The Cabaret Troupe Charter

 

Article I

The name of this organization shall be The Cabaret Troupe (musical theatre troupe).

Article II

The purposes of the troupe are as follows:

1.  To provide as many students as possible with the opportunity to combine the disciplines of theatre, music, and dance into a production each semester.

2.  To provide students with the opportunity to work on other areas of musical theatre (Set design and construction, technical crew work, costume, publicity...)

3.  To provide the community with musical theatre entertainment each semester.

Article III

Our goal is to produce at least one musical theatre production each semester.  This production may be either a Broadway musical, a musical revue, or an original production.

Article IV

The Cabaret Troupe will be open to all members of the Skidmore community and may be open to the Saratoga community.  If no person from the Skidmore community is appropriate for a particular role, the director may look to the Saratoga community for casting.  The shows will be cast by auditions at the beginning of each semester.  Anyone who decides to be a part of the troupe can participate in the making of the show.

Article V

The governmental organization of the troupe shall consist of five (5) permanent officers and two (2) temporary ones:

1.  President

2.  Vice President

3.  Treasurer

4.  Secretary

5.  Publicist

6.  Director (temporary officer for the run of the show)

7.  House Manager (temporary officer for the run of the show)

All officers will attend all board meetings.  Officers must be pro-active members of the board and in all semester's troupe activities.  The board, after gathering the consensus of the troupe, ultimately decides the show that will be produced the following semester.

Article VI

The officers will have the following duties:

1.  President-

     a.  Actively monitor all officer's activities pertaining to the Cabaret Troupe.

     b.  Schedule meetings of the officers and write an agenda for each meeting.

     c.  Serve as producer for each production.

2.  Vice President-

     a.  Act as a specific liaison between the constituency and the officers.

     b.  Take over meetings when the President cannot attend.

     c.  Monitor the activities of the president pertaining to his/her responsibilities.

     d.  Coordinate the "Friends of the Cabaret" fund-raiser.

     e.  Take responsibility for the Cabaret Troupe web page and update when necessary. (has been publicist's job recently)

3.  Treasurer-

     a.  Distribute money where needed through negotiation with the production staff.

     b.  Handle all incoming money from fund-raisers and ticket sales.

     c.  Keep a clear and accurate record of all transactions.

     d.  Be responsible for program ad solicitaion.

     e.  Maintain correspondence with Student Government Association regarding all financial affairs.

4.  Secretary-

     a.  Record minutes at meetings.

     b.  Introduce all communications concers to the officers.

     c.  Serve as historian by maintaining all troupe archives.

     d.  Be responsible for all communications to officers and troupe via e-mail and telephone.

5.  Publicist/ Public Relations Rep-

     a.  Responsible for the program for each troupe production.

     b.  Follow up on all ad solicitation for the program.

     c.  Be responsible for design or help implement designer for posters and other advertising.

     d.  Post notices around school and the community regarding troupe events.

     e.  Serve as a public relations representative who facilitates successful press releases, etc.

     f.  Arrange for a photo shoot for each troupe production.

     g.  Design a press packet for the Troupe.

    (h.  Update website...listed as a VP job in charter, but has been the publicist's job.)

6.  Director-

     a.  Assume responsibility for the artistic integrity of the semester's production; including but not limited to casting, rehearsals, selection of assistant directors, costumes, designers, musicians, and stage management team.

     b.  Work closely with manager of the dance theatre.

     c.  Maintain relations with House Manager in regards to semester's production.

     d.  Approve all financial decisions regarding show with Treasurer.

     e.  Must apply to board for position through directorial proposal.

7.  House Manager-

     a.  Be responsible for all ticket sales including the handling of tickets during show time.

     b.  Recruit ushers and videotapers for each show.

     c.  Be present at all shows and maintain organization of audiences.

     d.  Maintain cleanliness of theatre.

     e.  Work closely with manager of dance theatre.

     f.  Call opening of show.

     g.  Must apply to board for position and is elected by the officers on per semester basis.

     h.  Position determined after the show has been chosen and therefore has no vote in show selection process.

     i.  May not be cast in show the semester he/she serves as House Manager.

Article VII

Elections for officers will be held no later than two weeks after the end of the spring show.  The newly elected officers will choose the show for the following semester.  Each semester's show will be selescted no later than two weeks before the end of the previous semester.  An officer must be re-elected after a two semester term in order to remain on the board.

Article VIII

Anyone with interest may propose to direct a production and does so through a formal proposal process (see proposal application).  The prospective director must choose a show of interest and a production staff.  After the completion of the written proposal, the director is considered by the officers through an interview process and must make an oral presentation of his/her proposal in front of the officers and constituents.  The constituents express their opinions to the officers who then, with this information in mind, decide if the director may produce the show.

Upon choosing the director, the officers have the authority to create a contract that may illustrate specific stipulations regarding how the show should be produced.  The contract must be signed by the director, his/her production staff, and the officers.  When the show has been agreed on in writing, it is ready to go into production.

By-Laws

1.  Officers shall meet no less than once a week during the run of the semester's production.

2.  Any failuer to perform the duties listed here are ground for the impeachment of the offending officer.  Impeachment procedures can be initiated by any one of the officers or the constituency.  Impeachment shall be decided by a majority vote of the constituency.

3.  In the event of a resignation of any officer with more that one month remaining in the academic semester, he or she is to be replaced by a vote of the constituents.