Drama Policies

Auditions for Drama 3310

• Auditions are only valid for the same calendar year. A student whose audition is successful but chooses not to enrol in Drama 3310 must re-audition in the year in which they intend to enrol in Drama 3310.
• The January audition is for continuing students. The September audition is for transfer students and continuing students whose January auditions were unsuccessful.
• All student inquiries about the 3310 Auditions should be directed to the Assistant Dean (Advising Office), who consults with the Panel Chair as appropriate.
• No mathematical rules exist for how many auditions will be categorized as ‘successful’ or ‘unsuccessful.’ The audition panel may admit any students – to the maximum enrolment number for the course – who demonstrates fundamental skill, potential for growth and professional focus.

Mainstage Season - Complimentary Ticket Policy

• Drama faculty and staff (as per the Complimentary list made by the Faculty of Fine Arts) are allowed 2 tickets per production, which may be used for any performance.
• Directors and designers are allowed 6 tickets for their respective show, which may be used for any performance.
• Students listed in the program are allowed one ticket each, which may be used at all but the last two evening performances.
• Acknowledged individuals or organizations, as listed in the program, are allowed 2 tickets for any performance.
• All artistic personnel, as listed in the program may reserve 1 seat, no earlier than 24 hours in advance of the performance they are required to attend.
• The Department Chair is authorized to release tickets as required.

TheatreXtra Season - Complimentary Ticket Policy

• Drama faculty and staff (as per the Complimentary list made by the Faculty of Fine Arts) are allowed 2 tickets per production, which may be for any performance.
• Directors and designers are allowed 2 tickets for their respective show, which may be used for any performance. They may also access a seat no earlier than 24 hours in advance for the scheduled talkback show (subject to seat availability).
• Student artistic directors are allowed 1 ticket per production, which may be used for any performance. They may also access 1 seat no earlier than 24 hours in advance for the scheduled talkback show (subject to seat availability).
• Students listed in the program are allowed one ticket each, which may be used for any performance.
• The Department Chair is authorized to release tickets as required.

All tickets are subject to seat availability. Complimentary tickets are non-transferrable. All exchanged tickets are subject to a $2.50 service charge.

Involvement in any production requires that cast and crew understand and act in accordance with production policies as set by the Drama Department.

2020 Production Policies

Censorship, in any form, is not imposed upon Department productions.

Essentially, such decisions are made by the production director upon the basis of artistic and educational validity, value, and necessity, within the context of the play.

Actors will be informed of anticipated intimacy and nudity when offered a role and/or prior to casting.

For Mainstage productions, scripts will be ordered for each cast member plus an additional 7 scripts to be distributed as follows:

• 3 scripts for director, stage manager, and shop heads (shared)
• 4 to remain permanently in library reserves (with a 4-hour loan period) for class use

Anyone not on this list who needs to read the script should either borrow a copy from someone listed above or read the script on reserve at the library.

PRODUCTION SAFETY

GUIDELINES

The Drama Department follows the legislated Occupational Health and Safety Codes of Alberta and strongly encourages students to read and refer to Theatre Alberta’s Safe Stages document available online at www.theatrealberta.com/safe-stages/. Hardcopies are available in the library, all shops, and the production office.

All staff, faculty, and guest artists must follow the codes and practices laid out by Alberta OH&S codes, Alberta Safe Stages, Drama Department safety policies, and the University of Lethbridge safety policies and are expected adhere to and teach industry best practices with regard to health and safety at all times.

All students will receive a safety orientation prior to working in any production area. Orientation should include best practices, access to first aid and personal protective equipment locations, and site-specific training.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The Department requires all persons to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when working in the relevant shops and performance spaces. PPE may include steel toe boots/shoes, eye protection, hearing protection, head protection, and other PPE appropriate for the task at hand.

The Department of Drama has a limited stock of PPE that students are welcome to utilize. In some cases, students may be required to provide their own PPE. All technical design major students are required to acquire their own steel toe boots/shoes.

MAKEUP

In an effort to promote good hygiene and avoid contagions, all performers are encouraged to provide their own stage makeup. All performance majors are required to acquire their own makeup kit.

Contact the Costume Shop Staff regarding makeup requirements and ordering information.

WHMIS

All students must have a current University of Lethbridge Workplace Hazard Materials Information Systems (WHMIS) certificate in order to work in any shop or performance space. Students must provide a copy of their certification to the faculty or staff technical area supervisor prior to beginning work.

EMERGENCY PROTOCOL & SAFETY BRIEFING

At the first rehearsal, the stage manager will inform the entire production team and cast of the all-emergency protocol and show-specific hazard assessments. Emergency protocols may include:

• Emergency Evacuation Plan
• Medical Emergency Response
• On-stage Safety
• Back Stage Etiquette
• Equipment Malfunction
• Power Outage Response
• Fire Alarm Response
• Injury Protocol

Prior to the first rehearsal in the performance space after load-in, the full cast and crew of each production will be given an orientation tour of the set and backstage areas. The technical director or delegated member of the technical staff will provide the tour and identify safety hazards and safe practices as it pertains to that particular production.

Any changes to the Theatre’s infrastructure during the tech period may require additional orientation. This safety briefing will be included on the production schedule and must take place prior to the first rehearsal in the performance space after load-in.

Occupational Health and Safety legislation requires all cast and crew to sign-off that they have both received and clearly understand all emergency procedures following their respective training sessions. Each technical area head is ultimately responsible for all safety information and training within their technical areas.

WELL-BEING

In the best interest of the emotional, physical, and academic well-being of all persons involved, students may only take on one creative mainstage production role/position per term unless part of the requirement for a course. Students in a creative position on any mainstage production may not also engage in a technical position on the same production.

HARASSMENT

The purpose of this Policy is to support an environment in which members of the University community can work and learn in a collegial climate of respect, free from harassment and discrimination.

Please see the University of Lethbridge Harassment and Discrimination Policy available online at www.uleth.ca/policy/resources/harassment-and-discrimination-policy. 

To foster a focused, respectful and safe work environment for all participants in departmental productions cellphones are not allowed in any rehearsal or performance space.

The only possible exception will be the Stage Management team which will be at the discretion of the Director, Technical Director or designate.

All participants in rehearsals and performances will be informed of an emergency contact number.

The University is a no-smoking facility and the current policy doesn't make exceptions for the theatre and studio spaces.

However, if a director wants a character in either a Mainstage show or a TheatreXtra show to smoke during a play, the actor and director must both sign a smoking agreement form and a warning is posted outside the venue for performances. The student has the right to refuse to smoke in a production.

Smoking Agreement Form

The Department of Drama and all participants in any and all department productions have a shared interest in promoting the project through the use of recorded material, however the department also acknowledges that no person should have their performance and/or work recorded without their consent.

Contractual copyright restrictions often limit the amount, length and type of recording as well as how the material is disseminated*.

The Department of Drama also aspires to ensure any visual documentation of their productions present the department, cast, crew, designer, director and the production in a thoughtful, insightful and appropriate manner.

Guidelines for Recording** and/or Capturing Rehearsals and Performances

• Permission to record or photograph rehearsals or any activities backstage including in or around dressing rooms must be requested in writing to the Department Chair and Director no later than 3 working days in advance and should include an outline of what will be captured and how it will be used.
• The only exception to the above rule is Final Dress Rehearsal when photographs may be taken.
• There will be no photographs allowed backstage or in any of the dressing room areas after the one-hour call until 30 minutes after the end of the rehearsal/performance without express permission of the producers, director, designers and cast involved
• No photograph or recording should be posted to any social media site without the written permission from all members of the creative team (director, designers, cast and crew) whose work is being recorded/photographed.

*Distribution refers to the sharing or publication of recorded material, by any common channel of dissemination by which materials may be publicly viewed or heard, e.g. print, television broadcast, internet, digital media storage and compact devices, etc.

**Recording refers to the capture of material including moving or still images, video and audio recordings by any available means.

Guidelines for the use of, or the fabrication of Weapons in the Faculty of Fine Arts

The use or fabrication of weapons while on property controlled or operated by the University of Lethbridge (including prop weapons) requires an exception to the University of Lethbridge Weapons Policy.

These guidelines are applicable to filming, photo, and video projects, rehearsal and performance projects and events, and the fabrication and exhibition of 3 dimensional objects.

Definition of Weapon: A weapon is anything used, designed to be used, or intended for use, in causing death or injury to any person; for the purpose of threatening or intimidating any person; or a device designed to look like a weapon. Examples of weapons include, but are not limited to, firearms, explosives (including fireworks), air guns, pellet guns, BB guns, paint guns, crossbows, long bows, swords, martial art weapons, prohibited blades, combat knives, brass knuckles, replica or imitation firearms including toys, and any other prohibited device.

Property: For the purpose of this policy property is taken to include any building, part of a building of permanent or temporary construction, parking lots, sports stadium (including arenas), or grounds including sub-terrain features.