Since there has been such a strong interest in producing student generated work, the Theatre department, seeking to be fair to all those desiring such an opportunity, is offering a revision to its former guidelines. The Theatre Department strongly believes in the benefits of Student Projects. These Guidelines exist to support the effectiveness of the experience.
Student projects: are any productions which are student generated and request the use of Theatre Department time, space, money, equipment, or personnel, excluding graduate student projects done in partial fulfillment of their degree requirements.
Level 1: An initial request, from a student to the faculty, when approved for production is considered a Level 1 Project and is viewed as an opportunity for the student/s to demonstrate their ability to mount a piece with emphasis on the acting/directing. It is normally assumed that the piece will be produced with rehearsal furniture, rehearsal clothing/street dress and work lights. Level 1 projects will normally have a maximum of three performances.
Level 2: Once students have successfully demonstrated their ability to work with peers and the department spaces and calendar, a second project submitted and approved for production is a Level 2 Project. The student may request greater design/technical support. The emphasis in a Level 2 Project is acting/directing with exploration of design/technical elements.
Original scripts: Students wishing to produce a previously unmounted or original script should submit the request and the script to the Department Chair for scheduling of a reading at the earliest possible date. In this way, the author, director and/or producer can have the benefit of the faculty dramaturgical suggestions as well as those ideas generated from a public "hearing" and from the original cast of actors prior to a full-staging of the work.
The Department will provide rehearsal chairs, music stands, and
work lights. Since this initial reading will focus on the text,
departmental costumes, lighting, set pieces, sound equipment or
professional staff support should not be utilized. The focus of the
reading should be on the material, not the staging elements, as
is the case in any number of professional reading situations.
Changes in proposals:
Students are encouraged to follow this pattern of production but
may request that the faculty make exceptions by submitting to the Chair
a detailed production proposal explaining the need to differ from the
"normal" sequence.
Student Eligibility: All persons involved with student productions must be currently enrolled students due to the State's mandate regarding safety/insurance, etc. Students who are on probation or who have been disqualified are NOT eligible to participate , in any capacity, in any department approved or sponsored production other than those required for a specific class assignment. This is in keeping with the policy of the Department as to "main stage" productions. All cast and production lists must be reviewed by the Department Chair or designee to assure academic eligibility of those working on the production. So, to avoid any problems after the fact, the faculty strongly encourages that the cast/tech lists be reviewed PRIOR to posting.
Level 2 proposals, which utilize design/tech staffing and materials, must have a design/technical faculty advisor. Have the advisor sign the proposal form prior to submission. The advisor will be responsible, along with the student submitting the proposal, for ensuring that the specific design plans can be met by the department in terms of cost and time line.
All proposals will have an acting/directing advisor (also secured by the proposer) who, along with the design/technical advisor, is responsible for adherence to department production procedures enabling the best possible results for the student proposer.
Each project will have two faculty advisors: the acting/directing
advisor is responsible for consultation on script analysis and the
rehearsal process; the design/technical advisor is responsible
for consultation on visual elements and adherence to safety procedures.
Both advisors will strive for a responsible and fair adherence to
production procedures.
If the proposer wishes to be awarded academic credit, it is
available only with extensive faculty advisement and with the Chair's
approval. Begin by discussing this request with the Chair.
The faculty encourages production in any available locale on campus.
Once the academic/production program has been assigned appropriate
"classroom" assignments and the project has been approved, the Theatre
General Manager can schedule rehearsal/performance spaces, dates, times on
a first come first served basis. Although use of other spaces is
encouraged, appropriate permission must be secured. No project-related work
should be scheduled during semester review days through the end of the semester.
The Chair, once the faculty has approved the production of a level 1 or
2 project, will immediately secure the production rights. The Royalties
of approved productions will be paid by the department up to $125 for the
run of the show. Any expenditures for consumables etc. necessitated by a
Level 2 production should be approved by the faculty advisor prior to
purchase. Prior to submitting receipts for reimbursement, they must be
initialed by the advisor who approved the expenditure. No money can be
reimbursed without receipts or if the faculty member did not approve such
expenditures.
THE FORM USED FOR STUDENT PROJECT PROPOSALS
CAN BE FOUND ON THE MAIN MENU BUTTON LABELLED "STUDENT FORMS"