Theatre Handbook
Introduction
NAHS Theatre has received national and international recognition for its creative, innovative, and rigorous approach to the theatrical performing arts. In 2014, the department's production of The Comedy of Errors was showcased in the American High School Theatre Festival, which is held every year during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. NAHS Theatre returned to the American High School Theatre Festival in Edinburgh in 2019, performing its production of PIPPIN as a part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In March of 2015, The Crucible was one of eleven full-length high school shows featured at the Ohio State Thespian Conference. Through its partnership with CAPA, the department has been able to offer unique learning opportunities to students, including collaboration with professional artists in the classroom (Robert Post) and on productions, talkbacks with actors from touring Broadway shows, and workshops with local educational and theatrical organizations (e.g. Available Light Theatre, The Ohio State University).
In the spring of 2016, Robert Post collaborated with students in the Drama Department to create a 16-minute long documentary called New Albany High School Confidential. This collaboration was continued through the 2016 - 2017 school year.
Since 2019, NA Theatre has participated in the CAPA Marquee Awards, the primary goal of which is "to recognize, honor, and encourage excellence in high school musical theatre through a constructive review process of nominated productions by qualified adjudicators." The musical productions of participating schools are adjudicated by three CAPA Marquee Awards professionals, who "evaluate the nominated students / productions and provide valuable written feedback to the production's cast, crew, and creative team." Students / productions are eligible for awards in thirteen categories, including Best Musical Production, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Outstanding Technical Execution. The department's 2021 production of Disney's The Little Mermaid received five nominations: Best Musical Production, Best Actress in a Leading Role (2), Outstanding Technical Execution, and Outstanding Student Orchestra. 2023's musical, Mamma Mia!, was nominated for Outstanding Student Orchestra.
With each of its productions, NA Theatre seeks to challenge its students as artists and thinkers, producing well-rounded, civically-engaged thespians. Our collegiate level program cultivates the aesthetic, emotional, intellectual, and physical development of each and every child.
We are representatives of our learning community to our larger community. We have written this handbook to ensure the high standards that our community deserves and to continue our tradition of staging excellence.
General Rules and Expectations
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.
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 have a question about the rehearsal schedule, ask the stage manager. 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.
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!" Rehearsals begin at 2:45 p.m. Monday - Friday or at 10 a.m. on Saturdays. They typically end between 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Please note, the length of rehearsals increases by 30 minutes on Monday, April 1st. 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.
Rehearsal Schedule: A detailed rehearsal schedule is posted on Mr. Lemberg's portal. This schedule will inform you when you will be needed at rehearsal over the next two months 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.
Cell Phones: All electronic devices need to be turned off during rehearsals and stowed with your personal belongings. NO CELL PHONES 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.
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.
Grade Check(s): At the end of 3rd Quarter, directors will review your grades in all of your classes. If one or more of your grades are below a "C", interventions will be put in place to help you raise them. Please remember, poor grades, poor attendance, and / or inappropriate conduct in class may be causes for removal from your role or from the show.
Final Three Weeks: Everyone (including crew) is required to be in attendance during the last three (3) weeks of rehearsal, beginning Monday, April 1st, 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.
Tech Weekend: Tech weekend is incredibly demanding. For PUFFS, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, it has been scheduled for Saturday, April 13th and Sunday, April 14th. 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, April 15th (Cast "Mischief Managed"), Tuesday, April 16th (Cast "Constant Vigilance"), and Wednesday, April 17th (both casts). Dress rehearsals may run late, though we try to release you as soon as possible. Please be advised, performances of the show are Thursday, April 18th (Cast "Mischief Managed") at 7 p.m., Friday, April 19th (Cast "Constant Vigilance") at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 20th (Cast "Mischief Managed") at 7 p.m., Sunday, April 21st (Cast "Constant Vigilance") at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 24th (Cast "Mischief Managed) at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 25th (Cast "Constant Vigilance") at 7 p.m., Friday, April 26th (Cast "Constant Vigilance") at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 27th at 2 p.m. (Cast "Mischief Managed").
Set Time: For this production, actors will be required to complete 2 crew hours. Mr. Lemberg will have students sign up for crew hours on Monday, March 25th.
STRIKE: Strike is MANDATORY for all actors and crew. Strike is scheduled for Sunday, April 28th. Later in the rehearsal process, actors and crew members will be assigned to a time slot by Mr. Lemberg. Please let him know if you have any conflicts with this day.
Memorization: Performers are expected to learn their staging and lines by certain dates specified by the directors. 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!
PDA: Public displays of affection, beyond friendly hugs and hand holding, is not permitted.
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 all pieces of the student's costume(s) ($70), with the exception of undergarments and character shoes; snacks / water during Tech Week ($15); and the show T-shirt ($15). Students working on crew or playing in the pit orchestra are required to pay a $30 fee to the NAHS Theatre Boosters, which includes snacks / water ($15) and the show T-shirt ($15). A student may decide to opt-out of the T-shirt portion of the fee.
Actors must also purchase a personal makeup kit (approx. $25) 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. Hand sanitizing stations will be available in our rehearsal spaces.
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 Friday, March 8th. 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 the high school business secretary, Beth Johnston.
If a you have questions or concerns about the NAHS Theatre Boosters fee of either $100 (cast) or $30 (crew), please contact Audra Funk at natbtreasurer2018@gmail.com. The fee is due by the parent / guardian meeting on Thursday, February 29th but no later than Monday, March 4th. 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. Hopkins, Ms. Reffner, or Ms. Thiel. 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, March 4th 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, Theater Boosters website), for archival purposes, and as part of our lobby display seen on performance nights. 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 Mean Girls High School Edition is due by Monday, February 26th at 11:59 p.m.
A mandatory parent / guardian meeting will be held on Thursday, February 29th at 7 p.m. in the Mini Theater.