping your throat in great condition and your brain watered (I know it sounds silly) are important. Also, please eat in a healthy manner. Food is the fuel that will drive your rehearsals and performances.
9. Use Only Your Props. Please do not play with the rehearsal or final properties. PLEASE DON'T PLAY WITH OR TOUCH A PROP WHICH IS NOT YOURS--EVEN THE BEST-INTENTIONED EFFORTS CAUSE PROBLEMS OCCASSIONALLY. Further, unless using the prop in rehearsal or performance- make sure it is where it belongs and placed back where it belongs after using it. PROPS SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE PROP TABLE FOLLOWING A REHEARSAL OR SHOW. If you are caught tampering/handling another actor�s property, we will have you join our props crew (responsible for cleaning, storage, maintenance, etc. of the props).
10. Code of Conduct. No team member is bigger than the production. Partying and any other violation of the code of conduct will jeopardize the show. Your actions impact others, so be responsible. The Rules and Regulations, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics exist because they are proven correlates to success, we value them and our school system values them. They will be enforced equitably to all students and adults.
11. Ask Questions if You Don't Know. Feel free to ask questions at appropriate times. This is how the process and show will evolve and grow. I, of course, will not be the answer person. Part of the joy of theatre is collaboration (self and group discovery), which is just as important as what I think. However, a show (at a certain point) can not be directed by committee. Thus, final decisions will have to be chosen by one objective eye: mine. Be cautious, then, about the suggestions you force upon others. Most times it is offensive to a fellow artist to impose your interpretation upon them.
12. Be Good to Yourself. To get better we all must be open to constructive coaching. Don�t beat yourself up. The coaching that is given in rehearsal is meant to make you better, not meant to make you question yourself. View the director's comments as a way to grow- not a reason to regress.
13. No One is Above Our Rules. Not Mr. McLaughlin reserves the right to, if ANY BREACH of these rules occurs, ask anyone to leave the ensemble. Mr. McLaughlin
14. Until We Open, You are an Ambassador for Our Show. All teams have great, average and even bad rehearsals. We don't want to give away too much of the show too early. What you say about our process and each other in front of others affect the show. This is good "pre-professional" practice for you. Know that what happens in these four walls stays here. Comments, which you make about the production, are positive in nature both within the theatre and outside the theatre. Do everything you can do give the show good press.
15. Take Care of Your Voice. If placed on vocal rest, you will follow the constraints which Mr. McLaughlin, Mr. Johnson, or Ms. Nally places upon you. This will include limited talking, no screaming, exclusion of caffeine from the diet, exclusion of carbonation from the diet, etc. Please inform us if your voice is getting "rough." We will be teaching you how to support your voice. Please make sure that you do your best to learn and practice this.
16. A Team Includes Everyone. Let's do our best to make sure everyone in included. Cliques cannot be tolerated during rehearsal time or within a team; they are counter-productive. WE ARE ONE BIG TEAM. THE BIGGER THE TEAM NUMBERS THE HARDER WE MUST WORK TO BE A TEAM.
17. An Actors Job is to Act. Actors will not direct other actors. Please only solicit suggestions when you are asked to provide them. Let other actor's take the time to decide and process.
18. Our Code of Ethics is a Part of Our Rules. Read the CODE OF ETHICS and respect the guidelines set down in that document. Many seem second nature. That's great if they do. If they seem cliche- remember, the reason that cliches are cliches is that they contain a nugget of truth.
19. Listen and Watch.
20. Physical Appearance and Hair. Please do not drastically change your physical appearance or hair without visiting with Mr. McLaughlin. Hair styles in productions need to adhere to the style and cut of the period.
COMPANY AMMENDMENTS:
I acknowledge that these rules have been explained to me and I understand each rule and the consequences for violating these rules. I understand by signing this document that I am bound to the rules and regulations in these documents. I also understand the consequences outlined for poor behavior, absences, lack of effort, etc. I understand that the consequences for violating any one or more of these rules may result in my suspension or replacement.
Director's signatures:
Tom McLaughlin, Director Date
