HS Handbook 9.5 Rehearsal Policies

As practicum is a graded class, all normal conduct, academic, attendance, and participation policies from this handbook apply, and violations will impact a student's grade as well as student standing and future casting opportunities. In addition, the following production-specific policies apply:

Information and Schedules

Access to Information

Each production will have a stage manager that is responsible for disseminating rehearsal schedules, information and announcements via the production's Canvas class, chat, and calendar as the production's "virtual callboard." Subscribe to the Division calendar for updates, and check Canvas, MDC emails and Teams twice per day for announcements and updates.

Some productions will choose to utilize physical callboards on the 9th floor for information as well - check the callboard twice per day for updates.

Appearance

Once cast in a production, students must receive permission from both the director and the costume designer before making any changes to your personal appearance (i.e. cutting your hair, changing your hair color, getting tattoos or facial piercings).

Rehearsal Schedules

Regular rehearsals for high school students are Monday through Friday from 4:15pm to 7:15pm and any four-hour block on Saturday.

Plays are generally scheduled to rehearse 6 weeks before tech, and musicals generally have an additional week for learning of music.

Cast members may only be called up to six days per week. Both college and high school students must have a least one-day off per week during the rehearsal schedule.

All rehearsals that involve faculty members will start no earlier than 4.15 pm. This will allow office time in between high school classes and rehearsals for the faculty to meet with students.

During rehearsals, all will be given a five-minute break after 55 minutes of work or a ten-minute break every hour-and-20-minutes, as called by the stage manager. An exception is when the company is engaged in running a long, contiguous sequence of the play. After such a run-through there must be a ten-minute break.

Directors may not give notes to actors during break times.

Directors and stage managers must also be allowed to take each company break, so actors should not approach directors or stage managers with business or asked for notes during breaks.

Student Expectations

Students are expected to be on time for all scheduled rehearsals and notify the director or the Theater Division secretary of any emergency which may cause you to be late or miss a rehearsal.

If potential conflicts arise after casting or production assignments occurs, the student must immediately notify the director, production manager, and the dean via email to propose the conflict. Proposed conflicts must be approved in writing in advance by the director, production manager, and the dean.

❌ High school assigned cast and crew members are not permitted to leave town during scheduled mainstage rehearsal periods. Rehearsal and performance dates are listed on the casting notice and general audition registration form.

Students with unexcused absences, including absences due to unapproved conflicts, will be replaced in the production's cast or crew, will receive a zero for the practicum grade, and will jeopardize future performance.

Production Team Expectations

Directors and stage managers are encouraged to provide a detailed planned rehearsal schedule in advance to cast, production team, and parents/guardians on the rehearsal schedule calendar.

Directors and stage managers will send a daily call email to all cast, production team, crew members, and administration with updated, detailed schedule breakdowns with times, names of those called, and content to be covered in the next day's rehearsal, no later than an hour after the conclusion of the previous night's rehearsal. They will also update the rehearsal schedule calendar to reflect any changes to the call.

Rehearsal requests for Fridays after 4:30pm or Saturdays must be received by the division secretary no later than Wednesday at 1pm, along with a list of all attendees, to be reported to Public Safety.

Directors and stage managers are required to stage a full rehearsal room run-through for designers and the producer (dean) at least one week before tech.

Weekend Rehearsal Parking

The Building 5 parking garage (G2) is not open for weekend rehearsals. Parking is available on Saturdays in Garage 1, connected to Building 7, from 6am-7pm. All Wolfson Campus parking is closed on Sundays.

Rehearsal Etiquette

The ultimate goals of the etiquette policies below are for everyone involved in the production to do their best work as an aspiring professional, and to work together as an ensemble in an atmosphere which is relaxed, productive, creative and fun.

It is important that as an actor you develop an exceptional work ethic and discipline throughout the rehearsal/performance process in order for you to grow as an actor and and find work in the theater and entertainment world.

Ready to Work

✔︎ Always be at least 15 minutes early for rehearsal.

✔︎ It is your responsibility as an actor to come to rehearsal vocally and physically warmed up, prepared to work on the scheduled material.

Rehearsal Materials

✔︎ Always bring your script and music materials, a pencil with an eraser, and a notebook to rehearsal.

✔︎ Cast members will sign out rental or published script and any music materials from the main office.

✔︎ Pick up your script and materials promptly as soon as they become available.

✔︎ Only use a pencil when taking notes in a rental or published script/score.

✔︎ Erase all notes before returning the script back in to the office. Materials are due no later than three days after the closing performance.

❌ Students who lose, damage, or do not return a rental or published script by the deadline will be charged the replacement/late fees.

Script Work

✔︎ Write down all your blocking/staging in your script and review it before the next scheduled rehearsal.

✔︎ Learn your lines exactly as written on the page, including punctuation.

✔︎ Actors are responsible for knowing the meanings of every word they say onstage. Look it up!

✔︎ All actors must be off-book (memorized) on the date the director has set. Actors not fully memorized by the off-book date will have their production grade affected.

✔︎ Begin learning lines and scoring the script right away after picking up materials.

✔︎ Be prepared - do the actor's homework as taught in class, including scoring the script and scene study/analysis.

Rehearsal Behavior

The rehearsal hall/theatre/classroom is a productive place where artists gather to explore the process of searching for the authenticity in performance. Every person’s actions have the potential to impact the process.

✔︎ Stay productive and positive! An actor’s energy, joy and enthusiasm will positively impact everyone involved.

❌ An actor’s demonstration of anguish, impatience, or frustration (even at self) will negatively impact everyone involved.

✔︎ Respect your creative teams and instructors – faculty, directors, music directors, choreographers, designers, stage mangers. They are highly skilled professionals and should be treated as such.

✔︎ Respect your fellow cast, crew and musicians. Embrace behavior that celebrates and supports your fellow artists.

❌ Do not talk or have side conversations during rehearsal. When the director is giving cast members notes, it is important that everyone is listening and engaged, as the direction likely will affect others.

❌ Do not talk or socialize while other actors are working.

✔︎ Bring in choices and creativity to rehearsal. Be bold, and don't wait to be told what to do.

✔︎ If you need to leave the rehearsal studio or dress/tech rehearsals for any reason tell the stage manager where you are going and leave the room quietly to not disturb the rehearsal. Always be aware that others are working during rehearsal.

The cell phone and electronic policies of the Theater Division apply to rehearsals.

❌ No guests are allowed in ANY rehearsals unless approved by the director or the dean.

Health, Hygiene, and Dress

It is important for the rehearsal/performance process that you maintain and prioritize your health.

✔︎ Get plenty of rest, eat right and if you become ill see a doctor immediately.

✔︎ If you are too ill to attend rehearsal call the director or the theater secretary as soon as possible.

✔︎ Be well-groomed for rehearsal. Brush your teeth, take a shower, wear deodorant, and generally practice good hygiene as a sign of respect for others.

✔︎ Wear the appropriate shoes and attire for rehearsal. Professional actors wear rehearsal clothing similar to their costume to help discover the character's movement and behavior. Actors playing female-identifying characters should have a pair of character shoes and a rehearsal skirt on hand. Actors playing male-identifying characters should have a pair of dress shoes and a sports/suit jacket on hand.