Theatre Regulations

PS# 4109

Issue # 1

Page 1 of 5

TITLE: Theatre Regulations

AUTHOR: Theatre Faculty

EFFECTIVE: August, 1983

PURPOSE: To establish a policy regarding safe and proper use of theatre materials, equipment and facilities

REVIEWER: Vice President for Academic Affairs

OPERATING DETAILS:

1. The limited staff, and the nature and expense of materials and equipment in the theatre necessitate a uniform set of regulations to insure safety, proper use and maintenance of equipment and materials, and cost-effective operation of the theatre area. The procedures outlined in this policy statement bind on faculty, students and other users alike, with exceptions, and according to particular circumstances as noted below.

2. Theatre materials, equipment and facilities are not to be used for personal needs, tasks or gains.  Such materials and facilities include, for example, fabric and costumes, sewing machines, washing machines, paint and telephones.

3. Students should not use the telephones in faculty offices. Rather, they should use the telephone in the hall, available to anyone at any hour, at no charge.

4. No student is to have a key to a specific location in the theatre, nor a submaster to the entire theatre area. The exceptions to this regulation follow: crewheads assigned to specific areas during the preparation and running of a show will receive a key for that area only; the stage-manager of a specific show will receive a submaster; a work-study student assigned to theatre will receive keys to those areas to which his or her duties require access. These individuals may, however, have a key only for the duration of their specific duties, and must return their keys to the theatre faculty member from whom they received them within 72 hours of the completion of their assigned duties.  Failure to comply will result in withholding of the student's transcripts until such time as he or she does return the key. Loss of the key will result in the student being assessed a fee for replacement of the key and any other necessary, related expenses.

5. The student to whom a key is assigned must be trained to use any and all of the equipment and materials in the assigned area, and must be able to do so without supervision, and according to correct and safe procedures.

6. Those individuals to whom keys are assigned are not, under any circumstances, to loan their key(s) to another individual. Violation of this regulation will result in loss of the privilege of having a key. Furthermore, the student to whom the key is assigned will be held responsible for any damage to, or loss of materials or equipment incurred in his or her area as the result of such violation.

7. The student to whom a theatre key is assigned also is responsible for any damage to, or loss of materials or equipment incurred while he or she oversees work done in the assigned area. Exceptions to this include normal wear and tear on, or expenditure of materials and equipment, or the willful destruction by another individual of such resources. In such cases, the student in charge will report the problem to the technical director of the show, who will deal with the problem (see #10).

8. The student to whom a theatre key is assigned has the power to hold the identification card of a student working in that area when the latter student is using equipment or tools. The student in charge will return the worker's identification card when the worker returns the items he or she was using. Under no circumstances is equipment to leave the theatre area, nor is theatre equipment to remain in the worker's possession when he or she is not in the work area, working on the specific task.

9. The student in charge of a particular area during the preparation and running of a show is responsible for the use of equipment according to standard safety procedures, the general daily cleanliness and orderliness of his or her work area, and the maintenance of a daily record of supplies used and supplies needed. The technical director of the show will regularly check all areas to see that they are clean and orderly, and will supply, at regular intervals, a general list of supplies used and needed in all areas to the division head so that materials may be ordered.

10. The technical director may administer discipline for infractions of numbers 4-7 committed either by the student in charge or workers in the area. The particular discipline will depend upon the discretion of the faculty member; however, discipline must by systematic.

11. A complete inventory will be done once each semester by the theatre faculty to ascertain items needed, missing, or in need of repair.

12. No theatre equipment and materials are to be used by unauthorized personnel. Authorized personnel are those individuals who are trained in the specific equipment's or material's use (either by having taken a course, or by verification of a theatre faculty member ) and who have been assigned to a specific task necessitating use of that equipment or material. If the individual has not had a course in use of that equipment or material, but has been verified as competent by a theatre faculty member, that faculty member is ultimately responsible for any damage or accident that results from the user's lack of skill in use of the equipment.

13. Unauthorized individuals may work with theatre equipment and materials only under constant supervision in the work place. The supervisory person may be the authorized crewhead, the technical director, the instructing faculty member, or the director. The supervising individual has ultimate responsibility for seeing that appropriate safety precautions are observed, and for making every effort to prevent accidents to individuals and equipment.

14. All main stage theatre and dance production assignments will be made at least six weeks prior to the specific production. Spring theatre productions may be cast before the Christmas holidays, at the director's discretion.

15. Individuals and/or groups from outside the theatre area who wish to stage a production in the theatre must apply for scheduling and services to the theatre faculty and head of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts no later than the third week of the start of the semester in which the proposed production is to occur. At the time of the application, the would-be producer must indicate for what services theatre personnel would need to be provided, and what supplies will be needed. Productions will be scheduled according to the order in which requests are received, and demands already placed on the theatre. If the proposed event is scheduled, the producer will be informed as to what services the theatre will or will not be able to provide.

16. If the outside producer wishes to supply his or her own production crews, the members of those crews must meet the standards required in numbers 12-13 of this policy statement.

17. The outside producer will not receive a theatre submaster, but must make arrangements for access to the areas through the theatre faculty.

18. All proposals for Second-Stage productions should be made to the theatre faculty within five weeks of the beginning of the semester. The proposal should include a description of the show, why it would be considered for production, and what personnel and materials will be needed. The theatre faculty and proposing individual will then schedule a presentation of the proposal to the body of individuals interested in Second-Stage. The assembled individuals will vote upon the proposal; an assenting vote commits the voting individual to help with the production. A simple majority rules.

19. No more than three Second-Stage productions may be scheduled within any one semester. The exception to this is that schedule of productions required as part of course in that semester. In the case of such an exception, the regularly-scheduled opportunities for Second-Stage may be preempted in that semester.

20. Whether involved in regular theatre or dance productions, or involved in outside productions, all users of the theatre are responsible for the clean-up of all areas used in their production: the various shops, the dressing- and make-up rooms, the Green Room, the live-prop room the light- and sound-booths and catwalks, and the theatre itself. All sets and lights must be struck, costumes and make-up returned in good order to their proper places, and all areas otherwise made clean and orderly within 72 hours after the production's final performance. Failure to do so will result in the producer being assessed a fee to hire a cleaning crew.

21. Outside producers are responsible for replacement, either in kind or by means of financial restitution, of all expendable materials used, such as fabrics and make-up. The form of replacement will be determined by the theatre faculty according to demands upon the available remaining supply, local availability of the items, etc. The outside producers will provide for the theatre faculty a signed list of all supplies used.

22. Any reusable materials (e.g., costumes, sets) used by outside producers remain the property of the theatre if theatre materials and/or personnel were used to make them.

23. The loaning of theatre equipment, and reusable, non-expendable materials will be made only to individuals qualified to use such equipment or materials. No expendable materials will be loaned or sold. A refundable deposit and non-refundable rental fee will be set by the theatre faculty, and will be required before the loan is made. The individual assigned to making loans will go over the operation and maintenance, dangers and safety precautions of the equipment or materials with the borrower, and will make sure the borrower understands all such procedures.

24. A form noting the condition of the equipment or materials, and notifying the borrower of his responsibilities concerning the loaned items (see #25) will be filled out before the loan is made, and will be signed by both the lender and the borrower. Upon return of the equipment or material, another form will be completed, noting the condition of the item, and signed by the borrower. Under ordinary circumstances, the borrower's deposit will be returned.

25. If borrowed items are returned in damaged condition, note of the damages will be made on the return form. The borrower is responsible for repair fees. In the event that the item must be replaced, the borrower will be required to pay a percentage, determined by the theatre faculty according to the type of item, of the replacement cost. In the case either of repairs or replacement, the borrower forfeits his or her deposit, which will be applied towards the costs of repair or replacement. Upon a second offense, the borrower will, in addition to the penalties already stated, lose his or her borrowing privileges.

26. If the borrower is a University student, failure to meet the obligations set out in numbers 24-25 will result in the withholding of his or her transcripts until the lender receives satisfaction.

27. Loans will be made only during specified hours, or by prior appointment, and will be valid for a limited period, agreed upon prior to the loan. Failure to return the borrowed item on time, without authorization prior to the date due, will result in a forfeiture of the deposit.

28. Green Room facilities shall remain open and available to students at all times for work, study and recreation. Good housekeeping is mandatory. This is a multi-purpose area, and good order, satisfactory to all faculty, must be maintained. The Green room is not a storage area for personal articles.

29. A general meeting will be held in the first week of each semester for all individuals involved with, or interested in the theatre. Theatre plans will be discussed, policies explained, student expectations voiced, and so forth.

30. Enforcement of the operating details of this policy statement is the general responsibility of all theatre faculty. Enforcement of specific details, such as the loaning of theatre equipment and materials, may be the responsibility, however, of specifically assigned faculty members.

31. Complaints about, or requests for exceptions to these operating details should be directed to the Division Head, who will make a decision based upon the input of the concerned individuals, the faculty member(s) involved, and other information as relevant.

32. As set out in these pages, the operating details of this policy statement apply to all individuals, whether regular theatre faculty and students, other University faculty and students, or off-campus or visiting individuals and groups who wish to make use of theatre materials, equipment and facilities.