Student Roles and Responsibilities - New Plays Festival

Reports to: Playwright

Receives support and guidance from: Director of Production, Thesis Production Manager, Lenfest FOH Staff, CU Marketing Team, Faculty.

Schedule: Required at all production meetings (both with and without Columbia production staff), rehearsals, tech rehearsals, final dress, and opening.

Duties (In addition to typical Directorial Duties):

• Thoroughly reading and understanding the New Plays Festival protocols.
• Ensuring Lenfest Center for the Arts Rules; School of the Arts Rules; Theatre Program/Production Department Guidelines, Rules, and Regulations; & NY Laws are followed.
• Make fundraising decisions with Playwright, Production Management, Producer by given deadlines.
• Creating rehearsal calendar with Production Stage Manager and Playwright.
• Facilitating a recommended 3-4 design meetings prior to the Design Concepts Meeting.
• If sexual content, consensual sexual touching, and/or depicting sexual assault are a part of the production, following the Intimacy Protocols.
• In the case of nudity, completing a Nudity Release Form with the actor(s), prior to nudity in rehearsal.
• Facilitating the audition/casting process with the Playwright and Producer (note: Stage Managers are not required or expected to assist with auditions).
• Attending all Columbia production meetings.
• Returning rehearsal/performance spaces to neutral.
• In the case of using a minor(s) in the production, completing Columbia minor training online course.
• A pre-show announcement is mandatory, per building code and NYC law. It must be audible, and occur within 10 minutes of the start of the performance. 
  • Pre-show announcement language example: (The language about exit doors is the only part required)
    • "Hello and welcome to _______________.  Please take a moment to identify the nearest exit.  For the safety of our actors, no photography.  Please use this opportunity to silence your phone. Most importantly–enjoy the show”
    • **Please submit any variance of this language to the Production Manager/Director of Production for approval, before recording.
• At the Invited Dress Rehearsal, communicating to the show photographer about the production/photographic needs. The photographer will shoot during that run.

(If Playwright does not hire a Producer, the Playwright and/or Director are responsible for the following duties) 

Reports to: Thesis Production Manager, Playwright, Director

Receives support and guidance from: Director of Production, Thesis Operations Manager, Lenfest FOH Staff, CU Marketing Team, Faculty.

Schedule: Required at all production meetings (both with and without Columbia production staff), tech rehearsals, final dress, and opening. Attendance to rehearsals prior to tech and all performances strongly encouraged.

Duties:

General

• Thoroughly reading and understanding the Thesis Handbook.
• Ensuring Lenfest Center for the Arts Rules; School of the Arts Rules; Theatre Program/Production Department Guidelines, Rules, and Regulations; & NY Laws are followed.
• Facilitating the audition/casting process with the Director (note: Stage Managers are not required or expected to assist with auditions).
• If a production has a high level of bass or sound output (i.e. drumming, dancing, musicals), coordinating with the Production Manager and Lenfest management to ensure the building understands the scope and timing of said sound. In this case, there may need to have coordinated efforts between the Performance Space and the Film Screening Room.

Production Meetings

• Attending all design meetings previous to Columbia production meetings.
• Attending all Columbia production meetings.
• Attending nightly post technical rehearsal production meetings.

Contracts

• Handling music rights acquisition for production. All copyrighted material must have full permissions and turned into Production Management prior to opening. See the Sound Section for more detail.
• Ensuring all designers have received the information on their disciplines as listed in the applicable design section of this handbook.
• Distributing and collecting all pre-filled Performance Agreements, and employment paperwork for all paid individuals.
• Facilitating the distribution and signing of all forms. The Photo Release Form is mandatory for all collaborators on the production, including both Columbia and non-Columbia collaborators. We recommend that this link be shared at the 1st rehearsal to ensure that everyone fills it out.
• If weapons are used in the production, facilitating the application process for permitting and payment for rental. See Props Section for more detail.
• In the case of using a minor(s) in the production, ensuring completion of Minor Release Form prior to commencement of rehearsals. Also, completing Columbia Protection of Minor Training Course. Ask Production Management for the link to this course.

Finance

• Make fundraising decisions with the Playwright and Director. If fundraising, creating and distributing a fundraising proposal by the given deadline.
• If fundraising is approved, coordinating all efforts to fundraise and providing regular status updates the Production Manager.
• Creating and administering production budget for approval to Production Manager by given deadlines.
• Providing approval/non-approval for all purchases through the Production Manager.
• Regular check-ins of the production’s Expense Tracker, including updates to the “Estimate to Complete” column at least twice a week, and updates to the Fundraising tabs as expenditures are made from fundraised money.
• Regular check-ins of the Costume Expense Tracker to check for notes and accuracy. This document lives in the Costume Folder in the drive and is linked into the production's Expense Tracker.
• Managing and distributing all petty cash transactions, reimbursements, and collecting original receipts. See the Financial section of this handbook for details on requirements for petty cash purchases and reimbursements.
• Reconciling the budget at the close of the production and submitting all receipts and reimbursement requests in a timely manner.

Marketing

• Creation of marketing blurb for production.
• Communicating with the Marketing team about the creation of the key image and deadlines associated.

Playbill

• Gathering all program materials:
  • Cast list, director’s note, special thanks.
  • Cast & Creative Bios: Actor name in bold (Character Name) 75-word bio. All complete works like, play titles, TV shows, films, books, magazines should be italicized.  Partial works should be in quotations, (ie: TV show episodes, magazine or newspaper articles). Nothing should be in all caps. This is the only formatting needed.
  • A style guide for bios sent to cast/creative is highly encouraged.
  • Receive the Playbill draft from CU Marketing Team, and take into tech rehearsal to get signoff from Cast/Creative
• Proofreading and ensuring the playbill has all of the necessary information
• Approved Theatre Program billing order for the title page is:
  • Playwright
  • Director
  • Dramaturg
  • General Manager / Producer
  • PSM
  • ASMs
  • Company Manager
  • Composer (in playwright position for musicals)
  • Choreographer
  • Scenic
  • Costumes
  • Lighting
  • Sound
  • Props
  • Projection
  • Fight Choreographer
  • Intimacy Director
  • Dance Captain
• Approved Theatre Playbill order for Bios is:
  • Cast, in alphabetical order
  • Playwright, followed by Creative Team, in alphabetical order
• Sending proofread program materials to the Playbill Designer.
• Gather 8 x 10 printed headshots of the actors. At Final Dress, prepare the headshot boards and content warning printouts for opening. The content warnings need to be in Portrait orientation. Please print 4 for Lenfest FOH Staff. They can also print these, if sent ahead of time.

Tech/Performances/Front of House

• Coordinating Box Office information and reservations for show comps and Industry invitees 
• Confirming number of seats available and number of seats being sold with the Director of Production, Production Manager, and Technical Director.
• Attending Final Dress Rehearsal.
• At the Final Dress Rehearsal, communicating to the show photographer about the production/photographic needs. The photographer will shoot during that run.
• Providing language for any nudity, intimacy, violence, adult themes, gunshot, strobe, etc signage that needs to be displayed to the Production Manager. It will be created/laminated from the given language with the approved fonts/logos.
• Attending 1st performance, and others as necessary.
• Starting opening night, coordinating with the Lenfest Audience Services Manager and Lenfest Front of House staff.
• Being the in-person contact for any VIPs attending the production.

Reports to: Thesis Production Manager, Director

Reports to: Thesis Production Manager, Director

Receives support and guidance from: Director of Production, Thesis Production Manager, Thesis Operations Manager, Lenfest FOH Staff, Faculty.

Schedule: Required at all production meetings (both with and without Columbia production staff), tech rehearsals, final dress, and all performances. 

Duties:

General

• Thoroughly reading and understanding the New Plays Festival protocols.
• Ensuring Lenfest Center for the Arts Rules; School of the Arts Rules; Theatre Program/Production Department Guidelines, Rules, and Regulations; & NY Laws are followed.
• Collaborating with the director, all creative team members, and Columbia production staff to help successfully achieve the production vision.
• Reviewing scripts and/or monitor devised text in order to develop standard production paperwork.
• Facilitating communication between all departments.
• Identifying and troubleshooting potential production issues.
• Acting as executive-in-charge of all pre-production deliverables (see below), rehearsals, and performances.
• Maintaining artistic integrity of performances to ensure quality control over the course of the run.
• Conducting themselves as leaders in accordance with generally accepted professional standards of conduct.
• Demonstrating ability to accept and incorporate constructive criticism from the Columbia production staff and concentration advisors at various times through the process in an effort to assess progress.
• As facilitator for all protocols, stage managers who are meet with any resistance from any member of the production team (students, staff, faculty, administration, and any outside colleagues hired for the production), should immediately report such instances to their Concentration Head, the Director of Production, and the Director of Academic Administration for further counsel.

Production Meetings

• Attending all Columbia production meetings.
• Taking detailed notes at all production meetings and distributing to the production/design team within 24 hours.
• New Plays Festival Distro List

Pre-Production Paperwork & Deliverables

• Preparing and placing the following into the Production's Google Drive folder created by the Production Manager.
  • Prelim Contact Sheet with cast & creative (cast can be just character names- include 1st Year Production Crew)
  • Character/Scene Breakdown (French Scenes)
  • Prelim Props List (script references only)
  • Prelim Sound Cue List (script references only)
  • Prelim Costume List (script references only)
  • PDF of Script
• Developing, coordinating, and implementing daily and master production calendars with the Director. By four weeks prior to rehearsal start date, turning in a Production Calendar Draft for approval to the Production Manager. Once approved, adding the Production Calendar into the Google Calendar provided by the Production Manager. This will be the only calendar used by Production Management for accurate space reserving. Google Calendar must be completed three weeks prior to the first rehearsal. Every week, the Production Manager will submit the times listed on the Google Calendar to the Lenfest Building for the upcoming three weeks, to hire Theatre Supervisor oversight. Once submitted, no changes can be made without a formal request submitted.
• No later than one week prior to rehearsal start date, emailing the Production Manager a list for security of all persons that will be working on rehearsals/performances. This can be a one-time, comprehensive list - but it should include everyone possible (cast, crew, designers, choreographers, etc.) that may come to the Lenfest building. Everyone must be listed by their legal names as they appear on their ID, not stage names or preferred names.
  • Throughout the process, if you add any collaborators, please be sure to alert the Production Manager.
  • Please create this list in an Excel document: Column 1: First Name, Column 2: Last Name, Column 3: UNI Sample of Layout
• Prior to one week before tech rehearsal, submitting the Detailed Technical Schedule to the SM Faculty, Production Management, Wardrobe Supervisor, and A/V Supervisor for approval, based on the sample provided.
• Prior to the first day of tech, creating and distributing an Entrance/Exit plot to the Production Manager and Wardrobe Supervisor.

Rehearsal and Performances

• Having all cast/creative turn in an Emergency Contact Sheet at the first rehearsal.
• Monitoring & managing daily rehearsals.
• Submitting daily rehearsal and performance reports to all persons on the distribution list provided by the Production Manager by 9:00am, the following day.
• Assisting in returning rehearsal/performance spaces to neutral.
• Inviting 1st year production crew to the first read-through as well as run throughs at the end of the rehearsal process. This is optional for them, but encouraged.
• Attending a Front of House meeting on the first day of tech (or an approved alternate day) to discuss the Production Specifics and meet the Lenfest staff.
• Running technical rehearsals.
• Organizing all aspects of technical production, including the coordination of on-stage activity with backstage systems.
• Supervising ASMs.
• Supervising run crews (overhire technicians & 1st year crew), in coordination with Production Management.
• Calling all technical cues in performance.
• Ensuring Lenfest Center for the Arts, School of the Arts Rules, and NY Laws are followed.
• In the case of using a minor(s) in the production, completing Columbia Minor Training Course. Ask Production Management for the link to this course.
• In the case of nudity, completing a Nudity Release Form with the actor(s), prior to nudity in rehearsal.
• If sexual content, consensual sexual touching, and/or depicting sexual assault are a part of the production, following the Intimacy Protocols.
• In the case of weapon use, completing Gun & Weapon Release Form, prior to use on rehearsal. Maintaining safe protocols for the use and storage of the weapon.
• In case of an injury to a production cast or crew member, completing an Accident Report and submitting to the Director of Production immediately after the injury. If the injury requires medical attention, please alert the Production Manager and Director of Production. Please see the Safety section for standard operating procedures on injuries.
• Alerting Production Manager if First Aid supplies are in need of replenishing.
• Ensuring everyone takes home personal belongings after the last performance.
• Assembling and maintaining a prompt book.

Post Production

• Submitting completed production prompt book to the concentration advisor that includes, but not limited to: rehearsal reports, performance reports, calling script, blocking script, cue sheets, and any other applicable production paperwork.
• Prompt book to be submitted no later than two weeks following the final performance.

Reports to: Thesis Production Manager, Production Stage Manager, Director

Receives support and guidance from: Director of Production, Thesis Operations Manager, Lenfest FOH Staff, Faculty.

Schedule: Required at all production meetings (both with and without Columbia production staff, classes take priority), tech rehearsals, final dress, and all performances. 

Duties:

• Thoroughly reading and understanding the New Plays Festival Protocols.
• Attending all Columbia production meetings (classes permitting).
• Ensuring Lenfest Center for the Arts Rules; School of the Arts Rules; Theatre Program/Production Department Guidelines, Rules, and Regulations; & NY Laws are followed.
• Work with the Costume Shop to coordinate the fitting schedule for the cast. The Costume Shop manager will provide a sign-up sheet that includes shop and designer availability.
• The First Stage Manager shall attend all required rehearsals, perform all tasks designated by the Production Stage Manager, and maintain accurate records of necessary information for the Second Stage Manager.
• If applicable, the Second Stage Manager shall attend the company read-through, read all daily rehearsal reports, and begin attending rehearsals the week prior to the beginning of technical rehearsals. The Second Stage Manager will use the first week to learn the show with the aid of the First Stage Manager’s documentation.
• Assisting in returning rehearsal/performance spaces to neutral.
• Performing other tasks as assigned by the Production Stage Manager.
• Running backstage for all technical rehearsals.
• Managing 1st year student production crew.
• In the case of using a minor(s) in the production, completing Columbia Minor Training Course.

These roles are assigned for 1st Year Crew Assignment, a graduation requirement. Upon assignment, the crew gets their roles & responsibilities from the Thesis Production Manager.

Reports to: Production Stage Manager

Receives support and guidance from: Director of Production, Thesis Production Manager, Faculty.

Schedule: Required at all tech rehearsals (as scheduled by Production Manager), final dress, all performances, and all changeovers.

Duties include: 

• There will be 1 Light Board Operator and 1 Backstage run crew available to each show, from tech through performances.
• Be present at all Tech Rehearsals & Performances to act as Run Crew and Changeover Help, if needed.
• Specific duties will be decided on a show-by-show basis to meet the needs of each specific production.