Study

TheatreXtra

Mandate

TheatreXtra is a student-centric theatre production program, with a mandate to

  • Encourage innovative processes for development and/or rehearsal of a theatre production.
  • Provide opportunities for students to extend the skills acquired through drama courses and previous experiences.
  • Help prepare students for participation in projects like fringe festivals, emerging arts festivals, and independent productions.

General Information

  • TheatreXtra will be allocated two production slots per academic year, to be scheduled by the Technical Director. Each production slot can accommodate performances up to two hours in length, inclusive of intermissions. A production could involve a single full-length piece or a series of shorter pieces.
  • Students can earn Portfolio credits for TheatreXtra productions. Students interested in earning Portfolio credit must arrange for a faculty supervisor.

2020-2021 TheatreXtra Artistic Producers

If you have any questions regarding TheatreXtra please contact Kacie Hall (General Manager), Lauren Moore (Technical Director) or Jesse Thibert (Artistic Producer) at theatre.xtra@uleth.ca

Each TheatreXtra production will receive:

  • Access to a performance venue. TheatreXtra projects may not displace regularly-scheduled Drama courses; seating risers may be left in the performance venue upon approval of the Chair. Projects should explore methods to quickly set-up and strike the production, as is common practice in fringe festivals, etc.
  • A budget of up to $750 to cover production expenses, including promotional materials and rights/royalties (if applicable).
    NOTE as of September 2019: TheatreXtra receives $500 to allocate per show/per semester (2 total productions for the year, 1 per semester)
  • Priority booking for rehearsal space for up to 80 hours, with no more than 20 hours per week.
  • Technical support – in addition to the pool of 80 rehearsal hours:
    • 10 hours – supervise seating move-in and strike.
    • 10 hours – supervise set move-in and strike.
    • 10 hours – consultation/supervision during light hang.
    • 8 hours – consultation/supervision during tech rehearsal/Q2Q
    • 20 hours – consultation/supervision during 1 dress rehearsal and 2 performances (5 calls of 4 hours each).
  • Lighting: an existing light hang and a few lighting specials, as determined by the Technical Director.
  • Sound: any stock sound cues/effects that are needed, as determined by the Technical Director.
  • Access to production shops according to the chart below, provided that:
    • shop access is supervised by a faculty or staff member
    • materials used are purchased for the production out of the production budget and are brought to the shop(s) (this includes lumber, fabric, glue, nails, screws, misc. hardware, paint, thread etc.)
Area Support Max Staff Hours

Costume Shop

Pull/ consultation/ shop supervision

20

Scene Shop

Pull/ consultation/ shop supervision

20

Props Shop

Pull/ consultation/ shop supervision

20

Audio

Access to in-house music & effects/ consultation (no build)

10

Front of House

Program design (consultation only)

2

Ticketing/ ushering

As for mainstage productions

NOTE: Projects may not access Department resources until a start-date is approved by the Artistic Producers.

By February 1 of each year, the Department will appoint two Artistic Producers. Artistic Producers will serve a term of one year, and perform the following duties:

Select TheatreXtra productions, according to the following process:

  • Solicit proposals, with as much advance notice as possible.
  • Conduct a workshop to provide guidance to prospective applicants.
  • Adjudicate proposals, according to the ‘Proposal Materials and Evaluation Criteria’ listed below.
  • Present the selected proposals at a faculty meeting, for final approval.
  • NOTE: Artistic Producers evaluate proposals on a case-by-case basis, with no consideration of an interrelated season. If the Artistic Producers decide the proposals lack merit, they may choose to not fill all four allocated slots.
  • NOTE: Artistic Producers will not consider commercial elements (popularity, salability, etc.) or casting elements (cast size, any casting ideas in reference to mainstage productions).
  • NOTE: Each academic year, the Department may automatically allocate one TheatreXtra production slot to an MFA candidate.

Support the development of the production, including:

  • Meeting regularly with the creative and production teams during pre-production, rehearsal, and performance phases.
  • Determining and supervising production budgets, including the allocation of $500 per production each semester (2 productions in total).
  • Ensuring compliance with the allocations for priority booking and production support.
  • Supervising any audition postings or other calls for artistic contributions; all communications should clearly indicate the possibility of earning Portfolio credits for participation in TheatreXtra productions.

Promote TheatreXtra productions, according to the following guidelines

  • Physical materials (posters, postcards, etc.) may only be distributed on the University of Lethbridge campus.
  • Only on-campus media organizations (The Meliorist, The Legend, CKXU) may be contacted.
  • Social media campaigns are encouraged.
  • Projects are responsible for coordinating the design and printing of any promotional materials.
  • Any costs associated with promotional activities must be included in the production budget.

  • TheatreXtra proposals may be submitted by an individual or by a group.
    • No people outside of the applicant(s) should be included in a proposal. For example, if a student wants to direct a play with a specific student performer and a specific student designer, those students should be listed as co-applicants.
    • Designers, other than those included as project applicants, will be assigned by the faculty.
    • Technical crews will be assigned by the faculty.
  • All applicants must be students registered in a Drama degree program.
  • Applicants may submit more than one proposal; students may only be associated as applicants with one TheatreXtra production per semester (in any given semester, students may be involved with one TheatreXtra production as an applicant and the other TheatreXtra production in a non- applicant capacity).
  • Questions about proposals should be addressed to the Artistic Producers overseeing the season for which the production is being proposed.
  • Proposals should respond to the questions in the ‘Proposal Materials and Evaluation Criteria’ listed below.
  • Proposals must be received by April 10 for Fall semester projects and October 15 for Spring semester projects; if a deadline falls on a statutory holiday or weekend, applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on the next working day.
  • Proposals must be complete and submitted in writing to the TheatreXtra Artistic Producers; incomplete or emailed applications will not be accepted.
  • Proposals become the property of the Department of Drama.

Basic information (1 page maximum)

  • Provide the name and contact information for each applicant.
  • Identify the artistic contribution of each applicant.
  • Indicate your availability for production time slots, with a brief explanation of preferences and conflicts.

Project description – 25% (2 pages maximum)

  • Provide a concise description of the project.
  • For projects that involve a completed script, describe some of the conceptual elements that you intend to explore (location, period, casting, aesthetic techniques, etc.).
  • For projects that involve writing, creating, or using non-traditional elements, describe some of the topics and themes that you intend to explore, as well as the techniques and methods that you expect to utilize.

Artistic merit – 25% (2 pages maximum)

  • Describe how this project is distinctive, original, or innovative in terms of form and/or content.
  • Indicate the specific challenges the project involves and how you intend to resolve these challenges.

Logistic information – 25% (4 pages maximum)

  • Provide a detailed budget that itemizes all expenses and revenues.
  • Provide a production schedule that includes information related to design, technical elements, publicity, etc.
  • Provide a rehearsal schedule.
  • For projects that involve writing, creating, or using non-traditional elements, provide a schedule of the development process.

Experience – 25% (2 pages maximum, per applicant)

  • List all courses and previous experiences that directly relate to your creative and/or production positions for the project (ie, a student submitting a proposal to direct a play should list her/his previous directing courses and experiences).
  • Describe how these courses and experiences support your ability to execute the project.

Other required items

  • For projects that involve a completed script, submit a copy.
  • For projects that involve writing or creating, submit any preliminary drafts or source materials that exist.
  • Submit a copy of your completed proposal to a Drama faculty member and ask for an endorsement of your project. If the faculty member agrees, they must send an email to the TheatreXtra Artistic Producers with the following message, “I have read the completed TheatreXtra proposal from [insert students name(s), and I support its consideration for production.”

Reporting Requirements

  • Successful project applicants must submit a complete and accurate financial report detailing expenses and reporting all in-kind donations within 10 days of closing.
  • All expenses must be in accordance with the original budget (or any revised budget approved by the Artistic Producers), and must be accompanied by receipts or they will not be reimbursed.

Approved by the Department of Drama April 27, 2015 for implementation April 27, 2015