Overview
The making of theater is a strenuous process involving long hours and great physical demands on all participants. theater is a collaborative pursuit in which each individual theater artist is dependent upon and responsible to the collective. Further, so much of the making of theater is dependent on a relationship to a physical facility and a good deal of equipment. These facilities are often costly, fragile and potentially dangerous. It is for these reasons that it is necessary to have a clearly defined policy of regulations governing behavior and the use of facilities.

General Student Conduct
The goal of the department is to reflect professional standards. This means an insistence upon professional and ethical conduct in the classroom, studio, and on stage at all times. The faculty has no desire to police activities or to restrict creative energies. We ask that all students follow the guideline, rules and regulations established by the department.

Basic Rules

1. The use of any alcoholic beverages or any illegal substances (use your imagination people) is strictly prohibited anywhere in the Bernhard Theater building.
2. There is no smoking, eating or drinking during working periods in any theater, rehearsal studio, shop or classroom. Food and drink may be consumed in designated areas (lobby, green room, lounge) during breaks. All refuse must be cleaned up after eating.
3. The college-wide policy states that there is no smoking allowed anywhere in the building. Allowances are made for characters smoking as stage business in scene work, rehearsals and performances.
4. No bare feet in the scenic shop area. On stage, actors must check with the stage manager before working in bare feet.
5. All props used in acting and directing scenes for classes are to be stored neatly in the studio storage closets. Access to department properties is possible only with the permission of the Technical Director. Office and theater furniture is not available for classroom or rehearsal use without permission.
6. Each classroom and studio is to be left in a clean state at the end of every class. This means restoring furniture to original positions, storing props, removing trash, etc.
7. Studios are to be left in a clean state at the end of every rehearsal. This means restoring furniture to original positions, storing props, removing trash, and sweeping.
8. Do not rest feet on the theater seat backs or armrests.
9. Avoid excessive noise which is not directly associated with classwork, technical work, office work or rehearsals. When other rehearsals or performances are in process be considerate about the level of noise. Keep this in mind as you leave your own rehearsal - someone else is likely to be rehearsing - your noise in the lobby can be a terrible distraction.
10. Do not post noices or posters in the building without checking with David Yergan.

Absences and Lateness
Lateness is not acceptable for classes, rehearsals or crew calls, except for unavoidable or unforeseeable emergencies. If you are unavoidably late you must call your immediate supervisor to explain. Chronic lateness will result in dismissal for cast or crew.

All cast and crew members are responsible for attending all calls. In cases of unavoidable absences you must notify your immediate supervisor as soon as possible. Chronic unexcused absences will result in dismissal.

Abuse of this policy will effect future assignments in the department.


Student Priorities
    The following is a general sense of priorities as observed by the department:

1. All classwork is of the highest priority. This includes both theater and non-theater courses. Production work is never considered a valid excused for missing classes or for late assignments. If you anticipate difficulty in completing coursework in a timely manner, attempt to secure an extension from the appropriate professor.
2. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average above 2.00 in all course work and majors must also maintain at least a 2.0 cum in theater courses. Students experiencing serious academic difficulty will be advised to curtail active involvement in the production program in order to concentrate on improving grades.
3. Once you have accepted any production responsibility you are expected to fulfill this opportunity to the best of your ability.
4. In general the production with the closest opening is given the higher priority.

Non-Departmental Work
Occasionally, opportunities arise for theater students to work on productions which are not under the auspices of the department. This includes guest performances, Cabaret Troupe productions, dance department productions, Home Made Theater production, etc. Whenever possible the department supports students in this work. Theater majors must discuss these opportunities and their impact on their concentration with their academic advisors.

Use of Theater Facilities
The use of the Thrust Theater, the Studio (Black Box) Theater, and both rehearsal rooms is by permission only. There is a great deal of demand for the use of these facilities and all work must be properly scheduled. In general, precedence is given to productions which have the closest opening date. The Thrust Stage is generally reserved for the use of the seminar production and the Black Box is reserved for the studio productions. The use of rehearsal studios is scheduled by the Workshop Supervisor in consultation with the workshop directors. When studios are not reserved for scheduled rehearsals they are available for other work by utilizing the sign-up sheet mounted on each studio door.

The use of either theater and any technical spaces is strictly controlled. Any permission to use these spaces must be secured in advance from the Technical Director.

The lobbies and corridors may be used for small scene rehearsals as long as there is consideration for work going on in nearby areas. Clothing and personal property should not be left lying about in the second floor lounge during classes or rehearsals -- the lockers and clothes racks are available for student use.


Office Procedures

1. The theater department office is used for conducting departmental and production business. It is not a lounge or rehearsal space.
2. The copy machine and the computers are available for use for departmental and production business only. Use of this equipment outside of normal working ours must be secured from the faculty.
3. Telephones in the offices are for departmental and production business only. Short personal calls may be made when necessary. No long distance calls are to be placed by students on these phones without direct faculty permission.
4. All purchasing for productions must be approved by the Technical Director, Management Coordinator, or Chairman. No reimbursements will be made for items purchased without permission.

Rules for Shop Areas

1. No smoking, eating or drinking in the shop.
2. No bare feet in the shop.
3. Return all tools, equipment and hardware to proper storage place when work is completed. Every work period ends with a cleanup.
4. Report all broken or damaged tools, equipment and scenery.
5. Do not use any tool or theater equipment unless you have been instructed in its proper use.
6. No tools, furniture, props, lighting equipment, etc. can be removed from the facility without the permission of the Technical Director.
7. Cost of repair or replacement for tools or equipment lost or damaged due to negligence or abuse will be charged to the individual responsible.

Building Hours
The entire Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater building will be closed between 12:00 midnight and 7:00 am each morning. Campus Security has been authorized to lock all doors and to enforce this policy. Any use of the facilities beyond these hours requires the advance permission of the department chair who will then notify Security.

Excessively late hours for rehearsal or construction jeopardizes the health and safety of members of the program. All rehearsals and work sessions must be scheduled during the period during which the building is normally open. Rehearsals should be scheduled to end by 11:00 PM with sufficient time allotted for notes and cleanup.

It should also be noted that there have been a number of problems in the past concerning building security. The building must be secured in order to prevent robberies and vandalism. The last person out of the building each night should lock all doors used if the appropriate key is available. If this is not possible, Security should be called to lock the building.


Use of Theater Lockers
There are a limited number of lockers available for student use. These are located in the dressing rooms. It is suggested that students use combination locks.

Information Exchange
There are a number of means by which members of the department can exchange information regularly. Every member of the community should made every effort possible to use each of these as much as possible.

Call Boards: These are used for the posting of all information related to a specific production. Casting information, schedules, notices, sign-in sheets and other material are placed here. Early in the rehearsal period all productions use a large board divided into a section for each show. During the final weeks of rehearsal the call boards for seminar and studio productions move to the corridor between the two theaters. The stage manager for each production is responsible for maintaining the call board.

Departmental Bulletin Boards: These are located on the second floor and are used for all departmental notices. There are separate areas for brochures and flyers from graduate programs, professional programs, and internships.
    
Theatre List: The department maintains a list of all students involved in the department. Speak to Kathy for access to the list..
    
Newsletter: Each semester an extensive newsletter is published by the management department and is distributed to a large mailing list. The newsletter includes information on faculty and alumni activities, descriptions of all upcoming productions, and a variety of announcements.
    
Company Meetings: These weekly meetings are held every Friday afternoon and are an important forum for discussions and announcements. Directorial and design presentations for upcoming productions as well as critiques are conducted in these meetings. On occasion technique and training workshops or play readings are offered.

Website: This website is maintained by Lary Opitz. If anyone would like to post information, please speak to him


The Actor's Responsibility

1. Actor's are to be at all rehearsal promptly and ready to work. This means that at the called start of rehearsal you are in rehearsal clothing and have completed any personal vocal and physical warm-ups.
2. Whether through personal or company warm-ups, each actor is to have voice and bodied properly prepared for the rigors of rehearsal.
3. All lines must be memorized by the "off book" deadlines given by the director. This requires study beyond the rehearsal hours. When working off book actors should call for a line by saying clearly, "line."
4. Remain in the immediate rehearsal area unless given permission to leave by the stage manager.
5. Actors are responsible for all notices posted on the call board - check it daily.
6. Wear appropriate rehearsal clothing.
7. Rehearsal time is for work, experimentation, growth, risk-taking, integration, development -- it is not merely practice. Rehearsal is an opportunity to try out ideas developed through intensive homework.

Procedures for Actors and Crew
    During Dress Rehearsals and All Performances

1. Sign-in each night. Do not sign-in for another person.
2. Check the call board every day for updated announcements.
3. Remain in the greenroom and dressing rooms. Do not go into the house one hour before curtain. No clothing or personal property should be left in the house.
4. Actors are expected to remain for curtain call and to take all calls in full costume.
5. No smoking, no eating, and no drinking is allowed backstage.
6. No visitors are permitted backstage, in dressing rooms or in the green room during rehearsals or performances.
7. Maintain quiet backstage at all times.
8. Do not leave the backstage area during the run or during intermission.
9. Stay clear of actor entrances and the paths of stagehands when not working.
10. No eating, drinking or smoking in costume.
11. Actors should change out of costume as soon as possible after curtain calls.
12. Dressing areas should be kept neat at all times.
13. Actors should hang up costumes properly and must report any damages to the stage manager.
14. Generally, the stage is set for the top of the next rehearsal or performance at the end of the evening.
15. EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMPANY INCLUDING ALL ACTORS AND CREW MEMBERS MUST PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE STRIKE FOLLOWING THE FINAL PERFORMANCE. DO NOT MAKE ANY PLANS FOR THREE HOURS AFTER CURTAIN OF THE FINAL PERFORMANCE.