Download theatre department handbook 2015-2016

Hough High School
THEATRE
DEPARTMENT
HANDBOOK
2015-2016
“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art
forms, the most immediate way in which a human
being can share with another the sense of what it
is to be a human being.”
--- Oscar Wilde
Table of Contents
Classes Productions/Important Dates Parents Fees AUDITIONS Casting Tech Crew POSITIONS COMMUNICATION Husky Time Play CALL AND REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS Tech Week PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS ELIGIBILITY CELL PHONES PURPOSE
The purpose of the Hough High School Theatre Handbook is to
provide Theatre parents and students with a resource to which
they may refer regarding Theatre Department procedures and
policies.
MISSION
To create and maintain a quality student-based program that
produces opportunities in both Acting and Technical Theatre.
The HHS Theatre Department’s main goals are:
·​
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To provide acting and technical experiences for all abilities by
providing opportunities both in and outside of the classroom for
performance.
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To develop an appreciation for theatre as a discipline.
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To create a positive atmosphere while instilling a strong work
ethic.
Classes
The Theatre Dept offers a variety of classes during the regular
schedule. You can see a breakdown of class info here:
https://goo.gl/9UItMA
Productions/Important Dates
Hough Theatre produces three extra-curricular productions a
year.
Show
Eligibility
Fall Play
All HHS students
Fools
may audition
by Neil Simon
Husky
HHS Freshman/
Rehearsals
Daily 2:305pm
​​
Auditions
Aug 31- Sept
3, 2015
Performance
Nov 5-7, 2015
In Husky
Simultaneous w/
Jan 7 & 8, 2016
Time
Play
Sophmores
Musical
All HHS students
Blumey
Awards
Time
Daily 2:305pm
If we are nominated TBA
Celebration All students in
TBA
Roast/Toast 2015/16 productions
to honor seniors.
Fall play
Nov 30-Dec 4, 2015 March 17-19, 2016
May 22, 2016
7pm
None
May 24, 2016
6:30pm
Parents
EVERY parent of a HHS student participating in extra curricular
Theatre activities is REQUIRED to do 3 hours of volunteer
service for every production their child is in. HHS Theatre
Department has a strong Booster organization that organizes
volunteer opportunities. Parents must attend the cast and crew
parent meeting for each show. ​
Students will not be allowed to
participate in a production if their parent does not attend the meeting.
They will be removed from the cast or prohibited from auditioning.
Parent Meeting Dates
Fall Play/Husky Time Play
Center.
Thursday Sept 10 @ 6:00pm in the Media
Musical
7pm in Auditorium
Monday Nov 30 @ 3pm in Media Center and
Pick Up Times
All rehearsals will start on time and end on time.
All parents should arrange for their child to be picked up on time
at the end of rehearsal. Any student who is left waiting longer
than 15 mins at the end of the rehearsal/performance will be
escorted home by the Cornelius Police Department.
Fees
Class Fee
All Theatre classes require a $20 fee that must be paid online at
the beginning of the school year. This fee is paid through the
CMS payment system (not houghtheatre.org). This fee is
considered a financial obligation. Failure to pay could result in
the withholding of report cards and/or diploma.
Production Fees
All productions require a fee payment to cover costumes, meals
during Tech Week and other production expenses. Complete
information on budgets and how this money is spent is available
from the Booster organization. The fees are as follows:
Fall Play : Actors: $70 Tech: $25
Husky Time Play $50 Tech: $15
Musical: $200 Tech: $100 Band: $100
A basic t-shirt will be included in the musical fee, tickets and
well wish fees are separate and are not mandatory.
No student will be excluded due to inability to pay, but they must
pursue all possible avenues to cover this fee. Any student who
does not make an effort to cover this fee either through fund
raising or scholarship applications will not be cast in further
productions. Scholarship and fee payment information can be
found at houghtheatre.org. Any student who owes fees from a
previous school year will not be cast until fees owed are resolved.
AUDITIONS
Students should look for posters around the school, on the
houghtheatre.org website, on Ms. McDougall’s website and
announcements in the HoughHowler (PTSA newsletter) for
audition information. Often students will be required to prepare
a monologue, song and possibly to dance. Each audition usually
consists of an initial Audition and a Callback.
Casting
The cast list will be posted on houghtheatre.org and Ms.
McDougall’s website within 5 days of the auditions. Students are
sometimes disappointed with their casting. Unfortunately this is
a part of the theatre process. Students who are not willing to
accept their casting, no matter the role, should not audition. Any
student who drops out of a play because they are disappointed
with their casting will not be cast again at Hough. Please note
that students should not post negative comments about casting
on social media, nor make negative comments to other students
or teachers. This will result in dismissal from the cast, and
barring from further productions.
All HHS production directors, including student directors, are
qualified to determine casting. Parents must ​
not​
contact a
director regarding the casting of their child. Any student who
has questions about their casting or making an improvement for
future auditions should send an email to the director.
Understudies and Shared Roles
Some roles in some plays might be ‘shared’. This means that
both actors will play the same character, either on different
nights of the show, or will share a role in the same performance.
This is not the same as an understudy.
An understudy learns the part they are assigned but will only
perform if the actor given the role is unable to perform due to
illness or emergency. All understudies must attend every
rehearsal. If someone is cast as an understudy, but doesn’t feel
they can make that commitment it will not affect further casting
decisions if they decline. They should notify the director
immediately.
Tech Crew POSITIONS
(stage manager,scenic/lighting/sound/costume design, board
ops, etc.)
Students wishing to join the Tech Crew should contact Ms. McDougall by email (​
[email protected]​
) or in class SelectionCriteria:
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Ability to perform the role as reflected in previous endeavors
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Ability to communicate and coordinate with peers and
directors
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Ability to remain on task and complete projects
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Ability to attend crew calls, rehearsals and performances
COMMUNICATION
Students will be given ample notice of scheduled rehearsals,
performances, and activities so that conflict sare minimal. All
parents will be given the rehearsal schedule and other
information through emails. If your child is cast in a production
and you are not receiving emails please email
[email protected]​
in order to be added to the
list.
Husky Time Play
The Husky Time play is for Freshman and Sophomores. It
rehearses only in Husky Time; Wed and Thurs from 10-10:45am.
Students who are cast in this play must commit to BOTH Husky
Time days. They may be pulled for tutoring only 1x per month.
Any student needing extra tutoring should arrange to get this
tutoring after school. Students who are pulled more than 1x per
month will be asked to step out of the production.
Any student wishing to audition for this play should attend the
Fall Play auditions in September. Students are eligible to do
both the Fall play and the Husky Time play. This play will have
two weeks of after school rehearsal: December 14-17 from
2:30pm-4pm, and Jan 4th-6th from 2:30-6pm.
CALL AND REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS
All rehearsals will take place between 2:30-5pm Monday through
Friday. (Husky Time play excepted.) This may be extended for
the musical. This does not include Tech rehearsals which will be
discussed separately. Rehearsal schedules will be posted on Ms.
McDougall’s website.
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Attend all calls & rehearsals you are called to for the entire
time unless stated on the conflict sheet at the time of auditions
and approved by the director
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Be on time and ready to work at every call
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Stayin the designated area
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Be prepared for your specific duties at each call, rehearsal,
and performance.
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Be in appropriate attire
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Students are allowed one unexcused absence – an unexcused
absence is any absence not listed on the conflict sheet including
illness when SM is not notified. Please call or e-mail or text
when you will be absent
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Absences above the one unexcused will be handled on a case
by case basis
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Unexcused absences in excess of one may result in expulsion
from the crew/cast.
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Students must not leave crew calls or rehearsals at any time
without permission
Tech
​
Week
All cast and crew must attend ALL Tech Week rehearsals. These
rehearsals begin either one week or two weeks before the
production opening night, depending on the size of the show.
The schedule is from 3pm-8pm. Meals are served. There are no
excused absences during Tech Week.
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
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Cast and crew are required to report on time for all calls,
rehearsals,performances, make-up calls, and warm-ups. Cast
and crew are to be on site and available for work at the time
posted and are to stay throughout the entire performance
(unless special permission has been given by the Director).
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Students are never to leave the backstage areas of the theater
or booth once the House is open.
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Only cast members and crew are allowed backstage and in the
booth. Technicians not assigned to the performance are not
allowed!
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Stage etiquette should always be followed, including courtesy
and consideration for cast, crew, and directors.
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Cast and crew are expected to stay and help strike whatever is
necessary on closing night of the performance. This is part of the
theatrical process.
ELIGIBILITY
It is the student’s responsibility to attend tutoring and maintain
your grades in order to participate. Students are expected to
display manners, follow school rules, meet deadlines, and always
represent HHS theatre with pride and dignity. ·​
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We will follow the CMS policy on Academic Eligibility
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Extracurricular activities are those theatre activities that
occur beyond the classroom
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Students who are ineligible due to grades may regain
eligibility at the end of the third and sixth week of a nine -week
grading period.
Exceptions: Performances on campus that do not require an admission fee are
considered co-curricular, and all students are eligible to perform regardless of
grades.
CELL PHONES
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Cell phone usage during class, rehearsal, and performances is
prohibited​
. There will be no texting or calling backstage or in the
dressing rooms or green room during rehearsals or
performances. ​
EVER!!!!
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We will be complying with the HHS policy for cell phone usage
during class.