Theatre Handbook

General Rules and Expectations

1. Behavior: All students are expected to be on their best behavior at all times. When a director is talking--even if it appears that they are not talking directly to you--you need to be quiet and pay attention. You can learn a lot from observing others receiving direction. If you are not attentive during rehearsals, you risk being removed from your role or removed from the production altogether. You need to be respectful of all directors at all times. The directors of the show, as well as any guest artists, designers, parents, or volunteers involved with the production, need to be treated with the highest level of respect. This notion of respect applies to your peers, too. As a company, we need to take care of each other and practice kindness every day. Also, the importance of honoring the absent cannot be stressed enough. 

2. Attendance: The rehearsal schedule is very demanding and requires you to be present at all required times. When cast or crew members are absent from rehearsal, that absence not only impacts them, but it also impacts everyone else involved. Therefore, only two unexcused (2) absences from rehearsals are allowed before the directors have the right to remove you from a number or a scene, or remove you altogether. 

In order to produce the best show possible, we need everyone's attention, commitment, and cooperation at all times. 

Attendance is mandatory. If you are absent from a choreography rehearsal to which you are called, the directors reserve the right to not feature you in that number.

Questions about the rehearsal schedule? Ask the stage manager(s). If they cannot answer your question, they will talk to the directors. 

All absence requests must be submitted in writing (e.g. email) at least 24 hours in advance to Mr. Lemberg (cast & crew). Conflicts listed on the audition form constitute advance notice in writing. 

Please note, for attendance purposes, production team members are considered to be a part of the cast.

3. Tardies and Early Dismissals: Remember the old theatre adage, "To arrive early is to be on time, and to arrive on time is to be late!" Unless otherwise noted on the calendar, rehearsals are 2:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. on Mondays - Thursday or from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Please note, the length of rehearsals increases by 30 minutes on Monday, October 27th. Please plan to arrive at least 5 - 10 minutes before the rehearsal starts and stay until the rehearsal ends or you are excused by one of the directors.  

4 unexcused tardies or early dismissals will count as 1 unexcused absence. 8 unexcused tardies or early dismissals will count as 2 unexcused absences, which may necessitate your removal from your role or the production. 

4. Rehearsal Schedule: A detailed rehearsal schedule is posted on Mr. Lemberg's portal. This schedule will inform you as to when you will be needed at rehearsal over the next eight weeks and where that rehearsal will be held. All company members are expected to be at rehearsal unless otherwise indicated. At the beginning of each week, Mr. Lemberg will post who is called to each rehearsal that week on the calendar and communicate that information daily via Remind.  

5. Cell Phones: All electronic devices need to be turned off during rehearsals and stowed with your personal belongings. NO CELL PHONES ARE PERMITTED ONSTAGE OR OFFSTAGE. If you have down time during rehearsal, you must work on your homework or on your part in the show. Ask what you can do to help.

6. Homework: If you are called to rehearsal and have some down time, use that time to work on homework for your classes or to work on your part in the show. IT IS NOT A TIME TO SOCIALIZE. Please remember, the play is not an excuse to forgo doing assigned homework.

7. Grade Check(s): Every three weeks, students are required to submit a to the directors. If one or more of your grades are below a "C", interventions will be put in place to help you raise those grades. Please remember, poor grades, poor attendance, and / or inappropriate conduct in class may be causes for removal from your role or from the show. 

8. Final Three Weeks: Everyone (including crew) is required to be in attendance during the last three (3) weeks of rehearsal, beginning on Monday, October 27th, before the show opens with no excuses and no questions asked. When the last three weeks roll around, we are always diligently working on putting the finishing touches on the performance as well as on all of its technical needs (costumes, lighting, props, sets, sound, etc.). Even in collegiate and professional shows, most technical elements are not finished until the last few weeks, or even days, of the rehearsal process.

9. Tech Weekend: Tech weekend is incredibly demanding. For Chicago: Teen Edition, it has been scheduled for Saturday, November 15th and Sunday, November 16th. On these days, we will be putting the technical elements of the show together, often for the first time. Dress rehearsals are scheduled for Monday, November 17th, Tuesday, November 18th, and Wednesday, November 19th. Dress rehearsals may run late, though we try to release you as soon as possible. Please be advised, performances of the show are Thursday, November 20th at 7 p.m., Friday, November 21st at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 22nd at 2 p.m., and Saturday, November 22nd at 7 p.m. 

10. Set Time: For this production, actors will be required to complete 2.5 crew hours. Performers may begin signing up for their crew hours immediately. 

11. STRIKE: Strike is MANDATORY for all actors and crew. Strike is scheduled for Sunday, November 23rd. Later in the rehearsal process, actors and crew members will be assigned to a time slot by Mr. Lemberg and Mrs. Walsh. Please let them know if you have any conflicts with this day. 

12. Memorization: Performers are expected to learn their choreography, lines, music, and staging by certain dates specified by the director. These dates will be given as we progress. Students should start learning their parts immediately. Failure to learn parts by the assigned dates will result in consequences--removal from your part or even from the show entirely. Everyone needs to put in the work required! 

13. PDA: Public displays of affection, beyond friendly hugs and hand holding, is not permitted. 

14. Rehearsal Space: All students are expected to respect any and all rehearsal spaces ("I" building, McCoy) in which we will be working. In the McCoy, only water is permitted in carpeted areas and in the theatre. Please clean up after yourself; if you have trash or see trash, throw it away. Before you leave, make sure you have all of the items you brought to rehearsal. 

Any injury or illness while attending any NAHS Theatre function should be immediately reported to a director and the proper medical authorities. 

Please note, there is a zero-tolerance Drug and Alcohol Policy in place for the rehearsal and performance periods of this production. 

Fees & Needed Supplies

Actors are required to pay a $100 fee to the NAHS Theatre Boosters for participation in the show. This fee includes most pieces of the student's costume(s), with the exception of undergarments and character shoes; some snacks / water during Tech Week (though donations may still be requested); and the show T-shirt ($15). Students working on crew are required to pay a $30 fee to the NAHS Theatre Boosters, which includes some snacks / water during Tech Week and the show T-shirt ($15). Musicians are required to pay a $75 fee, $60 of which will cover their costume and snacks / water during Tech Week. Any student may decide to opt-out of the $15 T-shirt portion of the fee. 

Actors must also purchase a personal makeup kit (approx. $30) from Costume Holiday House and provide their own makeup supplies. More information about makeup kits will be provided during rehearsals. 

We strongly recommend that each student bring personal hand sanitizer to rehearsals.

All students need to bring a water bottle, labeled with their name, to every rehearsal. Even if it is a disposable water bottle, the student's name needs to be written on it. No sharing of food or drink is allowed. Students may refill their water bottles at the McCoy or in "I" building. 

Our NAHS Theatre Boosters fee DOES NOT include the pay-to-participate ("pay-to-play") fee required by New Albany Plain-Local Schools. The pay-to-participate fee for both cast and crew is $125 and is due by Thursday, October 2nd. The fee can be paid through the student's account on Pay Schools Central or via a check made out to New Albany High School. Checks for the PTP fee must be given to Ms. Thiel. If you have questions about the due date for the fee or the fee itself, the directors would recommend contacting Beth Johnston, the high school business secretary. 

If a you have questions or concerns about the NAHS Theatre Boosters fee of either $100 (cast), $30 (crew), or $75 (pit musicians), please contact Jenni Kieninger at natbtreasurer2018@gmail.com. The fee is due by the parent / guardian meeting on Thursday, September 25th but no later than Monday, September 29th. Checks should be made payable to "New Albany Theatre Boosters". This fee can be paid at the parent / guardian meeting OR payments can be sent to the Theatre Boosters' post office box or dropped in the lockbox outside of I-115 at the high school. The NAHS Theatre Boosters fee CANNOT be given to any of the directors, including Mr. Lemberg, Mr. Burns, Mrs. Thiel, or Mrs. Walsh. The address for the P.O. Box is: 

NA THEATRE BOOSTERS

P.O. Box 1065 

New Albany, OH, 43054

If the Theatre Boosters fee is not received through the post office box or in the lockbox by Monday, September 29th and we have not been notified that it will be late, the student will be asked to sit out of rehearsals, and their absence from rehearsal will be marked as "unexcused" until the fee is paid. Two or more unexcused absences could cause the student to be removed from their role or from the production itself. The same policy applies to the pay-to-participate fee. 

Photography/Videography Information

During rehearsals, students will be photographed and video-recorded for educational purposes. We use these photographs for advertising (e.g. district website, News Wire, social media, Theater Boosters website) and for archival purposes. Your acknowledgement of this handbook's guidelines in the Google form indicates that you are okay with your child being filmed and/or photographed as a part of the show. 

Acknowledgement of Understanding

The actor / crew contract for Chicago: Teen Edition is due by Thursday, September 18th at 11:59 p.m.

A mandatory parent / guardian meeting will be held on Thursday, September 25th at 7 p.m. in the Mini Theater.