CONGRATULATIONS! Your child wants to be part of a show with Running Dog Productions.
That means YOU'VE been cast as a Running Dog Parent!
This is an incredible opportunity and I know you will enjoy being part of this lively, fun theatre community.
COMMITMENT
Being in a mainstage show with Running Dog Productions at SBHS requires a great deal of commitment. This is not a casual after-school club, and it is not an activity that is compatible with the school sports schedule. It is NOT recommended that students attempt to be in a sport and a mainstage production at the same time. All students are held to the same attendance standards here at Running Dog, regardless of their involvement in other extracurricular activities.
Understanding the expectations and obligations of being in a production are key to your student’s growth and success. Be sure to help your child fill out the audition and/or tech crew form after the information meeting to ensure that you understand what is required. The final page of this form requires acknowledgement from both the student and parent, so let your child know that you are waiting to fill this out with them. Make sure your child knows any after school activities or appointments that may be in conflict with participating in this production, and that those conflicts are listed on the audition/tech crew form.
Please ensure that you read the audition form carefully and pay close attention to the attendance policy. This policy is strictly followed, and there will be no exceptions to this rule, so please do not let it catch you and your child by surprise.
PARENT MEETING
At least one member of every family involved in this production must attend the parent meeting in the Stone Bridge Auditorium on Monday, February 13 at 7 PM.
You will find out more about our rehearsal schedule, get answers to frequently asked questions, find out what you need to purchase, meet with our Parent Boosters, and you will have the chance to meet with the director. It is extremely important that all families are represented at this meeting. Please make it a priority for someone in your family to attend.
PRODUCTION FEES
We require that every member of the production pay a production fee. This fee is the same price as the athletic fee ($75) and it covers the construction and technical materials, costumes, and props we will need to do the show, plus a t-shirt for every child involved. We know this is a lot, but remember, all funds go directly to the students. These fees do not cover the entire cost of the production, so the rest comes from ticket sales. Please be prepared to pay this fee by midnight on March 3. More information on how to pay this fee will be available shortly.
AUDITION PREPARATION
This website is packed with information that will help your child be successful. It is very important that both parents AND students read all of the information available. Go over the information with your child and ensure that they understand what is required. Be sure your student reads the entire website. Also, be aware that auditioning requires the audition panel to assess acting skill. This takes time. We need to ensure every child is placed in the right role for them, so auditions can take awhile.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DURING AUDITION PREPARATION
Auditioning is tough. It is a very vulnerable time for our young performers. Remember that your child's friends are likely to be competing for the same roles, so they may not have anyone with whom they can share their emotions. Make sure your child knows you are rooting for them!
Many students aren't sure what to do about "stage fright". The best thing any performer can do to prevent stage fright is to feel like the most prepared person in the room. Some ideas to help your child feel more secure and prepared during this process:
Read every single part of this informational website and ensure that your child has read it, too. Ask them questions about it.
If you have no theatre experience, that's OK! Learn what you can and share tidbits with your child. With just a few minutes of research, you are sure to find some interesting facts to share.
Encourage your child to learn all they can about theatre. Watch plays and musicals on YouTube, Disney Plus, Netflix, etc. Talk about what you liked and didn't like about the performances.
If you have a favorite play or musical, share that with your child. They will benefit from the knowledge, and it will help your child feel supported.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AFTER AUDITIONS
Some roles have more lines than others; not everyone can be the lead. Regardless of where your child is placed, they will get stage time. This is an amazing opportunity. Being a non-lead character does not mean your child did anything wrong. It means that they performed just like the majority of other actors did, because the majority of our actors are not leads. Remind your child that being part of this production is a huge honor and a LOT of fun.
Remember that it is normal for YOU, the parent, to experience a range of emotions after the cast list goes up. It is natural to want to shield our children from disappointment. Though you may be tempted, do not engage in negative talk about the production, other members of the cast, the director, etc. This will not help your child cope, and it certainly will not be a model for how your child should deal with disappointment. Your child is watching and listening to how you react.
Encourage your child to embrace their role and to show the director how much they want to be on that stage. Remind them how proud you are of them for auditioning, because you know it is NOT an easy process. There are many opportunities for your child to stand out in the production as long as they show up and work hard. In fact, there are times when someone in the ensemble must step up and take on a named role!
Be a model for how to deal with disappointment with grace and emotional maturity. Help your child cope with and overcome their challenges. You will see your baby onstage performing their heart out regardless of their role; remind your child how excited you are!
THE REHEARSAL PROCESS
Most rehearsals for this production will take place before or after school and will last for about 90 minutes to two hours. Some rehearsals will be longer, and this will all be communicated ahead of time in the rehearsal calendar.
All performers are expected to memorize lines, music, and blocking (movement on and off the stage). When the rehearsal calendar says "off book", that means that all actors who appear in the pages being rehearsed are not permitted to use a script onstage. If an actor forgets a line, they can say "line" and will be prompted by the stage manager. In time, the student will be able to get through their lines without having to be prompted, but almost no one is 100% perfect at the first off-book rehearsal.
ALMOST ALL MEMORIZATION OCCURS OUTSIDE OF REHEARSAL TIME.
Rehearsals are NOT for the purpose of line memorization! Rehearsals are for scene work, logistics, performer safety, and more. A performer who fails to meet memorization deadlines will be replaced.
Some rehearsals are difficult. Your child may find a specific scene very challenging. Maybe they don't get along with someone else very well. Or perhaps the director provided feedback that the student didn't want to hear. Your child may come home from rehearsal exhausted or even upset and will want to vent to you. Let them. That is okay. All that I ask is that you please remember that ups and downs are normal. Please help us by teaching perseverance and positive professionalism both onstage and off.
Throughout this process, the students will receive both constructive criticism and positive notes from the director. Please remember these notes are not personal attacks; they are intended to help push your child to do their best and work to their full potential as a performer or technician.
TECH WEEK
Tech week is the final preparation for our production. It is a time when all technical and performance elements come together. We start getting ready right after school with hair, makeup, and costumes. We adjust technical elements to get everything right. We have to find time to eat food at some point during all of that. Rehearsals are long and grueling.
Attendance at tech week rehearsals is REQUIRED FOR ALL ACTORS AND TECHNICIANS. Rehearsals will run late, sometimes as late as 10:00 PM. It is a fact of theatre that tech week runs late, and it cannot and will not be done any other way. Consider it like an away game or tournament in sports. It's a long process, and your child won't be home as much that week. If your child staying at rehearsal until 10:00 PM during tech week is not acceptable to you, do not allow your child to be part of this production.
Dinner will be provided for an additional fee through the Parent Boosters.