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Longwood University Theatre Department: Actor's Responsibilities and Rehearsal Guidelines, Assignments of Theatre

Longwood UniversityTheatre

The daily responsibilities and expectations for actors in the longwood university theatre department. Topics include professional attitude, communication, punctuality, notification of lateness or absence, memorization, rehearsal preparation, food and drink restrictions, notes, disturbances, fines, attendance at technical and dress rehearsals, performance etiquette, entrances, preset, props and costumes, photo call, strike, and actor's rights.

Typology: Assignments

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 08/16/2009

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Longwood University 3/30/08
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Actor
“A fool cannot be an actor, though an actor may act a fool's part.”
- Sophocles
Responsibilities
Daily
- Professional Attitude: You are training to become a professional, so please act the part. This includes respecting
all persons in the theatre and cooperating with the director, stage manager, designers, and other individuals.
- Communication: Read the call board and check your Email daily. Read every rehearsal report you receive.
- Punctuality: It is a custom of the theatre and of this department that one never misses a rehearsal, performance, or
crew assignment. Plan to arrive (and actually arrive) 5-15 minutes before your scheduled call. Disasters will
happen, so plan for them.
o Fittings: The exact time of your costume fittings are scheduled by you, leaving no excuse for missing
your own fitting.
- Notification of Lateness / Absence: Sometimes, rehearsal is scheduled right on top of your cousin's wedding, or
maybe you get some food poisoning from a bad taco. These sorts of excuses are understandable, but
neglecting to inform the stage manager of them is not. As soon as you learn of a scheduling conflict or
realize that you might be late or absent to rehearsal, call your stage manager and let them know. There is no
excuse for not calling. Please do not surprise them at the beginning of rehearsal by not being there.
- Memorization: You are not an actor only while in the theatre. Remember to go over your lines, blocking, notes,
and any technical information (scene shifts, quick changes, etc.) every night.
- Questions: Should you have any questions, ask your stage manager. If they do not personally have the answer,
they will know where to get it from.
Rehearsal
- Preparation: Arrive early, warmed up physically and vocally, and ready to go at the start of rehearsal. Make sure
that you have your script, paper, and writing implements. You should wear non-restrictive clothing, no
jewelry, and absolutely no open-toed shoes. If you so choose, you may also bring a bottle of water.
- Food in the Theatre: There is to be no food or drink (except water in closed bottles) in Jarman Auditorium, 026,
or the Studio Theatre. If you need to have food with you, please confine it to the hallways.
- Notes: Always be gracious when receiving notes, always write them down, implement them as soon as possible,
and NEVER give them to another actor.
- Disturbances: Minimize disturbances during rehearsal. Turn off cell phones, watch alarms, boom boxes, etc. If
you know that you will be sitting around doing nothing for a long time, bring homework to do, or study your
script.
- Pay Attention: That said, always pay attention during rehearsal. You never know when the director will decide to
give a general note to the cast, or give you a specific note out of the blue.
- Fines: The following fines exist as a theatre-wide policy for rehearsals. The money earned through this system
goes towards scholarship contributions in the department. All money should be paid to stage management as
soon as possible and before the end of the semester (preferably before the end of the run).
Open toed shoes $ 0.25 No script $ 1.00
No pencil $ 0.10 Missed fitting $ 2.00
Not returning pencil $ 1.00 Late - Rehearsal $ 0.20 per minute
Late – Tech / Run $1.00 per minute
- Lateness: Each time that you are late without an excuse, your call time will be moved forward by ten minutes for
the remainder of the rehearsal period. This is to help you get to rehearsal on time and ready to go.
Technical & Dress Rehearsals
- Attendance: You are required to be present for all technical and dress rehearsals. The dates will be given to you at
the first rehearsal and you are expected to keep these dates free of any other obligations.
- Patience: This is the only time that designers have to bring all of their work together and perfect it. Do not waste
their time by disrupting rehearsal, goofing off, or wandering away from the stage. The stage manager can,
and will, jump around as necessary.
- Preparation: Be prepared to alter your performance from one night to the next. Notes given after these rehearsals
pf3

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Actor

“A fool cannot be an actor, though an actor may act a fool's part.”

  • Sophocles

Responsibilities

Daily

  • Professional Attitude : You are training to become a professional, so please act the part. This includes respecting all persons in the theatre and cooperating with the director, stage manager, designers, and other individuals.
  • Communication : Read the call board and check your Email daily. Read every rehearsal report you receive.
  • Punctuality : It is a custom of the theatre and of this department that one never misses a rehearsal, performance, or crew assignment. Plan to arrive (and actually arrive) 5-15 minutes before your scheduled call. Disasters will happen, so plan for them. o Fittings : The exact time of your costume fittings are scheduled by you, leaving no excuse for missing your own fitting.
  • Notification of Lateness / Absence : Sometimes, rehearsal is scheduled right on top of your cousin's wedding, or maybe you get some food poisoning from a bad taco. These sorts of excuses are understandable, but neglecting to inform the stage manager of them is not. As soon as you learn of a scheduling conflict or realize that you might be late or absent to rehearsal, call your stage manager and let them know. There is no excuse for not calling. Please do not surprise them at the beginning of rehearsal by not being there.
  • Memorization : You are not an actor only while in the theatre. Remember to go over your lines, blocking, notes, and any technical information (scene shifts, quick changes, etc.) every night.
  • Questions : Should you have any questions, ask your stage manager. If they do not personally have the answer, they will know where to get it from.

Rehearsal

  • Preparation : Arrive early, warmed up physically and vocally, and ready to go at the start of rehearsal. Make sure that you have your script, paper, and writing implements. You should wear non-restrictive clothing, no jewelry, and absolutely no open-toed shoes. If you so choose, you may also bring a bottle of water.
  • Food in the Theatre : There is to be no food or drink (except water in closed bottles) in Jarman Auditorium, 026, or the Studio Theatre. If you need to have food with you, please confine it to the hallways.
  • Notes : Always be gracious when receiving notes, always write them down, implement them as soon as possible, and NEVER give them to another actor.
  • Disturbances : Minimize disturbances during rehearsal. Turn off cell phones, watch alarms, boom boxes, etc. If you know that you will be sitting around doing nothing for a long time, bring homework to do, or study your script.
  • Pay Attention : That said, always pay attention during rehearsal. You never know when the director will decide to give a general note to the cast, or give you a specific note out of the blue.
  • Fines : The following fines exist as a theatre-wide policy for rehearsals. The money earned through this system goes towards scholarship contributions in the department. All money should be paid to stage management as soon as possible and before the end of the semester (preferably before the end of the run). Open toed shoes $ 0.25 No script $ 1. No pencil $ 0.10 Missed fitting $ 2. Not returning pencil $ 1.00 Late - Rehearsal $ 0.20 per minute Late – Tech / Run $1.00 per minute
  • Lateness : Each time that you are late without an excuse, your call time will be moved forward by ten minutes for the remainder of the rehearsal period. This is to help you get to rehearsal on time and ready to go.

Technical & Dress Rehearsals

  • Attendance : You are required to be present for all technical and dress rehearsals. The dates will be given to you at the first rehearsal and you are expected to keep these dates free of any other obligations.
  • Patience : This is the only time that designers have to bring all of their work together and perfect it. Do not waste their time by disrupting rehearsal, goofing off, or wandering away from the stage. The stage manager can, and will, jump around as necessary.
  • Preparation : Be prepared to alter your performance from one night to the next. Notes given after these rehearsals

cannot wait three days to be implemented. You must be thinking on your feet the entire time.

Performance

  • Excellence : It does not matter whether there is one patron in the audience or a thousand, or if this is Opening Night or Performance #485. You should always give the very best performance that you are capable of.
  • Maintenance : It is your responsibility to maintain the performance as directed and to keep up your energy levels throughout the run of the show. Now is not the time to be changing your lines and if you look bored, the audience will become bored.
  • Etiquette : While you should always maintain proper theatre etiquette, it is especially important during a performance. You should not be peeking out to see how full the house is, appearing before the audience in costume before your entrance, or otherwise behaving in a manner unbefitting a member of the theatre. This includes not touching or speaking on headset for any reason.
  • Entrances : Straight from Actor's Equity, "Remember that, even though places for each act will be called, you alone are responsible for all of your entrance cues." It would not hurt to also know the entrance and exit cues of other actors.
  • Preset : Check the location of all your props and costume pieces before house opens.
  • Props and Costumes : Take care of your costume and props. Do not abuse them or misuse them. Do not touch props or costume pieces that are not yours. Do not eat, drink, or smoke, while in costume. Thank you.

Photo Call

  • Premise and Schedule : Traditionally set the night after Opening Night, this is an opportunity for designers, directors, publicists, and actors to take pictures for their portfolios.
  • Procedure : The show is run in reverse, with pauses taken for each specific photo. During each pause, actors are to freeze in position while non-flash cameras take pictures, then flash cameras, and then the stage manager will move on to the next photo.
  • Preparation : A list of the photos to be taken will be posted backstage and on the call board on the night of Photo Call. Please familiarize yourself with it, but be prepared for last minute additions and alterations.
  • Location : If you are not needed onstage for a photo, you should be backstage or in the extreme left or right of the house, and definitely out of view of any cameras. If you have to make a costume change for the next photo, please do so as quickly as possible. Do not wander off if you are not making a costume change.

Strike

  • Premise and Schedule : Strike occurs after the last performance, which is usually the Sunday matinee. This is when we dismantle the set so that the space may be used for other purposes.
  • Attendance : As a member of this production, you are required to attend Strike. Before leaving, you must sign out.

Actor’s Rights

  • Safety : You may refuse to walk on a stage or scenic unit until it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the unit is safe. The technical director and stage manager will always ensure that a scenic unit is safe before allowing you to walk on it, but you may ask for a demonstration.
  • Calls : You will be given warning calls at regular intervals before the start of the show. These are: 30 'til house, 20 'til house, 10 'til house, house open and 30 'til places, 20 'til places, 10 'til places, 5 'til places, and places.
  • Meal Breaks : You are entitled to 45-minute meal breaks during tech weekend and strike, if either would otherwise run through a meal. This break may be waived by stage management if strike is expected to be especially light (less than 45 minutes).
  • Rehearsal Breaks : You are entitled to a 5-minute break every 85 minutes. The stage manager will ensure that the director holds to this schedule.
  • Cooperation : Stage management will perform all reasonable actions to ensure the best possible rehearsal period and performance run. Even though they are often very busy, feel free to ask questions or to make requests. If the answer is no, however, please respect that.
  • Voice : You do not lack a voice in the production. If you have an issue with another actor, difficulties understanding your character, or any other questions, please do not hesitate to speak with the stage manager or director about these matters.
  • Confidentiality : Any information that you reveal to stage management will be kept in strict confidence.
  • Learn : As a student and an actor, you have the right to both learn and apply your craft. There is no substitute for experience, and this should be seen as the world's best acting class.